"He ought to have had a thorough good man at the beginning, to get along well."
"O yes! but he hadn't, you see, and so we have just been growing poorer every month. And now, aunt Miriam, I really don't know from day to day what to do to get dinner. You know, for a good while after we came we used to have our marketing brought every few days from Albany, but we have run up such a bill there already at the butcher's as I don't know when in the world will get paid, and aunt Lucy and I will do anything before we will send for any more; and if it wasn't for her and Hugh I wouldn't care, but they haven't much appetite, and I know that all this takes what little they have away this, and seeing the effect it has upon uncle Rolf "
"Does he think so much more of eating than of anything else?" said aunt Miriam.
"O no, it is not that," said Fleda, earnestly, "it is not that at all he is not a great eater but he can't bear to have things different from what they used to be, and from what they ought to be O no, don't think that! I don't know whether I ought to have said what I have said, but I couldn't help it "
Fleda's voice was lost for a little while.
"He is changed from what he used to be a little thing vexes him now, and I know it is because he is not happy; he used to be so kind and pleasant, and he is still sometimes; but aunt Lucy's face Oh, aunt Miriam!"
"Why, dear?" said aunt Miriam, tenderly.
"It is so changed from what it used to be!"
Poor Fleda covered her own, and aunt Miriam came to her side to give softer and gentler expression to sympathy than words could do, till the bowed face was raised again and hid in her neck.
"I can't see thee do so, my child my dear child! Hope for brighter days, dear Fleda."