up
for not being a large family," which seemed to amuse both Aunt Mary and
Letty, who had just come in.

The hour soon slipped by and Betty's needle had done great execution,
but a little heap was laid aside for the rag-bag as too hopeless a wreck
for any mending. It was plain that too much trust had been reposed in
strange washerwomen, for one could put a finger through the underwaists
anywhere, such damaging soap had evidently been used to make them clean.
Betty had heard that paper clothes were coming into fashion from Japan,
and informed her aunt of this probable change for the better with great
glee. Then she went away to the garden to cut some flowers for the
house, and found Aunt Barbara there before her, tying up the hollyhock
stalks to some stakes that Seth Pond was driving down. Aunt Barbara had
a shallow basket and was going to cut the sweet-clover flowers that
morning, to dry and put on her linen shelves along with some sprigs of
lavender, and this pleasant employment took another half hour.

"Aunt Mary was so dear this morning!" said Betty, as they stood on
opposite sides of a tall sweet-clover top.

"She feels pretty well, then," answered Miss Leicester, much pleased.

"Yes," said Betty, snipping away industriously; "she didn't wish to be
pitied one bit. Don't you think we could give her some chloroform, Aunt
Bab, and put her on the steamer and take her to England? She would get
so excited and have such a good time and be well forever after."

"I really have thought so," acknowledged Aunt Barbara, smiling at
Betty's audacity. "But your Aunt Mary has suffered many things, and has
lost her motive power. She cannot rouse herself when she wishes to,
nowadays, but must take life as it comes. I can see that it was a
mistake to yield years ago to her nervous illness, but I was not so wise
then, and now it is too late. You know, Betty, she had a great sorrow,
and has never been the same person since."

"So had papa when mamma died," said Betty gravely, and trying hard to
understand; "but he cured himself by just living for other people, and
thinking whether _they_ were happy."

"It is the only way, dear," said Aunt Barbara, "but when you are older
you will know better how it has been with my poor sister."

Betty said no more, but she had many thoughts. Something that had been
said about losing one's motive power had struck very deep. She had said
something herself about waiting for her train in the station