But Mr. Townsend would not yield the point. At least, he would not consent that a house should be taken without a room in it where a servant could sleep. So Eunice had to make another search. In a few days one was procured with the room, additional, required, at a rent of two hundred dollars per annum; and Mr. Townsend gave his consent that it should be taken, provided the mother, who had been kept ignorant of the desperate state of her husband’s business, could be brought to give a free consent to the change. The procurement of this consent was left to Eveline and Eunice. The latter, after the first doubt and fear she had experienced at her sister’s suggestion of another change in their father’s circumstances, was ready to support Eunice in every thing. “Mother,” said Eunice, on the day after the taking of a house at a lower rent had been determined upon, “I think we might manage to live at a smaller cost than we do. Indeed, I am sure we could. Father’s business cannot be very profitable, and even the meeting of our present family expenses must be a serious matter to him.” “To live any plainer than we do, is impossible,” replied Mrs. Townsend; “we keep but a single servant, and I am sure that no family could practice more economy.” “But we might live in a much smaller house.” “Smaller house!” “Yes, mother. We don’t occupy much over half of this, and what is the use of paying one or two hundred dollars for what we don’t want, especially when father has need in his business of every cent he can procure. I saw, when I was out yesterday, a beautiful little house, with rooms very nearly as large as they are in this one, only there were not so many. It was finished as well as this one is, throughout, and had quite as respectable an appearance; and the rent was only two hundred dollars.” “Indeed!” said Mrs. Townsend, struck with the difference. “That is all. I think we had better take it. Two hundred dollars is a good deal of money to save off of rent.” “I don’t believe your father will hear to such a thing.” “If he consents to move, will you make no objection?” “I don’t know. But I am sure he will not listen a moment to such a proposition. The way in which we now live is very different to what it was. I never could have believed it possible to become reconciled to it.” “You say yes, then, if father is willing?” “I think I may safely say yes.” “Very well,” replied both the girls, smiling; “we will hold you to this promise.” In the evening, after tea, when all were together, Eunice said, in a very pleasant way, “Father, mother says if you are willing to move into the house I told you about, that she will make no objection. What do you say?” “Of course, your father wouldn’t think of such a thing,” spoke up Mrs. Townsend.