"Yes," replied Julia. "I was over here quite often last summer."
"I don't know whether I have any objection to Ruth's going to your house, or not," said Mrs. Shepard hesitatingly. "I wonder at your mother's asking her. Of course, she don't know that Ruth is a poor girl, and is looking for a place to work out for the summer?"
"Yes," returned Johnny: "we told her about it. Ruth told Felix and me she was looking for a place to take care of children."
"Oh! Then I presume your mother knows of some family who would like to employ a girl, and so wants to find out what kind of a girl she is. Ruth is a pretty good girl to do as she is told, tell your mother, and she's bright and spry: her worst trouble is that she's a sort of baby, and cries at every thing and nothing; but I suppose she'll get over that, when she finds what sort of a world she is in, and that poor folks can't be babied. It's my opinion her mother humored her almost to death: and my husband would do the same, if he could have his way; he hasn't got any government at all: and I've made up my mind, the sooner Ruth goes among strangers, the better; it's the only thing that will make a common-sense woman of her. You can tell your mother what I have said, and it may help to give her a right understanding of the case. But tell her Ruth'll make first-rate help, if the folks are right up and down with her, as I should be, if it wasn't for my husband."
"Yes, we'll tell my mother all you say," replied Johnny very sincerely: he had a vague idea that Mrs. Shepard was making out a better case for Ruth than for herself, with such a warm-hearted woman as Mrs. Le Bras.
Mrs. Shepard then added, as she opened half of one of the window-blinds a little way,—
"I'll go and tell Ruth to fix herself up, and she'll be ready before long; that is, if you want her to go along with you. She can walk over just as well, right across."
"Yes, we want her to go with us," returned Sue: "she and Julia can sit down first, and there'll be room enough between them on the seat for me."
"Remember and tell your mother, too," continued Mrs. Shepard, "that it won't do to make too much of Ruth: she's got too many high notions now. You see, she's lived in the city, and been to city schools, and she's got some lofty ideas in her head: she'd like to believe that she is as good as other folks, if she is poor and dependent. I've done what I could to put her down; but she's too high-spirited for her station in life, by a good deal, yet. However, when she gets out to work, she'll find her right place pretty soon, I guess. The only thing I wish is that she could get farther away from her uncle. I'm in hopes, if she gets a place, the family will want to carry her back to the city with them."
"I'll tell mother all you say," returned Johnny gravely. And then, as Mrs. Shepard was about to leave the room, he added,—