"O, he stuck to his land, and he has now five acres cleared: and he's planted a bit of a garden, and he has two cows and a calf, and two pigs; and he's got his house comfortable—and stopped up the holes, and built himself a chimney."
"That's well; but why are you not with him?"
"O, he married again, and he's got two children, and I didn't like my stepmother, because she didn't use my sisters well, and so I came away."
"Where are your sisters now?"
"Both out at service, and they get good wages; one gets four, and the other gets five dollars a month. Then I've a brother younger than myself, and he's gone to work with a shoe-maker at London. But the man drinks hard—like a great many here—and I'm afeard my brother will learn to drink, and that frets me; and he won't come away, though I could get him a good place any day—no want of places here and good wages too."
"What wages do you receive?"
"Seven dollars a month and my board. Next month I shall have eight."
"I hope you put by some of your wages?"
"Why, I bought a yoke of steers for my father last fall, as cost me thirty dollars, but they wont be fit for ploughing these two years."
(I should inform you, perhaps, that a yoke of oxen fit for ploughing costs about eighty dollars.)