"She needn't mind getting dinner for me. I will have tea early." And
so, after all, Mrs Dale did not perform that special duty appointed
for her.

But she soon set herself to work upon another duty. When a family of
three persons has to live upon an income of three hundred a year,
and, nevertheless, makes some pretence of going into society, it has
to be very mindful of small details, even though that family may
consist only of ladies. Of this Mrs Dale was well aware, and as it
pleased her that her daughters should be nice and fresh, and pretty
in their attire, many a long hour was given up to that care. The
squire would send them shawls in winter, and had given them riding
habits, and had sent them down brown silk dresses from London,--so
limited in quantity that the due manufacture of two dresses out of
the material had been found to be beyond the art of woman, and the
brown silk garments had been a difficulty from that day to this--the
squire having a good memory in such matters, and being anxious to see
the fruits of his liberality. All this was doubtless of assistance,
but had the squire given the amount which he so expended in money to
his nieces, the benefit would have been greater. As it was, the girls
were always nice and fresh and pretty, they themselves not being
idle in that matter; but their tire-woman in chief was their mother.
And now she went up to their room and got out their muslin frocks,
and--but, perhaps, I should not tell such tales!-- She, however, felt
no shame in her work, as she sent for a hot iron, and with her own
hands smoothed out the creases, and gave the proper set to the crimp
flounces, and fixed a new ribbon where it was wanted, and saw that
all was as it should be. Men think but little how much of this kind
is endured that their eyes may be pleased, even though it be but for
an hour.