A few medical friends, for whom he entertained a high respect, were invited by Hudson to be present. Among these was Doctor Baldwin, who made it the occasion of getting better acquainted with Ella, to whom, a short time before, he had gained an introduction. He was charmed with her intelligence, good taste, good sense, and right modes of thinking and expression. "With your permission, doctor," he said to Hudson a few days afterwards, "I must follow up my acquaintance with your sister. I was really charmed with her. Pardon me for making so free as to say so." "Ella is a very good girl," replied Hudson; "but whether you would find her society as attractive as you suppose is more than I can tell. You are aware, I presume, or perhaps you are not, that she is engaged in teaching music, and has been for some years?" "No, I was not aware of that," said Dr. Baldwin, evincing a slight degree of surprise. "Yes," said Hudson, calmly. "She considers it right to support herself, and does so." "Then it is more a matter of principle than necessity?" "It is now, though it was hardly so at first. But as I have spoken of it, I might as well tell the whole story. You have asked to become better acquainted with Ella, and I will afford you the opportunity. My father, who is, as you are already aware, a watchmaker, understood well enough the advantages of education to give me every opportunity in his power. He sent me to college until I was twenty years of age, and then supported me while I studied medicine, which was for two years longer. As soon as I got my diploma I proposed going South, knowing but too well, that if I remained here, in the effort to get a practice, I would have still to burden my father, who could ill bear it. But to this not a single member of the family would listen. My father said no—my mother said no—my sisters said no. But I was firm. I could not believe it just any longer to depend upon my father, who was getting old." "Seeing that I was unmoved by all that could be urged, my good sisters proposed teaching music as a means of adding to the income of the family, and thus enabling me to remain without its bearing so heavily upon my father." "Noble girls!" ejaculated Dr. Baldwin.