"
"Very well, sir," answered the strange lady, "I shall not, certainly
under the circumstances, object."
Immediately after the funeral the Arnolds called at the residence of
Mrs. Morton, whose husband had died more than a year before. She was
obliged to take in plain sewing, and when she could do so, she gave
occasional lessons in French to eke out a livelihood for herself and
child. A very short interview resulted in Mrs. Arnold persuading the
widow to take a permanent situation with her, as her seamstress. And
from that date until her death, which took place five years later, the
fortunate widow and her child lived with the Arnolds as full members
of the family.
With an exquisite and grateful regard for the sensibilities and
possible wishes of her benefactors, the mother of the child
voluntarily changed its name from Mary to Agnes.
"I know you will approve of my doing so," said she, on the occasion of
her daughter's birthday--the Arnolds made quite a time of it, decking
the new Agnes in all the trinkets which had once belonged to the
little Agnes, who was gone--"I know you will approve of my doing so,
and I cannot think of any better way in which to express my gratitude
to you both."
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold were moved to tears by these words; in fact, so
deep and genuine was their emotion that neither one spoke for some
time.
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