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THE MANSE AND ITS INMATES. 



(Continued from page 242.) 

 Chapter II. — Ruth Watson. 



Mr. John Watson, the father of Mrs. M'Niel, was a clerk in the 

 Bank of England, whose salary was something less than one hun- 

 dred pounds per annum. He married, however, but he maried pru- 

 dently, a young woman, a milliner and dress-maker, established on 

 her own account in a small but safe and tolerably lucrative business, 

 in the City. Miss Ruth Symonds was prudent and industrious. She 

 continued her occupation after her marriage, and doubled — in very 

 busy years, more than doubled — the income of her husband. His 

 exertions were equally praiseworthy, and he was never better pleased 

 than when a greater press of business than ordinary at the Bank 

 gave, to all who wished it, employment at " over-hours." 



" They had only two children, girls ; and, as it was evident that 

 they must be brought up to provide for themselves, the most obvious 

 and perhaps the most prudent plan would have been to have 

 brought them up to their mother's business, to which they would 

 have succeeded as a matter of course, which they might have learned 

 without the expense of apprenticeship to strangers, while the savings 

 of their parents were accumulating in the public funds; for the care- 

 ful couple did save money and buy stock every year, though their 

 operations were necessarily upon a very small scale. 



But there is no path of life, however humble and obscure, in which 

 ambition disclaims to walk ; and Mr. and Mrs.'John Watson were 

 ambitious for their children, if not for themselves. 



Mrs. Watson thought her business not genteel. She forgot to take 

 into account its independence — that ever after she was established 

 for herself she had had her own apartments, her own servant, her own 

 choice of acquaintances, and, excepting at very busy times, when 

 profit sweetened labour, the arrangement ofherow-n time — that by 

 moving always in her own sphere, and associating only with those of 

 her own rank in life, she was respectably married to a sober, honest, 

 industrious young man, perfectly suited to her in every respect. 



Perhaps it was, in some degree, from the self-complacency with 

 which she contemplated her own lot that her aspiring views for her 

 children sprung. Her dwelling was very neatly furnished and nicely 

 kept. It was the upper part of a house in Throgmorton Street, so 

 that they had no annoyance in the shape of either shop or taxes. 

 The drapers' 'garden was opposite, where the children could always 

 be sent for air and exercise, and left in security ; for, even if it rained, 

 there were large stone summer-houses where they could play under 

 shelter. It was not two minutes run from the Bank, so that Mr. 

 Watson never got wet, never got cold, and his meals were always 

 ready to place before him immediately after entering the house. 



Never were husband and wife more completely suited to each 

 other. He in his office — she in her work or show-room — all day. 

 At night, each interested in what the other had to tell, however 



