tell you, mum, I once knew a servant, a married man, he was in love
with a young woman, and they waited long years, and when the wife died
they married, mum.' 'That was all very well long ago, West, but wives
don't die nowadays.'"

So Aunt Mary talked, realising and giving expression to both the
pathos and the comedy of her story. Then, feeling that she
wasdigressing at too great length, she strove to generalise from the
particular incident which she had related, and get back to the theme
of the conversation.

"I don't know what we shall do, I don't know what we are coming to;
servants are getting too strong for us. My last cook gave us no end of
trouble; the butler used to have to lock himself up in the pantry; and
yet I had to give her a character. Of course it was very wrong of me
to enable her to thrust herself upon another family, but what was I to
do? I couldn't deprive her of the means of earning her living. She'll
give trouble wherever she goes. There is no remedy, there really
isn't; I don't know what's to be done unless we ladies combine and
refuse to give them characters."

Here Aunt Mary's thoughts and words began to fail her, for she felt
she was not getting back to the point where she had entered on her
various digressions, and without further ado, and quite
undisconcerted, she said, "But I forget where I was; what were we
talking about?"

"We were talking about dear Sally and Maggie, and the need they stand
of counsel and help. Their conduct is to be deeply regretted; but
theirs is only youthful folly. They have not done anything, I am sure,