A Letter of Credit

er copy was done and she had returned to her mother's side, "

u find it o

at them, and they

ow

good deal, and good. Don't you th

He is a very fine-loo

is. Only he likes t

ebody else doesn

dn't care. But when Mr. Digby says anything, he always looks a

albeit she was by no means in a laughing

u draw a long

overn that temper o

good a right to my own wa

r own way in the world; a

hy

to mind the will

at isn'

e way thi

y with some people; but I

moth

t. You are a woman. Ther

up and marry someb

body I had to mind!" sai

hand fondly upon Rotha's cheek. "My little daughter!-If only I knew that

t, you eas

d the mot

easy if I wa

r nodded. The

other, if it would make you feel e

now

you kn

f you were once willing,

in; till Rotha sudden

can I hel

do you

to be a Christian, can

mother. "Suppose you do not want to do something

s is dif

ee how it i

ing a Chris

now, R

other. I don't

Christian is one who l

su

do what he has a mi

unless it is s

t he has a mind to; he

ard, if one lo

't love hi

Mrs. Carp

ke myself

hat is foo

am sure. I wish I did love him,

t!" said Mrs. Carpenter, with

ot, mo

nd read the 121s

a ob

from whence cometh my help. My help cometh

would say that; that would be true of you. Now go on, a

a we

peth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Is

the Lord's true chi

by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord s

forth, with the tears running down her face. "O my little Rotha! my

Mrs. Carpenter in vain

ubled, and a little

on't he take care of an

; but it is not just so. If you will not come to him now, he may take painful ways to bring you; if you will not trust him

otha again, holding fast to that

ask Mr. Digby. I am not able fo

rather glad of a diversion. "Mother, do you th

r than

ry attitude, the pale face. What state of things was this? Her mother eating biscuit and oysters got with another person's money; doing no work, or next t

with a lurking, unrecog

uld make haste

s eating biscuit,

nk you are a l

actly t

uld do y

I wonder to see myself so supplied with everything I can possibly

and th

ssed fire! It

well, mother!" Rotha

nter made

n," Rotha went on with a kind of impatient uneasiness. "What s

ords mean nothing?-'The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon th

n't pay rent

t things, and cannot do little

not you trust

d

are you

in; and you may have to go throug

y self-wil

es

ature without a will. I do

Mr. Digby, Rotha

other dear! But I don't see w

Rotha was silent. Th

ou could get back to Medwayvi

to Medwayville," the

horrid dust and these mean little streets. O mother, think o

ou take the poker and punch that lump of

it, sending a gentle illumination all through the room; revolving in her mind whether it mi

d read to her; and even talks of some length would grow up out of the reading; talks that seemed delightful to both the parties concerned, though Rotha could not understand much of it. Little by little the room had entirely changed its character, and no longer seemed to be a part of Mrs. Marble's domain. A fluffy rug lay under Mrs. Carpenter's feet; a pretty lamp stood on the table; a screen of Japanese manufacture, endlessly interesting to Rotha, stood between the weary eyes and the fire, when there was a fire; and Mrs. Carpenter herself was enveloped in a warm, soft fleecy shawl. As the warm weather came on indeed, this had

a good deal to read, and troublesome sums to manage; and finally every remnant of spare leisure was filled up by a demand for writing. Mr. Digby did not frighten her by talking of compositions, but he desired h

more thrilled with pleasure. For she was just at the age when the mind begins to open to a rapturous consciousness of its powers, and at the same time of the wonderful riches of the fields open to the exercise of them. In her happy ignorance, in her blessed inexperience, Rotha did not see what the days were doing with her mother;

inting. Mrs. Carpenter sat by the window to get all the freshness she could; albeit with the air came also the sounds from without; the creak or the rattle of wheels on the pavement, the undistinguishable words of a rough voice here and there, the shrill cry of the strawberry seller, the confused, mixed, inarticulate din of the great city all around. A sultry heaviness seemed to rest upon everything, disheartening and depressing to anybody whose physical powers were not strong or his nerves not well stru

said the alert voice of

close,

the

ets to this time; anyhow, not for Christians that aint good

o," said Rot

table here," said

I'd like to; but I guess I'm a fixtur. Mr. Digby I'd find ways and means, I'll engage," she

r strawberries?" s

em. They wer

nd 'em round in these parts. I thought, maybe you'd pay 'em the compliment to eat 'em; but when appetite's gone

exchanging a look with him as she passed. Mr. Digby came up to the window, and g

er to-day?

the country, Mr.

k Mrs. Cord to be so kind as to take you. Now while Mr. Digby is here, I

up life, eagerly sought Mrs. Cord and went off for he

closed. "I am losing strength, I think, every day. I wan

e of the water from the pump came to

ld you I had not. I told you the truth, but not the whole truth. Before

the word in great surprise. "

does

he ought

ther day. I have not a friend, here or elsew

ter? How is t

about it, and then you will know how to understa

what had been in them. Her gentle, quiet eyes had grown intent, and over her brows there was a fold in her forehead t

id at last. "My father had but

yet the patient lines told of something endured or something resigned; it might be both. The last two years of experience, with a sister in the same city, must needs furnish occasion. But Mrs

old; but it seems long. We two were girls together at home, a

ork?" Mr. Digby asked, b

eld; up in this state, near the Connecticut border. We lived a little out of the town, and had a

e said; and my father would have had me marry him; but I could not. So then he courted my sister. O the splash of that water from the pump over there! it keeps me thinking to-day of the well behind our house-where it stood on a smooth green plat of grass-and of the trickle of the water from the buckets as they were drawn up. Just because the day is so warm, I think of those buckets of well water. The well was sixty fee

cts seen under a m

you?

, and in the new perception of the rel

ed as we see them here. Take what I am telling you,

me much yet," sai

I would have married Mr. Carpenter, my sister set herself against it, and she

ny reasons for t

ociety it was more or less true. He did not mix in society much, and did not care for it; but he had education and cultivation a great deal more than many that do; he had re

is the root of all e

e had had it, nobody would have found out that he wanted cultivation, or anything else. But he was a po

ell to yo

the old place, and all

kep

and has prospered in his business; and they are

nd Mr. Digby paused a minute

herself your sister, if she knew where you are and how you are

if you think it would be any satisfaction to her. She is a rich woman. She keeps her carriage, an

r. Digby. "I think you must un

tle too hard, I wrote to my sister in New York to ask her to give us some help; knowing that she was abundantly able to do it, without hurting herself. She

e no objection to my going back to the old place, and

nt. The silence lasted some little time, while a strawberry seller was making the street ring with her cries of "Straw….berr_ees_," and the hot air wafted in the odours

eedingly kind to me,

f that. You have done far more f

have don

d my fath

mistake. I never knew a Mr. Digby till

. Southwode,"

The English gentleman!

hwode. I took my mother's name

ntleman's son!-But I did not do so much for your fat

d do more," sa

ng to ask you to do something more-a las

e said with great gentleness.

Rotha does not know,"-she s

wh

a that I am goi

aid that

ll be soon

ut what is it y

whispered Mr

vitable strong objection to the service demanded of h

ha would in any case come straight to me; and I-cannot bear it. She is a passionate child; violent in her feelings and in the expression of them. I have been thinking ab

your plans

able to

ish me to take in her behalf-if there

m, or I should die before my time. I thought my heart would break, a while ago; now I

er's tears were

ung man at her side; "but I wish you would g

sempstress of her; or that Mrs. Marble should teach her to be a mantua-maker; and I am so fool

he shall be neither the

abilities for that. I w

e's oversight. But w

better than I. I have no knowledge of the world, or of what

woman's care who can take proper care of her. Do not let yourself be troubled on that score. I pr

f a heart too full to find words. Mrs. Ca

by it," she said husk

a promise

she broke do

is a wayward child; passionate; strong, and also weak, on the side of her affections. She has never learned yet

f devotion that is worth m

ut

evotion of lo

ght to be recogniz

o be recognized for a pl

was the wal

N

d? Why

bit of good air, nor anything pleas

some flowers in front of some

but they looke

. "Suppose you go with me to-morro

otha with suddenly op

Carpenter