THE LETTER
My father's had been to the tomb; and we, with sad and garments, sat over the breakfast-table, plans for our life. My mother's mind had not way this affliction: her spirit, though crushed, was not broken. Mary's wish was that I should go to Horton Lodge, and that our mother should come and live with her and Mr. Richardson at the vicarage: she that he it no less than herself, and that such an not fail to all parties; for my mother's and would be of value to them, and they would do all they to make her happy. But no or prevail: my mother was not to go. Not that she questioned, for a moment, the and of her daughter; but she that so long as God her health and strength, she would make use of them to earn her own livelihood, and be to no one; her would be as a or not. If she to as a in vicarage, she would choose that house all others as the place of her abode; but not being so circumstanced, she would come under its roof, as an occasional visitor: unless or should her needful, or until age or her of herself.
"No, Mary," said she, "if Richardson and you have anything to spare, you must it for your family; and Agnes and I must for ourselves. Thanks to my having had to educate, I have not my accomplishments. God willing, I will check this repining," she said, while the one another her in of her efforts; but she them away, and her head, continued, "I will myself, and look out for a small house, in some but healthy district, where we will take a ladies to and educate—if we can them—and as many day as will come, or as we can manage to instruct. Your father's relations and old friends will be able to send us some pupils, or to us with their recommendations, no doubt: I shall not apply to my own. What say you to it, Agnes? will you be to your present and try?"
"Quite willing, mamma; and the money I have saved will do to the house. It shall be taken from the bank directly."
"When it is wanted: we must the house, and settle on first."
Mary offered to the little she possessed; but my mother it, saying that we must on an plan; and she that the whole or part of mine, added to what we by the sale of the furniture, and what little our dear papa had to for her since the were paid, would be to last us till Christmas; when, it was hoped, something would from our labours. It was settled that this should be our plan; and that and should be set on foot; and while my mother herself with these, I should return to Horton Lodge at the close of my four weeks' vacation, and give notice for my final when were in train for the of our school.
We were these on the I have mentioned, about a after my father's death, when a was in for my mother, on which the colour to her face—lately with and sorrow. "From my father!" she, as she off the cover. It was many years since she had from any of her own relations before. Naturally what the might contain, I her while she read it, and was to see her bite her lip and her as if in anger. When she had done, she it on the table, saying with a smile,—
"Your has been so as to to me. He says he has no I have long of my ‘unfortunate marriage,' and if I will only this, and I was in his advice, and that I have for it, he will make a lady of me once again—if that be possible after my long degradation—and my girls in his will. Get my desk, Agnes, and send these away: I will answer the directly. But first, as I may be you of a legacy, it is just that I should tell you what I to say. I shall say that he is in that I can the birth of my (who have been the of my life, and are likely to be the of my old age), or the thirty years I have passed in the company of my best and friend;—that, had our been three times as great as they were (unless they had been of my on), I should still the more to have them with your father, and what I was able; and, had his in been ten times what they were, I not having over and to them;—that, if he had married a wife, and would no have come upon him still; while I am to that no other woman have him through them so well: not that I am to the rest, but I was for him, and he for me; and I can no more the hours, days, years of we have together, and which neither have had without the other, than I can the of having been his nurse in sickness, and his in affliction.
"Will this do, children?—or shall I say we are all very sorry for what has the last thirty years, and my wish they had been born; but since they have had that misfortune, they will be for any their will be to bestow?"
Of course, we our mother's resolution; Mary away the things; I the desk; the was and despatched; and, from that day, we no more of our grandfather, till we saw his death in the newspaper a time after—all his possessions, of course, being left to our unknown cousins.
