sisters' trade; or some other, if she likes. We
do not suit each other, and I am tired of it."

"Yes, and mamma, though it is so good of you to keep her in this way,
do you know you get no thanks for it?"

"Oh, I never looked for thanks," said Mrs. Candy.

"No, but I mean, people do not give you credit for it, mamma. I know
they do not."

"Like enough. Well--I won't ask them."

"And you will keep the little one?"

"She's manageable. Yes, I will keep her. I like the child. She's
pretty, and clever too; and she'll be very nice when she grows up. I'll
keep her. I shall want her some day, when you get married."

"Besides, I suppose people would say ill-natured things if you did not
keep one of them," said Clarissa. "Matilda has a temper; but she minds
you, mamma."

"I have got her in hand pretty well," said Mrs. Candy, as she unlocked
the door. "Well, is that lace done? Not? Let me see. You have not done
a dozen stitches while I have been away!"

"I'll do it now," said Matilda; so quietly and with a voice so cleared
of all roughness or ill-temper, that Mrs. Candy after looking at her,
passed on to her seat and said nothing further.

But it cost Matilda some hours yet of patient diligence, before her
task was ended. Then she brought it to her aunt for approval. No fault
was found with it, and she was free to go down-stairs to Maria. Maria
had got out of the weeping mood into dry fury again.

"I am not going to stand it!" she said.

"What are you not going to stand?"

"This way of going on. I will not put up with it any longer."

"What can you do, Maria?"

"I'll go away. I will! I declare I will. I will not be Aunt Candy's
cook and waiter any longer. I am not going to stand it. She may get her
own dinners--or get a girl."

"But where can we go, Maria? It is no use to talk so. We haven't any
place."

"She may keep you," said Maria; "but I'll go. I can't stand it. I don't
know where. Somewhere! Anywhere would be better than this."

"I couldn't live here without you, Maria, you know," said the little
one. "Don't talk so. What has made you angry to-day?"

"Why, the way you are served; and the way I am talked to."

"Me?" said Matilda. "Never mind. You and I have a good deal of time for
ourselves, Maria. I shall get along, and I shall not mind so much.
Don't you mind."

"I won't stay and see it," said Maria, stoutly; "nor I won't stay and
bear my part of it."

"I quite agree with you," said Mrs. Candy,