I had no idea of this," Burton said,
and she replied:
"Yes, I know you would, but I did not like to do it, for fear you would
think me extravagant and wonder what I did with so much. Not a penny you
gave us ever went into the box. That was my matter, not yours; and I
have worked so hard to do it, for father was not able to look after the
farm, which of itself is poor and barren, and as he was only willing to
hire a boy, I have done a man's work myself at times."
"You, Hannah--you?" Burton said, gazing at the pale-faced, frail-looking
woman, who had done the work of a man rather than ask money of him who
sometimes spent more on one large party than she did in a whole year,
and who said to him, with a sad smile:
"Yes; I have spaded the garden, and planted the corn in the field back
of the hill, where no one could see me, and have helped Sam get in the
hay, though I never attempted to mow; but I did lay up a bit of stone
wall which had tumbled down, I have done what I could."
Poor Hannah! No wonder that her hands, once so small and shapely, were
broad, and hard, and rough, and not much like Mrs.
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