“Thee’s wrong to say that, Thomas,” said Elihu; “I have no dislike for thee at all.”
“It looks very much as though thee had.”
“I don’t see that at all. I want to see my daughter well settled in the world,—that’s all.”
“I should think that thy daughter’s happiness would weigh more with thee than anything else.”
“It does,” said Elihu, somewhat sternly, “and I hope that I shall know what is best for her happiness without being taught by any man, young or old.”
“I had no thought to teach thee.”
Silence followed this, till, after a while, Elihu spoke again. “However,” said he, “all this is neither here nor there; Patty’s chosen thee from amongst the rest, and she must lie upon the bed that she’s made for herself, for I don’t see that I can justly interfere. I can only make myself sure that thee is able to support a wife, before thee marries her. How much does thee make a year?”
“About five hundred for pay. Maybe I could make a couple of hundred more in the way of trade here and there, if I keep my wits about me.”
“Does thy trade bring thee in forty dollars a month now?”
“About that.”