ry fine lady wore her
mistress's skirts and sashes, and laces and jewelry, on the sly, to
evening parties among the upper servant circles of Springdale, who
was to know it? Mrs. John Seymour knew nothing about where her things
were, nor what was their condition, and never wanted to trouble
herself to inquire.

It may therefore be inferred that when John began to settle up
accounts, and look into financial matters, they seemed to him not to
be going exactly in the most promising way.

He thought he would give Lillie a little practical insight into
his business,--show her exactly what his income was, and make some
estimates of his expenses, just that she might have some little idea
how things were going.

So John, with great care, prepared a nice little account-book,
prefaced by a table of figures, showing the income of the Spindlewood
property, and the income of his law business, and his income from
other sources. Against this, he placed the necessary out-goes of his
business, and showed what balance might be left. Then he showed what
had hitherto been spent for various benevolent purposes connected with
the schools and his establishments at Spindlewood. He showed what had
been the bills for the refitting of the house, and what were now the
running current expenses of the family.

He hoped that he had made all these so plain and simple, that Lillie
might easily be made to understand them, and that thus some clear
financial boundaries might appear in her mind. Then he seized a
favorable hour, and produced his book.

"Lillie," he said, "I want to make you understand a little about our
expenditures and income."

"Oh, dreadful, John! don't, pray! I never had any head for things of
that kind."

"But, Lillie, _please_ let me show you," persisted John. "I've made it
just as simple as can be."

[Illustration: "I never had the least head for figures."]

"O John! now--I just--can't--there now! Don't bring that book now;
it'll just make me low-spirited and cross. I never had the least head
for figures; mamma always said so; and if there _is_ any thing that
seems to me perfectly dreadful, it is accounts. I don't think it's any
of a woman's business--it's all _man's_ work, and men have got to see
to it. Now, _please_ don't," she added, coming to him coaxingly, and
putting her arm round his neck.

"But, you see, Lillie," John persevered, in a pleading tone,--"you
see, all these alterations that have been made in the hous