" He had made no audible answer, but he
had told himself sturdily again and again that he certainly would. Yet
here he was, barely of age, and almost soured by disappointments.
Certain well-meant attempts having proved failures, and having not found
the helpers whom he had eagerly expected, the magnitude of the work
impressed itself upon him more remorselessly each hour. Yet now he
seemed to feel again the thrill in his veins, and he felt almost under
the power of his sister's eye while those words were in his ears: "They
rest from their labors, and their works do follow them." Might it
possibly be that this was one of the "helpers" of whom Ester used to
talk, sent by God himself to take up her planned work and follow it out?
Yet she was so utterly unlike his memory of Ester! She had seemed to
him a self-reliant, strong-toned woman; Mrs. Roberts was so small and
frail-looking, and so fashionably dressed, and how those boys had acted
with her only yesterday! What could she possibly do?
Customers came just then, to change the current of his thoughts. They
wanted round collars, and deep collars, and fichus, and edges, and a
hundred little irritating things. Young Ried, usually so gracious and
patient, had much ado to keep from showing his annoyance over the
smallness of all their wishes.
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