“I suppose so. I am a strong young woman and have never known a day’s sickness, yet I am tired to death after a couple of hours in the kitchen, while Marta, who has been doing the hard work and has been on her feet hours longer, is fresh, and has to go on working while I can rest. Yet that thought makes me very tolerant of a servant’s shortcomings, seeing my own limitations.” Molly was busy ironing the ruffle of a child’s petticoat as she spoke, and Mrs. Lennox said, partly in explanation perhaps: “I dare say you think I’m foolish to trim my children’s clothes and make myself so much work; but if you use cheap materials they look really quite mean without it. Mr. Lennox constantly quotes the beauty of simplicity, and points to the pictures of English children, as if I couldn’t see the beauty as well as he. But simplicity is costly or dowdy. A shilling calico or crossbar made ‘Kate Greenaway’ fashion would look a poverty-stricken effort, while in linen or fine nainsook or India muslin they are charming. Flimsy materials won’t hang well unless they are trimmed; at the same time I do think I am wearing myself out for the sake of appearance, and often resolve that I will never make or iron another ruffle.” Molly had no experience as a mother of a family to offer poor strenuous Mrs. Lennox, whom she found a much brighter and more sensible woman than she had at first supposed. Yet she felt that the ruffle question was a very serious one. “I hardly dare say anything about the matter, because I have so little experience, but I do feel that you are not strong enough to do such ironing as this; and yet, as you say, poor material plainly made looks mean. How would it be to give up wash goods for every-day use and wear dark blue flannel for a while? Even wealthy people do that at the seaside, and one flannel frock will cost no more than the four calico ones that take its place.” “I have thought of it, and I do believe I will make an effort another summer; but when you’ve so many children the frocks come down from one to another, and the only one I have ever to get _new_ for is the eldest, but next year I’ll get her a flannel frock and see how it works; but though light flannel is really cool, she will fancy she’s hot if she sees her sisters in cotton.” “Now, if you’ll tell me where your cold meat is, I will show you how the cold mutton may be made a very nice dish.” The meat and broth were soon before her, and by her direction Mrs. Lennox peeled and sliced two large onions and put them on to boil. “What vegetables did you intend having?” “I’ve been so busy ironing that I did not think of anything but potatoes, though Mr. Lennox does like a second one.” “I see you have cabbage in the garden, and corn.”