"All employment, Miriam, are honourable so far as they are useful," said Mr. Ellis, seriously, "though false pride tries to make us think differently. And, strangely enough, this false pride drives too many, in the choice of employments, to the hardest, least honourable, and least profitable. Hundreds of women resort to keeping boarders as a means of supporting their families when they might do it more easily, with less exposure and greater certainty, in teaching, if qualified, fine needle-work, or even in the keeping of a store for the sale of fancy and useful articles. But pursuits of the latter kind they reject as too far below them, and, in vainly attempting to keep up a certain appearance, exhaust what little means they have. A breaking up of the family, and a separation of its members, follow the error in too many cases."
Miriam listened to this in silence. Her uncle paused.
"What can I do to aid my mother?" the young girl asked.
"Could you not give music lessons?"
"I am too young, I fear, for that. Too little skilled in the principles of music," replied Miriam.
"If competent, would you object to teach?"
"Oh, no. Most gladly would I enter upon the task, did it promise even a small return. How happy would it make me if I could lighten, by my own labour, the burdens that press so heavily upon our mother!"
"And Edith. How does she feel on this subject?"
"As I do. Willing for any thing; ready for any change from our present condition."
"Take courage, then, my dear child, take courage," said the uncle, in a cheerful voice. "There is light ahead."