riend's attention as she sat before him, seeking, with
timid smiles and interrogative argument, for this new beginning of life
some heartiness of approval from him.

"Doctor," she plucked up courage to say at last, with a geniality that
scantily hid the inner distress, "you don't seem pleased."

"I can't say I am, Mary. You've provided for things in sight; but I see
no provision for unseen contingencies. They're sure to come, you know.
How are you going to meet them?"

"Well," said Mary, with slow, smiling caution, "there's my two thousand
dollars that you've put at interest for me."

"Why, no; you've already counted the interest on that as part of your
necessary income."

"Doctor, 'the Lord will provide,' will he not?"

"No."

"Why, Doctor!"--

"No, Mary; you've got to provide. He's not going to set aside the laws
of nature to cover our improvidence. That would be to break faith with
all creation for the sake of one or two creatures."

"No; but still, Doctor, without breaking the laws of nature, he will
provide. It's in his word."

"Yes, and it ought to be in his word--not in ours. It's for him to say
to us, not for us to say to him. But there's another thing, Mary."

"Yes, sir."

"It's this. But first I'll say plainly you've passed through the fires
of poverty, and they haven't hurt you. You have one of those
imperishable natures that fire can't stain or warp."

"O Doctor, how absurd!" said Mary, with bright genuineness, and a tear
in either eye. She drew Alice closer.

"Well, then, I do see two ill effects," replied the Doctor. "In the
first place, as I've just tried to show you, you have caught a little of
the _recklessness_ of the poor."

"I was born with it," exclaimed Mary, with amusement.

"Maybe so," replied her friend; "at any rate you show it." He was
silent.

"But what is the other?" asked Mary.

"Why, as to that, I may mistake; but--you seem inclined to settle down
and be satisfied with poverty."

"Having food and raiment," said Mary, smiling with some archness, "to be
therewith content."

"Yes, but"--the physician shook his head--"that doesn't mean to be
satisfied. It's one thing to be content with God's providence, and it's
another to be satisfied with poverty. There's not one in a thousand that
I'd venture to say it to. He wouldn't understand the fine difference.
But you will. I'm sure you do."

"Yes, I do."

"I know you do. You know poverty has its temptations, and warping