upon him. How long she had been watching him he did not know, but she merely
said, "Breakfast's ready," and disappeared.

With a sigh he went to his room to perform his ablutions, remembering with a
slight pang how his wife always had a basin and towel ready for him in the
kitchen. In the breaking up of just such homely customs, he was continually
reminded of his loss.

On awakening to the light of this Sabbath morning, Mrs. Mumpson had thought
deeply and reasoned everything out again. She felt that it must be an
eventful day and that there was much to be accomplished. In the first place
there was Mrs. Wiggins. She disapproved of her decidedly. "She isn't the sort
of person that I would prefer to superintend," she remarked to Jane while
making a toilet which she deemed befitting the day, "and the hour will
assuredly come when Mr. Holcroft will look upon her in the light that I do.
He will eventually realize that I cannot be brought in such close relationship
with a pauper. Not that the relationship is exactly close, but then I shall
have to speak to her--in brief, to superintend her. My eyes will be offended
by her vast proportions and uncouth appearance. The floor creaks beneath her
tread and affects my nerves seriously. Of course, while she is here, I shall
zealously, as befits one in my responserble position, try to render useful
such service as she can perform. But then, the fact that I disapprove of her
must soon become evident. When it is discovered that I only tolerate her,
there will be a change. I cannot show my disapproval very strongly today for
this is a day set apart for sacred things, and Mrs. Viggins, as she called
herself,--I cannot imagine a Mr. Viggins for no man in his senses could have
married such a creature,--as I was saying, Mrs. Viggins is not at all sacred,
and I must endeavor to abstract my mind from her till tomorrow, as far as
posserble. My first duty today is to induce Mr. Holcroft to take us to
church. It will give the people of Oakville such a pleasing impression to see