Chapter III. “FISHING”
Nan told of Bess Harley's desire to have her chum accompany her to Lakeview Hall the following autumn, as a good joke.
“I hope I'll be in some good situation by that time,” she said to her mother, confidentially, “helping, at least, to support myself instead of being a burden upon father and you.”
“It's very unselfish of you to propose that, honey,” replied her mother. “But, perhaps, such a sacrifice as the curtailment of your education will not be required of you.”
“But, my DEAR!” gasped Nan. “I couldn't go to Lakeview Hall. It would cost, why! a pile!”
“I don't know how much a pile is, translated into coin of the realm, honey,” responded Mrs. Sherwood with her low, sweet laugh. “But the only thing we can give our dear daughter, your father and I, is an education. That you MUST have to enable you to support yourself properly when your father can do no more for you.”
“But I s'pose I've already had as much education as most girls in Tillbury get. So many of them go into the mills and factories at my age. If they can get along, I suppose I can.”
“Hush!” begged her mother quickly. “Don't speak of such a thing. I couldn't bear to have you obliged to undertake your own support in any such way.
“Both your father and I, honey, had the benefit of more than the ordinary common-school education. I went three years to the Tennessee Training College; I was prepared to teach when your father and I met and married. He obtained an excellent training for his business in a technical college. We hoped to give our children, if we were blessed with them, an even better start in life than we had.