But, little by little, she took upon herself the buying of
supplies, the regulation of accounts, the prompt payment of bills and
the equally prompt collection of board and room rent. Thankful found the
cares upon her shoulders less and less heavy, and she was more free to
do what she was so capable of doing, that is, superintend the cooking
and the housekeeping.
But Thankful herself was puzzled.
"I don't understand it," she said. "I've always had to look out for
myself, and others, too. There ain't been a minute since I can remember
that I ain't had somebody dependent upon me. I cal'lated I could run a
boardin'-house if I couldn't do anything else. But I'm just as sure as I
am that I'm alive that if you hadn't come when you did I'd have run this
one into the ground and myself into the poorhouse. I don't understand
it."
Emily smiled and put her arm about her cousin's waist. "Oh, no, you
wouldn't, Auntie," she said. "It wasn't as bad as that. You needed help,
that was all. And you are too generous and kind-hearted. You were always
fearful that your boarders might not be satisfied. I have been teaching
bookkeeping and accounting, you see, and, besides, I have lived in a
family where the principal struggle was to satisfy the butcher and the
baker and the candlestick maker. This is real fun compared to that."
Thankful shook her head.
"I know," she said; "you always talk that way, Emily. But I'm afraid
you'll make yourself sick. You come down here purpose for your health,
you know.
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