he was left a widow, with two sons to support and
educate, all her friends and neighbors prophesied that her health would
prove unequal to either work, and agreed that it was very fortunate that
she had a rich relation or two to help her. But, unfortunately, the rich
relations preferred helping only in their own way. One uncle agreed to
send the older boy to his father's relations in Germany, while the other
wished to take the younger with him to his home in the South; and an
aunt-in-law promised Mrs. Schroder work enough as seamstress to support
herself.

It is singular how hard it is, for those who have large means and
resources, to understand how to supply the little wants and needs of
those less fortunate. The smallest stream in the mountains will find its
way through some little channel, over rocks, or slowly through quiet
meadows, into the great rivers, and finally feeds the deep sea, which
is very thankless, and thinks little of restoring what is so prodigally
poured into it. It only knows how to sway up with its grand tide upon
the broad beaches, or to wrestle with turreted rocks, or, for some
miles, perhaps, up the great rivers, it is willing to leave some flavor
of its salt strength. So it is that we little ones, to the last, pour
out our little stores into the great seas of wealth,--and the Neptunes,
the gods of riches, scarcely know how to return us our due, if they
would.

When Mrs. Schroder, then, refused these kindly offers, because she knew
that her husband had wished his boys should be brought up together and
in America, and because she could not separate them from each other or
from herself, the relations thought best to leave her to her own will,
and drew back, feeling that they had done their part for humanity and
kinship. Now and then Mrs. Schroder received a present of a worn
shawl or a bonnet out of date, and one New Year there came inclosed a
dollar-bill apiece for the boys. Ernest threw his into the fire before
his mother could stop him, while Harry said he would spend his for the
very meanest thing he could think of; and that very night he bought some
sausages with it, to satisfy, as he said, only their lowest wants.

Mrs. Schroder succeeded in carrying out her will, in spite of prophecy.
Her very delicacy of body led her to husband her strength, while the
boys very early learned that they must help their mother to get through
her day's work. Her feebleness of health helped her, too, in anoth