n,

"August 26th.

"MY DEAR FLORITA,--You are quite right to consult me
in your difficulties, and are welcome to any advice which I am
able to offer you. I am sorry to hear of your financial
embarrassments, but I am not surprised. The present increase in
the cost of living, and extra taxation, will make retrenchments
necessary to everybody. In the circumstances I should not advise
you to leave Highfield. ("Oh, thank goodness!" ejaculated
Winona.) The expense of a removal would probably cancel what you
would otherwise save. Neither should I recommend you to take
Percy from Longworth College and send him daily to be coached by
your parish curate. From my knowledge of his character I
consider the discipline of a public school to be indispensable
if he is to grow into worthy manhood, and sooner than allow the
wholesome restraint of his house master to be removed at this
critical portion of his life, I will myself defray half the cost
of his maintenance for the next two years.

"Now as regards Winona. I believe she has ability, and it is
high time to begin to think seriously what you mean to do with
her. In the future women will have to depend upon themselves,
and I consider that all girls should be trained to gain their
own living. The foundation of every career is a good
education--without this it is impossible to build at all, and
Winona certainly cannot obtain it if she remains at home. The
new High School at Seaton is offering two open Scholarships to
girls resident in the County, the examination for which is on
September 8th. I propose that Winona enters for this
examination, and that if she should be a successful candidate,
she should come to live with me during the period of her
attendance at the High School. The education is the best
possible, there is a prospect of a University Scholarship to be
competed for, and every help and encouragement is given to the
girls in their choice of a career. With Winona off your hands, I
should suggest that you should engage a competent nursery
governess to teach the younger children the elements of order
and discipline. I would gladly pay her salary on