"No, not endless," said the mother quietly. "Thick shoes and a great deal of stepping about, make pretty hard work with stockings."
"But, Mrs. Landholm! — it would be better to buy new ones, than to try to mend such holes."
Mrs. Landholm smiled again — a smile of grave and sweet life- wisdom.
"Did it ever happen to you to want anything you could not have, Miss Elizabeth?"
"No — never," said Elizabeth slowly.
"You have a lesson to learn yet."
"I hope I sha'n't learn it," said Elizabeth.
"It must be learned," said Mrs. Landholm gently. "Life would not be life without it. It is not a bad lesson either."
"It isn't a very pleasant one, Mrs. Landholm," said Elizabeth.
And she went back to her reading.
"You don't read my book, Miss Elizabeth," the other remarked presently.