“ What did my Uncle Deane say, Tom?” said Maggie, putting her arm through Tom’s as he was warming himself rather drearily by the kitchen fire. “Did he say he would give you a situation?”
“ No, he didn’t say that. He didn’t quite promise me anything; he seemed to think I couldn’t have a very good situation. I’m too young.”
“ But didn’t he speak kindly, Tom?”
“ Kindly? Pooh! what’s the use of talking about that? I wouldn’t care about his speaking kindly, if I could get a situation. But it’s such a nuisance and bother; I’ve been at school all this while learning Latin and things,—not a bit of good to me,—and now my uncle says I must set about learning book-keeping and calculation, and those things. He seems to make out I’m good for nothing.”
Tom’s mouth twitched with a bitter expressi
