! We could not expose ourselves in that
way."

"I know that it would not be pleasant, mother; but, then, we must do
something."

"It must be something besides that, Mary. I can't listen to it. It's
only a vulgar class of women who keep stores."

"I am willing to take in sewing, mother; but, then, all I could earn
would go but a little way towards keeping the family. I don't
suppose I could even pay the rent, and that you know, is four
hundred dollars."

"Too true," Mrs. Turner said, despondingly.

"Suppose I open a school?" suggested Mary.

"O no! no! My head would never stand the noise and confusion. And,
any way, I never did like a school."

"Then I don't know what we shall do, unless we take some boarders."

"A little more genteel. But even that is low enough."

"Then, suppose, mother we look for a lower rent, and try to live
more economically. I will take in sewing, and we can try for awhile,
and see how we get along."

"O no, indeed, child. That would never do. We must keep up
appearances, or we shall lose our place in society. You know that it
is absolutely necessary for you and your brothers, that we should
maintain our position."

"As for me, mother," said Mary, in a serious tone, "I would not have
you to take a thought in that direction. And it seems to me that our
true position is the one where we can live most comfortably
according to our means."

"You don't know anything about it, child," Mrs. Turner replied, in a
positive tone.

Mary was silenced for the time. But a banishment of the subject did
not, in any way, lesson the difficulties. Thoughts of these soon
again became apparent in words; and the most natural form of these
was the sentence--

"I don't know what we _shall_ do!" uttered by the mother in a tone
of deep despondency.

"Suppose we take a few boarders?" Mary urged, about three weeks
after the conversation just alluded to.

"No, Mary; we would be too much exposed: and then it would come very
hard on you, for you know that I cannot stand much fatigue," Mrs.
Turner replied, slowly and sadly.

"O, as to that," said Mary, with animation: "I'll take all the
burden off of you."

"Indeed, child, I cannot think of it," Mrs. Turner replied,
positively; and again the subject was dismissed.

But it was soon again recurred to, and after the suggestion and
disapproval of many plans, Mary again said--

"Indeed, mother, I don't see what we will do, unless we take a few
boarders."