“Just look at it for a moment, Mrs. Wykoff.  It is admitted, that, for the preservation of health, orderly habits are necessary; and that food should be taken at regular intervals.  Suppose that, at home, my habit is to eat breakfast at seven, dinner at one, and supper at six.  To-day, such is the order of my meals; but to-morrow, I leave home at half past six, and sit down, on an empty stomach to sew until eight, before I am called to breakfast.  After that, I work until two o’clock, when I get my dinner; and at seven drink tea.  On the day after that, may be, on my arrival at another house where a day’s cutting and fitting is wanted, I find the breakfast awaiting me at seven; this suits very well—­but not another mouthful of food passes my lips until after three o’clock, and may be, then, I have such an inward trembling and exhaustion, that I cannot eat.  On the day following, the order is again changed.  So it goes on.  The difference in food, too, is often as great.  At some houses, everything is of good quality, well cooked, and in consequence, of easy digestion; while at others, sour or heavy bread, greasy cooking, and like kitchen abominations, if I must so call them, disorder instead of giving sustenance to a frail body like mine.  The seamstress who should attempt a change of these things for her own special benefit, would soon find herself in hot water.  Think a moment.  Suppose, in going into a family for one or two days, or a week, I should begin by a request to have my meals served at certain hours—­seven, one and six, for instance—­how would it be received in eight out of ten families?”

“Something would depend,” said Mrs. Wykoff, “on the way in which it was done.  If there was a formal stipulation, or a cold demand, I do not think the response would be a favorable one.  But, I am satisfied that, in your case, with the signs of poor health on your countenance, the mild request to be considered as far as practicable, would, in almost every instance, receive a kind return.”

“Perhaps so.  But, it would make trouble—­if no where else, with servants, who never like to do anything out of the common order.  I have been living around long enough to understand how such things operate; and generally think it wisest to take what comes and make the best of it.”

“Say, rather, the worst of it, Mary.  To my thinking, you are making the worst of it.”

But, Mrs. Wykoff did not inspire her seamstress with any purpose to act in the line of her suggestions.  Her organization was of too sensitive a character to accept the shocks and repulses that she knew would attend, in some quarters, any such intrusion of her individual wants.  Even with all the risks upon her, she preferred to suffer whatever might come, rather than ask for consideration.  During the two or three days that she remained with Mrs. Wykoff, that excellent lady watched her, and ministered to her actual wants, with all the tender solicitude of a mother; and when she left, tried to impress upon her mind the duty of asking, wherever she might be, for such consideration as her health required.