thrown it back he was in good humor again.

"Do you know, Tom," she said, with amazing seriousness, "that I believe
I should like nothing in the world so much as to be the head of a large
business? I hate keeping house,--I always did; and I never did so much
of it in all my life put together as I have since I have been married. I
suppose it isn't womanly to say so, but if I could escape from the whole
thing I believe I should be perfectly happy. If you get rich when the
mill is going again, I shall beg for a housekeeper, and shirk
everything. I give you fair warning. I don't believe I keep this house
half so well as you did before I came here."

Tom's eyes twinkled. "I am going to have that glory,--I don't think you
do, Polly; but you can't say that I have not been forbearing. I
certainly have not told you more than twice how we used to have things
cooked. I'm not going to be your kitchen-colonel."

"Of course it seemed the proper thing to do," said his wife,
meditatively; "but I think we should have been even happier than we have
if I had been spared it. I have had some days of wretchedness that I
shudder to think of. I never know what to have for breakfast; and I
ought not to say it, but I don't mind the sight of dust. I look upon
housekeeping as my life's great discipline;" and at this pathetic
confession they both laughed heartily.

"I've a great mind to take it off your hands," said Tom. "I always
rather liked it, to tell the truth, and I ought to be a better
housekeeper,--I have been at it for five years; though housekeeping for
one is different from what it is for two, and one of them a woman. You
see you have brought a different element into my family. Luckily, the
servants are pretty well drilled. I do think you upset them a good deal
at first!"

Mary Wilson smiled as if she only half heard what he was saying. She
drummed with her foot on the floor and looked intently at the fire, and
presently gave it a vigorous poking. "Well?" said Tom, after he had
waited patiently as long as he could.

"Tom! I'm going to propose something to you. I wish you would really do
as you said, and take all the home affairs under your care, and let me
start the mill. I am certain I could manage it. Of course I should get
people who understood the thing to teach me. I believe I was made for
it; I should like it above all things. And this is what I will do: I
will bear the cost of starting it, myself,--I think I have money enoug