"Don't take it so hard, Maria," said Tom, in rather an aggravating tone.
"There's other boys you could get. I guess you could get Jim Gorham for
a beau, if you tried hard enough."

"I wouldn't have him," said Maria. "His face is all over freckles."

"Enough of this quarreling, children," said Mrs. Stanton. "I hope," she
continued, addressing her husband, "you won't fail to write at once.
They might be sending on the boy, and then we should be in a pretty
predicament."

"I will write at once. I don't know but I ought to inclose some money."

"I don't see why you need to."

"Perhaps I had better, as this is the last I intend to do for him."

"At any rate, it won't be necessary to send much," said Mrs. Stanton.

"How much?"

"Five dollars will do, I should think. Because he happens to be your
nephew, there is no good reason why he should be thrown upon you for
support."

"Perhaps it will be best to send ten dollars," said Mr. Stanton. "People
are unreasonable, you know, and they might charge me with meanness, if I
sent less."