“Well,” said Dr. Harcourt’s wife after her husband’s return from the funeral, “what are you going to do with Annette?”

“She is coming here,” said Dr. Harcourt quietly and firmly.

“Coming here?” said Mrs. Harcourt, looking aghast.  “I think at least you might have consulted me.”

“That is true, my dear, I would have gladly done so had you been present when the decision was made.”

“But where are her aunts, and where was your brother, John; why didn’t they take her?”

“John was at home sick with the rheumatism and sister Jane did not appear to be willing to have her come.”

“I guess Jane is like I am; got enough to do to look after her own family.”

“And sister Eliza said she hadn’t any room.”

“No room; when she has eight rooms in her house and only two children?  She could have made room for her had she chosen.”

“May be her husband wasn’t willing.”

“Oh, it is no such thing.  I know John Hanson[15] better than that; Liza is the head man of that house, and just leads him by the nose wherever she wants him to go, and besides, Mrs. Lord’s daughter is there pretending to pay board, but I don’t believe that she pays it one-half the time.”

“She is company for Alice and they all seem very fond of her.”

“I do get so sick of that girl, mambying and jambying about that family; calling Liza and her husband ‘Ma and Pa,’ I haven’t a bit of faith in her.”

“Well, I confess that I am not very much preposessed in her favor.  She just puts me in mind of a pussy cat purring around you.”

“Well, now as to Annette.  You do not want her here?”

“Not if I can help it.”

“But can’t she help you to work?”

“She could if she knew how.  If wishes were horses beggars might ride.  Your mother made a great mistake in bringing Annette up.  Annette has a good education, but when that is said, all is said.”

“Why, my dear mother was an excellent housekeeper.  Did she not teach Annette?”

“Your mother was out a great deal as a sick nurse, and when she went away from home she generally boarded Annette with a friend, who did not, as your mother paid her good board, exact any service from Annette, and while with her she never learned to make a loaf of bread or to cook a beefsteak, and when your mother was at home when she set Annette to do any work, if she did it awkwardly and clumsily she would take it out of her hand and do it herself rather than bother with her, and now I suppose I am to have all the bother and worry with her.”

“Well my dear.”

“Oh don’t come dearing me, and bringing me all this trouble.”

“Well my dear, I don’t see how it could be helped.  I could not leave Annette in the house all by herself.  I couldn’t afford to make myself the town’s talk.  May be things will turn out better than you expect.  We’ve got children of our own, and we don’t know when we are gone, how they will fare.”