"In the way we live," said Mrs. Holabird, "it is really more convenient to let a seamstress come right to table with us; and besides, you know what I think about it. It is a little breath of life to a girl like that; she gets something that we can give as well as not, and that helps her up. It comes naturally, as it cannot come with 'other servants.' She sits with us all day; her work is among ladies, and with them; she gets something so far, even in the midst of measuring and gorings, that common housemaids cannot get; why shouldn't she be with us when we can leave off talk of measures and gores, and get what Ruth calls the 'very next'? Delia Waite is too nice a girl to be put into the kitchen to eat with Katty, in her 'crowd.'" "But it seems to set us down; it seems common in us to be so ready to be familiar with common people. More in us, because we do live plainly. If Mrs. Hadden or Mrs. Marchbanks did it, it might seem kind _without_ the common. I think they ought to begin such things." "But then if they don't? Very likely it would be far more inconvenient for them; and not the same good either, because it _would_ be, or seem, a condescension. We are the 'very next,' and we must be content to be the step we are." "It's the other thing with us,--con-_as_cension,--isn't it, mother? A step up for somebody, and no step down for anybody. Mrs. Ingleside does it," Ruth added. "O, Mrs. Ingleside does all sorts of things. She has _that_ sort of position. It's as independent as the other. High moral and high social can do anything. It's the betwixt and between that must be careful." "What a miserably negative set we are, in such a positive state of the world!" cried Barbara. "Except Ruth's music, there isn't a specialty among us; we haven't any views; we're on the mean-spirited side of the Woman Question; 'all woman, and no question,' as mother says; we shall never preach, nor speech, nor leech; we can't be magnificent, and we won't be common! I don't see what is to become of us, unless--and I wonder if maybe that isn't it?--we just do two or three rather right things in a no-particular sort of a way." "Barbara, how nice you are!" cried Ruth. "No. I'm a thorn. Don't touch me." "We never have company when we are having sewing done," said Mrs. Holabird. "We can always manage that." "I don't want to play Box and Cox," said Rosamond. "That's the beauty of you, Rosa Mundi!" said Barbara, warmly. "You don't want to _play_ anything. That's where you'll come out sun-clear and diamond bright!" CHAPTER V. THE "BACK YETT AJEE." Those who do not like common people need not read this chapter.