t it wasn't of any use. I
think she considers it one of the greatest honors in the world to board a
minister. Mike does not believe in that sort of business, but he says
that Phoebe has always been in the habit of doing what she wants to, and
he is getting used to it."

"But it is impossible for you to do all the work," said Dora.

"Oh, well," replied Miriam, "some of it doesn't get done, and some of it
I am helped with. Mike does ever so much; he makes the fires, and carries
the heavy things, and sometimes even cooks. My brother Ralph helps, too,
when there is anything he can do, which is not often; but just now they
are so busy with their hay that it is harder upon me than it was before.
We have had soda biscuit and all that sort of thing, but I saw that Ralph
was getting tired of them; and to-day I thought I would try and make some
real bread,--though how it is going to turn out, I don't know."

"Come, let us go out and feed the calf," said Dora; "I really want to see
how you do it. I have come to make you a good long call, you must know;"
and then she explained how her brother had left her, while he went on to
attend to his business.

At this Miriam was much relieved. She had been thinking that perhaps she
would better go upstairs and take off that ridiculous silk dress, and
entertain her visitor properly during the rest of her call; but if Miss
Bannister was going to stay a good while, and if there was no coachman
outside to see her and her train, there was no reason why she should not
go and feed the calf, and then come back and put herself into the proper
trim for the reception of visitors. It seemed strange to her, but she was
positively sure that she would not have felt so much at ease with this
handsomely dressed young lady, if she herself had been attired in her
best clothes; but now they had met without its being possible for either
Miss Bannister or herself to make any comparisons of attire. The old,
draggled silk gown did not count one way or the other. It was simply a
covering to keep one's clothes clean when one fed a calf. When they
should return to the house, and she took off her old gown, she and her
visitor would be better acquainted, and their comparative opinions of
each other would not depend so much on clothes. Miriam was accustomed to
making philosophical reflections concerning her relations with the rest
of the world; and in regard to these relations she was at times very
sensitive.