so they are,' answered Susan's mother. 'See whether any hands could
do neater work than that.' And she pointed me out to Sarah.

Sarah took me up, and turned me from side to side. Then she looked at my
hems, then at my seams, then at my gathers, while I felt truly proud and
happy, conscious that not a long stitch could be found in either.

'Well to be sure!' exclaimed she, after examining me all over; 'do you
mean that all that is really Susan's own work?'

'Every stitch of it,' replied the mother; 'and I think better need not
be put into any shirt, though Master William does deserve the best of
every thing.'

'You never said a truer word, neither for Master William nor for little
Susan,' replied Sarah; 'and I wish you joy, Susan, of being able to help
your mother so nicely, for now I can leave you the job to do between
you.'

She then told them what was to be the payment for the work, which was a
matter I did not myself understand, though I could see that it gave them
great satisfaction.

The money came at a most convenient time, to help in fitting out Susan's
brother Robert for a place which had been offered to him in the country.
It was an excellent place; but there were several things, as his mother
well knew, that poor Robert wanted at starting, but would not mention
for fear his parents should distress themselves to obtain them for him.
Both father and mother had been saving for the purpose, without saying
any thing about it to Robert; but they almost despaired of obtaining
more than half the things they wanted, till this little sum of money
came into their hands so opportunely.

The father was in the secret, but Robert could scarcely believe his
eyes, when one evening his mother and Susan laid on the table before
him, one by one, all the useful articles he wished to possess. At first
he seemed almost more vexed than pleased, for he thought of the saving
and the slaving that his mother must have gone through to gain them; but
when she told him how much of them was due to his little sister's
neatness and industry, and how easy the work had been when shared
between them, he was as much pleased as Susan herself.

We were all very happy that evening, including even the humble friends
on the shelf; for I sat on my trunk, and related to the Pen how useful I
had been in teaching Susan to work; and the worthy Pen stood bolt
upright in his inkstand, and confided to me with honest pride, that
Robert had been chosen