“I am willing to look out for myself,” said Gilbert, quietly. “My father did all he could for me. I have a good education, thanks partly to you, Mr. Briggs, and I ought to be able to make my way.”
“Oh, you are welcome,” said Mr. Briggs, rather uncomfortably.
“You have done more than could have been expected, Mr. Briggs,” said his wife. “Why did you not take the boy from school months ago?”
“I wanted him to have a fair education.”
“It seems to me he was already sufficiently educated for his sphere in life,” said the lady. “I don’t believe in educating persons beyond their station.”
There was something in the lady’s remarks which grated harshly upon the ear of our young hero. What right had Mrs. Briggs to assume that his station was inferior to hers? The dislike which he had already begun to entertain for her was increased. He found it impossible to like any of the family, but he had insight enough to see that in cold selfishness Mrs. Briggs exceeded her husband and son.
“It seems to me,” said Mr. Briggs, in answer to his wife’s last remark, “that a good education is a good thing for any one to possess, be he rich or poor.”
“You wouldn’t advise a boy that was going to be a mechanic to study Latin or Greek, would you?”
“If he liked it.”
“Then I can’t agree with you,” retorted the lady, sharply; “I consider it simply time and money thrown away.”