"Why not?" asked Alice Brown.
"Oh, because nobody thinks anything of hired men or girls."
"I don't know that," said Elsie Dennison; "my mother thinks as much of Maggy Saddler as if she was one of the family."
"That's different," said Martha.
"And Joseph Antis respects Eben," said Alice Brown. "He told my father so, for I heard him. He said he thought more of Eben than ever."
"It must have been pretty hard on Eben to give up school and go to work," said David Brown, "so fond as he was of study. If it had been thee now, Henry, thee wouldn't have minded half so much."
"I know it," said Henry Wilson. "I'd rather work three hours in the hayfield the hottest day that ever was, than one over the Latin grammar or Virgil, while Eben reads Virgil just for fun. He never will stop at the end of the hundred lines. He always wants to read on and see how the story turns out. I told father last night I wished I was in Eben's place, and he in mine."
"Why, Henry Willson! And you the minister's son. I should think you would be ashamed!" exclaimed Martha Edwards, with her favourite toss of the head.
"What did thy father say to that?" asked David.
"He laughed, and said I must be as faithful in doing my work as Eben was in doing his, and there was no telling what would happen. I don't think Eben has very hard times with Mr. Antis. Look at him now, driving the old gray! He looks as well satisfied as if he owned the whole concern."