to 'call again' is money to us, and ye are robbing us of it, besides holding back our own."
"Margery, you are very impertinent."
"It's the truth, and not me that's impertinent to you, Mrs. Hartell. Just listen to my story, and ye'll be convinced. 'Twas the next day I was offered a dollar for my day's work—I could not lose it, for I had two dollars a week to pay for my child—so I did it, and then in the evening walked the two miles again, to be told, when I got to your door, that you 'could not attend to it then—you were dressing for a party—I might call to-morrow.' I asked for Mr. Hartell, but he was out; so back the two miles I went; and the walk, after the heavy day's work, and fretting, brought on a fever that night, and held me a week, and dried every drop of milk in my breasts; so I lost the nurse-place I had engaged, and had to take my own poor little baby from the breast, for how was I to pay eight dollars from the seven, which was all I could get as dry-nurse? and the poor thing sickened and died, and all—all—mark it well, Mrs. Hartell, came from my not getting my money when it was due!"
Mrs. Hartell, cold and careless as she was, was startled with the consequences of her own mere thoughtlessness, and naturally sought some vindication. "How could I know, Margery, you was in such need of it?—it was a mere trifle—only your last month's wages!"
"Ye knew it was due, and that is all a lady should want to know. What seems a trifle to you is all to us."
"But how could twelve dollars be of such mighty consequence?"
