I once heard a lady say that she was
afraid the society there would be rather mixed; she was a very exclusive
person; but Solomon tells us that there is nothing new under the sun, so
I suppose we shall never be without our modern Pharisees and Sadducees.
The grand idea to me is that there will be room for all. I do not know
when the idea first came to me that it was a mean thing to live under a
man's roof, eating his bread and warming oneself at his fire, and all
the time despising him in one's heart. I only know that one day the idea
took possession of me, and, like an Eastern mustard seed, grew and
flourished. Soon after that Uncle Keith had rather a serious loss--some
mercantile venture in which he was interested had come to grief. I began
to notice small retrenchments in the household; certain little luxuries
were given up. Now and then Aunt Agatha grew a little grave as she
balanced her weekly accounts. One night I took myself to task.
"What business have you, a strong, healthy, young woman," I observed to
myself, severely, "to be a burthen on these good folk? What is enough
for two may be a tight fit for three; it was that new mantle of yours,
Miss Merle, that has put out the drawing-room fire for three weeks, and
has shut up the sherry in the sideboard.
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