I might be poor and honest, but never poor and happy.
"By the way, I am to bring a friend with me, or rather he is to stop
first at Carnarvon, to hunt up somebody by the name of Rogers, whom
he is very anxious to find."
"Rogers--Rogers," Bessie repeated, thoughtfully. "Seems to me I have
heard that name before. Who is Neil's friend, I wonder? I am sorry he is
coming, for that means another fire, and another plate at table, and we
are so poor. Neil is right; it is not so easy to be poor and happy as
one might think," and the look of care habitual to Bessie's face
deepened upon it, for funds were very low at Stoneleigh just then.
It was weeks since they had received anything from Daisy, and Archie's
slender income would barely suffice for absolute necessaries, leaving
nothing for extra fires and extra mouths to feed with plum-pudding and
chicken-pie, and all the etceteras of a regular Christmas dinner such as
Neil would expect.
Resuming the letter at last, Bessie read on:
"I have asked him to spend a day at Stoneleigh after he has finished
his business in Carnarvon, and he has accepted and will be with us
at Christmas.
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