"As I said--one can't always tell what will come to pass, nor how much
need you may have for your money. But I'm thankful my heart is not set
on the pomps and vanities of this world. And children ought to be
brought up to some useful habits."

It was a fact that Cynthia did not take to the useful branches of
womanly living. She abhorred hemming--and such work as she made of it!
Miss Eunice groaned over it.

"But you ought to have seen what I did two or three weeks ago," and she
laughed with a gay ring. "Such stitches! When I made them nice on the
top, they were dreadful underneath, and the cotton thread was almost
black. What is the use of taking such little bits of stitches?"

"Why--they look prettier. And--it is the right thing to do."

"But you know Rachel can hem all the ruffles. And Cousin Elizabeth said
ruffles were vanity. I'd like my frocks just as well to be plain."

"There would have to be nice stitches in the hem."

"Rachel didn't sew when she was little. A great lady took her to
Scotland, to wait on her, to get her shawl when she was a little cool,
and fan her when she was warm, and carry messages, and drive out in the
carriage with her. They had servants for everything. And then--she was
ten years old--she sent her to a school, where she learned everything.
But she doesn't know all the tables and a great many other things."

"But she knows what fits her for her station in life."

Cynthia looked puzzled. "What is your station in life?" she asked with
an accent of curiosity.

"Oh, child, it is where you are placed; and the work of life is the
duties that grow out of it--and your duty towards God."

Cynthia dropped into thought.

"Then my duty now is to study. I like it; that is, I like a good many
things in it. And when my father comes home it will be changed, I
suppose. You can't stay a little girl always."

"But you will have to learn to keep house," returned Eunice.

"Oh, I'll have some one to do that. Men never have to cook or keep
house. Oh, yes; all the cooks on the ship were men. Wasn't that funny!"
she continued.

She laughed with so much innocent merriment that Miss Eunice laughed
too.

"I suppose you have to do various things in your life," she sagely
remarked, after a pause.

"Then you must learn to do the various things now."

"I believe I won't ever get married. I'll live with father always, and
we will have some one to keep the house, and Rachel will make the
clothes. And