"It's the only thing at all respectable, that I can think of," Mrs.
Turner said despondingly; "and I'm afraid it's the best we can do."

"I think we had better try it, mother, don't you?"

"Well, perhaps we had, Mary. There are four rooms that we can spare;
and these ought to bring us in something handsome."

"What ought we to charge?"

"About three dollars and a half for young men, and ten dollars for a
man and his wife."

"If we could get four married couples for the four rooms, that would
be forty dollars a week, which would be pretty good," said Mary,
warming at the thought.

"Yes, if we could, Mary, we might manage pretty well. But most
married people have children, and they are such an annoyance that I
wouldn't have them in the house. We will have to depend mainly on
the young men."

It was, probably, three weeks after this, that an advertisement,
running thus, appeared in one of the newspapers:

"BOARDING--Five or six genteel young men, or a few gentlemen and
their wives, can be accommodated with boarding at No.--Cedar street.
Terms moderate."

In the course of the following day, a man called and asked the terms
for himself and wife.

"Ten dollars," said Mrs. Turner.

"That's too high--is it not?" remarked the man.

"We cannot take you for less."

"Have you a pleasant room vacant?"

"You can have your choice of the finest in the house?"

"Can I look at them, madam?"

"Certainly, sir." And the stranger was taken through Mrs. Turner's
beautifully furnished chambers.

"Well, this is certainly a temptation," said the man, pausing and
looking around the front chamber on the second floor. "And you have
named your lowest terms?"

"Yes, sir; the lowest."

"Well, it's higher than I've been paying, but this looks too
comfortable. I suppose we will have to strike a bargain."

"Shall be pleased to accommodate you, sir."

"We will come, then, to-morrow morning."

"Very well, sir." And the stranger departed.

"So much for a beginning," said Mrs. Turner, evidently gratified.
"He seems to be much of a gentleman. If his wife is like him, they
will make things very agreeable I am sure."

"I hope she is," said Mary.

On the next morning, the new boarders made their appearance, and the
lady proved as affable and as interesting as the husband.

"I always pay quarterly. This is the custom in all the boarding
houses I have been in. But if your rules are otherwise, why just say
so. It makes no diffe