sailor. His ship is the _Ajax_, a first-class line of battleship. I see
him now and then and get a letter from every port he touches. Then came
Harry, who served an apprenticeship with his father, but never liked the
mill; and at last, the sweetest gift of all God's gifts, twin daughters,
called Dora and Edith. They lived with us nearly eight years, and died
just before their father. They were born in the same hour and died
within five minutes of each other. The Lord gave them, and the Lord took
them away, and blessed be the name of the Lord!' This is about what I
said, John."

The conversation was interrupted here, by the entrance of a parlor-maid.
She said, "Sir, Jonathan Greenwood is here to ask if you can see him
this evening."

"Tell him I cannot. I will see him at the mill about half-past nine in
the morning."

The girl went away, but returned immediately. "Jonathan says, sir, that
will do. He wants to go to a meeting tonight, sir." Then Mrs. Hatton
looked at her son, and exclaimed, "How very kind of your overseer to
make your time do! Is that his usual way?"

"About it. He is a very independent fellow, and he knows no other way of
talking. But father found it worth his while to put up with his free
speech. Jonathan has a knowledge of manufactures and markets which
enables him to protect our interests, and entitles him to speak his mind
in his own way."

"I'm glad the same rule does not go in my kitchen. I have a first-class
cook, but if she asked me for a holiday and I gave her two days and she