"
"Oh, tolerably well, I thank you. Husband's business, it is true, has not
been as brisk as usual, but we ought not to complain; now that we have got
the house paid for, and the girls do so much sewing, we get on very
nicely."
"I should think three children must be something of a burthen--must be hard
to provide for."
"Oh no, not at all," rejoined Mrs. Ellis, who seemed rather surprised at
Mrs. Thomas's uncommon solicitude respecting them. "We have never found the
children a burthen, thank God--they're rather a comfort and a pleasure than
otherwise."
"I'm glad to hear you say so, Ellen--very glad, indeed, for I have been
quite disturbed in mind respecting you during the winter. I really several
times thought of sending to take Charlie off your hands: by-the-way, what
is he doing now?"
"He goes to school regularly--he hasn't missed a day all winter. You should
just see his writing," continued Mrs. Ellis, warming up with a mother's
pride in her only son--"he won't let the girls make out any of the bills,
but does it all himself--he made out yours."
Mrs. Thomas took down the file and looked at the bill again. "It's very
neatly written, very neatly written, indeed; isn't it about time that he
left school--don't you think he has education enough?" she inquired.
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