He could not help thinking what a comfort it would have been to him to have either brother or sister. He would have felt less alone in the world.
"So am I," said Joshua; adding, complacently, "Between you and I, the old man has laid up quite a snug sum. Of course it'll all come to me some day."
"I am glad to hear it," said Walter, rather wondering that Joshua should have made such a communication to a comparative stranger.
"To hear the old man talk," pursued Joshua, "you'd think he was awful poor. He's stingy enough about everything in the house. There isn't a family in town that don't live better than we do."
"I thought we had a very good supper," said Walter, who experienced not a little disgust at Joshua's charges against his father.
"That was because you were with us. The old man laid himself out for the occasion."
"I am sorry if any difference was made on my account."
"Well, I aint. It's the first decent supper I've eaten at home since the Sewing Circle met at our house three years ago."
"Is that the church?" asked Walter, desirous of diverting the conversation into another channel.