76 



' : Mrs. Gilman, will you be so kind as to give us the 

 amount of jour sales the past month ? The facts may help 

 us in this difficulty." 



" Fifty dollars," I replied. 



"And in July?" 



" Forty-five and a half. While, already this month I 

 have sold thirty-five dollars' worth, but this is owing to the 

 increased price for flowers. My garden produces, however, 

 no more this month than last." 



"Fifty dollars a month," observed Joseph. "Why, 

 that's more than I pay my clerk." 



' ' And your expenses were ' ' 



"Nothing but my fare in the cars, and a dollar and 

 twenty cents I paid for bulbs and seeds." 



"Nonsense, Maria, you must have had a man to take 

 care of your plants." 



" I did not, Joseph. All the work was done by my own 

 hands." 



"0 Maria! how could you? I wonder you are not 

 a perfect fright by this time." 



" Do I look so, Charlotte? " 



" Well, no, not by lamplight." 



" One more question, Mrs. Gilman, and I am done. 

 Can you tell us how much the plants in your garden 

 cost ? I think you said they were planted in the spring." 



" Yes ; I examined my husband's billr n<J found he 

 paid seventy-five dollars for the plants." 



