Part 5 (1/2)
Mrs Adair told her toMiss Dao down and spend a day at her house ”It will be a satisfaction to the young lady to see you,” she added
Scarcely was Mrs Adair seated, on the evening she returned home, when Elizabeth, in a tone of fretful impatience, asked ”why her letter had not been answered?”
”I pass over your question,” said Mrs Adair, ”to ask why you did not consulta provision for Miss Damer?”
”It was impossible! I could not keep her in a state of suspense”
”But do you consider, that bills es and taxes must be paid, before we make even an ideal division of the sums we are to receive from parents? And for Miss Damer, we shall not receive sixpence! And who is to pay for the harp, the pelisse, the bonnet, and the books that her father requested us to purchase? Likewise her washi+ng bills, and many other extras, which of course add to the account”
”O, my dear mother,” said Elizabeth with astonishht of these petty things”
”I have ht, for they have dwelt uponto do with; it is in the petty, every-day concerns of life, that we are called upon to be prudent How ance and want of econo the subject hoto speak, but Mrs Adair checked her ”You receive your friends, and return your parties in bridal finery; one excursion takes place of another, and gaiety upon gaiety succeeds; this passes over, and with faded dresses, faded looks begin
At least, care sits a little heavy on your husband's brow; he perceives that you are deficient in all the requisites for a good wife; and when he looks round the uncohts naturally revert to the home of his youth, and his prudent, excellent mother; you are too much the lady to attend to does: and they must do their duty'
And what is their duty? Just to please theo towhat is wasted, and what is really wanted
”Next ill suppose that a young faue, and the bustle, and the noise of children distract you,' Poor, helpless little things; they have not reason to take care of theed And they are constantly with nurses, who sometimes coax theh their rows upon evil
Through your extravagance, and your husband's ary How do you like this picture?”
”O, , and submit to every inconvenience, rather than involve the man I should marry in misery”
”Depend upon it, Elizabeth, people live in an ideal world, when they do not think of proper ways and means to provide for a family The word liberal, in its modern sense, means profuseness to needy adventurers, and idle friends; indifference to the nearest and dearest ties, originate in this misapplied term A liberal spirit runs into debt to honest tradesmen, and with an unruffled countenance hears of their bankruptcy The liberal treat as lords, when they know they are only beggars Believe me, the most estimable characters are those hoality of kindness
It is, however, overness But let us not neglect the old despised adage: 'Be just before you are generous'”
CHAPTER X
From the first day that Miss Vincent entered Mrs Adair's house as a pupil, she was anxious to return to Madame La Blond's Whilst the Colonel was at home, she kneould be in vain to mention the subject; but no sooner was he called abroad, than she wrote in the ent terms to her mamma to remove her ”I shall never be happy here,”
she added, in her letter, ”for Mrs Adair is so strict, and tiresome!
You will be surprised, mamma, when I assure you that she is quite a sanctified Methodist: we have prayers in a ed to write sermons! She is not by any means a suitable person to finishladies in the school, whose parents drive four horses At Blazon Lodge how different! They were all fashi+onable, excepting two Do, ood mamma, let me return to my dear Madame La Blond Miss Adair has actually put ra through the gallery, Mrs Adair found the copy of the letter; and whilst she was reading it, Miss Vincent cautiously advanced, looking earnestly upon the floor On seeing the paper in Mrs Adair's hands, she hastily exclaimed,
”O, ma'am, that is mine! I have just dropped it: it is a copy of ain,” said Mrs Adair, as she entered the school-room with the paper in her hand
Miss Vincent folloith a countenance of scorn and vexation
”Take your seat, Miss Vincent” Here there was a long pause; the young ladies looked at each other, wondering as to coain ”Why do you censure us so severely?” she asked