Page:Pratt portraits - sketched in a New England suburb (IA prattportraitssk00full).pdf/190

 "I never heard of such a ridiculous idea," said Mrs. William Pratt.

"I don't see anything ridiculous about it," Mary retorted, giving vent to her feelings with unprecedented freedom. "I've been scrimping and pinching and slaving all my life, and now I want to try how it feels to have a few dollars of my own."

"A few dollars of your own!" cried her mother. "Why, Mary, what an ungrateful girl you are! Doesn't your Aunt Harriet give you twenty-five dollars every single birthday?"

"Yes, Aunt Harriet is very kind; but twenty-five dollars isn't what you would call an ample income."

"But you have more than that to spend, and your living not costing you a cent either!"

"No; neither does her living cost Bridget a cent"; and then Mary William stopped, and did not pursue the comparison, an act of forbearance which should be recorded to her credit.

After breakfast sixteen-year-old Bessie came up to her with wondering eyes, and said, "Mary, do you suppose you'll get rich teaching school?"

"Not very rich, puss."

"I wish there were some way of getting rich, don't you?"

"Indeed I do, Bessie."

"What would you do, Mary, if you were rich?"

"I should sail for Europe next week; and I should send Willie to college when it came time."