"Certainly, I do; isn't the idea rational, Father Brighthopes?"
"There are a good many objections to it," said Mrs. Royden. "In the first place, the children recommence going to school Monday morning, and I shall not have them in the way. If ever I was glad of anything, it is that Miss Selden is well enough to take charge of the children again; she has been off a fortnight; and I have been nearly crazed with noise; but, the truth is, Father Brighthopes, girls are generally worse than no help at all. Not once in a dozen times do we ever get a good one. I have had experience; besides, Hepsy is very willing and industrious."
"She works too hard even now, wife—you must see it. She is weakly; before you think of it, she goes beyond her strength."
"I don't mean she shall hurt herself," observed Mrs. Royden, incredulously. "Sarah will apply herself more than she has done; and, for at least a week, Samuel will be too lame to go into the field, and he can help around the house."
Her husband laughed heartily.
"With your experience, I should not think you would expect to get much out of him," said he.
"To tell the plain truth, then," added his wife, "we cannot very well afford the expense of a girl."
"What's a dollar and a quarter a week?"
"We cannot get a good girl for less than a dollar and a half, at this season of the year; and that is a good deal. It runs up to fifty dollars in a few months. I don't mean to be close, but it stands us in hand to be economical."
"There are two ways of being economical," said Mr. Royden.