OR, HOW I BECAME A FLORIST. 101 



ner. After dinner, I returned to my work. About three 

 o'clock I closed the ventilators, if they had been opened, and 

 at four had the fires built for the night. At sundown I 

 returned to my own house, the labor for the day being 

 nearly over. After supper, I sent the boy out to put on 

 more coal, and, at ten o'clock, I went out with him to be 

 sure that enough coal was on and everything made right for 

 the night. After that, bed. Now, this was not a hard 

 day's work. In fact, I was surprised to find how easy it be- 

 came after a little while. It is true, I always had enough 

 both for the boy and myself to do ; but it was all very light 

 work, and not tiresome. I found the atmosphere of the 

 plant-house was beneficial to my health. Working all day 

 in a genial warmth and bathed in the full sunlight improved 

 my appetite, and I actually gained two pounds during the 

 first month. When my husband was alive, and, beyond my 

 house-work, I had little or nothing to do, I was not in the 

 best of health, and easily tired. Now, I felt strong, and 

 could work all day, without being half as much fatigued at 

 night. 



iMy flowers continued to thrive, and yielded steadily in- 

 creasing returns. Here is the statement for November : 



Paid. 



Boy. and board $36 00 



Fuel 20 00 



Mr. Felix (two visits) . . 10 00 



Season ticket 4 00 



Incidental 2 00 



9* 



