not much to do."

"Ah! well, I'm glad of it,--very glad," said Mr. Shelby, heartily. "Tom,
I suppose, will get reconciled to a Southern residence;--hardly want to
come up here again."

"On the contrary he inquires very anxiously," said Mrs. Shelby, "when
the money for his redemption is to be raised."

"I'm sure _I_ don't know," said Mr. Shelby. "Once get business running
wrong, there does seem to be no end to it. It's like jumping from one
bog to another, all through a swamp; borrow of one to pay another, and
then borrow of another to pay one,--and these confounded notes falling
due before a man has time to smoke a cigar and turn round,--dunning
letters and dunning messages,--all scamper and hurry-scurry."

"It does seem to me, my dear, that something might be done to straighten
matters. Suppose we sell off all the horses, and sell one of your farms,
and pay up square?"

"O, ridiculous, Emily! You are the finest woman in Kentucky; but still
you haven't sense to know that you don't understand business;--women
never do, and never can.

"But, at least," said Mrs. Shelby, "could not you give me some little
insight into yours; a list of all your debts, at least, and of all
that is owed to you, and let me try and see if I can't help you to
economize."

"O, bother! don't plague me, Emily!--I can't tell exactly. I know
somewhere about what things are likely to be; but there's no trimming
and squaring my affairs, as Chloe trims crust off her pies. You don't
know anything about business, I tell you."

And Mr. Shelby, not knowing any other way of enforcing his ideas, raised
his voice,--a mode of arguing very convenient and convincing, when a
gentleman is discussing matters of business with his wife.

Mrs. Shelby ceased talking, with something of a sigh. The fact was,
that though her husband had stated she was a woman, she had a clear,
energetic, practical mind, and a force of character every way superior
to that of her husband; so that it would not have been so very absurd
a supposition, to have allowed her capable of managing, as Mr. Shelby
supposed. Her heart was set on performing her promise to Tom and Aunt
Chloe, and she sighed as discouragements thickened around her.

"Don't you think we might in some way contrive to raise that money? Poor
Aunt Chloe! her heart is so set on it!"

"I'm sorry, if it is. I think I was premature in promising. I'm not
sure, now, but it's the best way to tell Chloe, and let her make up