when the suggestion was made, her mind instantly revolted. It appeared to
her as if disgrace would be the inevitable consequence.

"And you are in earnest in all this?" was an expression, mingling her clear
conviction of the truth of what at first appeared so strange a proposition,
and her astonishment that the necessities of their situation were such as
to drive them to so humiliating a resource.

"Deeply in earnest," was the mother's reply. "We are left alone in the
world. He who cared for us, and provided for us so liberally, has been
taken away, and we have nowhere to look for aid but to the resources that
are in ourselves. These, well applied, will give us, I feel strongly
assured, all that we need. The thing to decide is, what we ought to do. If
we choose aright, all will, doubtless, come out right. To choose aright is,
therefore, of the first importance; and to do this, we must not suffer
distorting suggestions nor the appeals of a false pride to influence our
minds in the least. You are my oldest child, Edith; and, as such, I cannot
but look upon you as, to some extent, jointly, with me, the guardian of
your younger brothers and sisters. True, Miriam is of age, and Henry nearly
so; but still you are the eldest--your mind is most matured, and in your
judgment I have the most confidence. Try and forget, Edith, all but the
fact that, unless we make an exertion, one home for all cannot be retained.
Are you willing that we should be scattered like leaves in the autumn wind?
No! you would consider that one of the greatest calamities that could
befall us--an evil to prevent which we should use every effort in our
power. Do you not see this clearly?"

"I do, mother," was replied by Edith in a more rational tone of voice than
that in which she had yet spoken.