1847.] Mr. Diiropus and Family. 99 



spent a part of his time, was well acquainted with Mr. Hardy, 

 and highly appreciated his character. He had requested his 

 nephew to make his acquaintance, during his stay in the village. 

 Perhaps he thought he was fulfilling that request by becoming 

 acquainted with the daughters, for the nine o'clock bell rung be- 

 fore he inquired for the father, and then he had gone to bed. So 

 it was plain that it would be necessary for him to call again. 

 He did so, and the necessity for repetition seemed to be increased, 

 insomuch that Miss Phebe Maria, on one occasion, said that if 

 any one wished to find Mr. Foster, they must look for him in Mr. 

 Hardy's kitchen. 



CHAPTER III. 



" Mr. Duropus, our girls must have more things. It don't sig- 

 nify ; they can't be any body unless they do." 



" What is wanting now ?" said Mr. Duropus, who looked 

 thinner and older than when we saw him last. 



" We must have an ingrain carpet, and some mahogany chairs, 

 and a looking-glass: every body has them now. Even Mr. Hardy 

 has got his girls a carpet." 



" He can afford to do so, but I cant." 



" What is the reason ? Your farm is as large again as his." 



" And my debts are as large again, and more too, for I don't 

 know as he owes a cent in the world. When he owed eight 

 hundred dollars, I didn't owe much if anything ; and now he is 

 free from debt, and I have just as much as I can do to pay the in- 

 terest, and I shan't be able to do that long at the rate we are 

 going on." 



" I don't see how that can be. We have not bought anything 

 for the girls but what was necessary. They have only had what 

 other folks have. 



" I don't know how that may be, they have had more than I 

 can afford. I ought to have refused and put my foot down at the 

 first of it, and got only what I could afford to get." 



Mrs, D. was silent. She was not given to profound reflection, 

 and hence had never thought what effect her demands on her hus- 

 band's purse might have in the end. She was sorry if he was 

 embarrassed ; and yet she could not believe it. The girls had 

 had next to nothing. Old fashioned folks were prone to exag- 

 gerate, where new things were concerned. He could surely aflTord 

 the carpet and chairs. She would do without something herself. 

 The girls would be married soon, that is, if they had suitable 

 things to attract husbands with. With such thoughts did she for- 

 tify herself in the resolution, to persevere in her application; and 

 who ever heard of a persevering wife who was denied. 



