Crump.
"We can, if I get work soon," answered her husband. "This little one
will add but little to our expenses, and there is no reason why we
should not save up at least half of it."
"There's no knowing when you will get work, Timothy," said Rachel,
in her usual cheerful way; "it isn't well to crow before you're out
of the woods."
"Very true, Rachel. It isn't your failing to look too much at the
sunny side of the picture."
"I'm ready to look at it when I can see it anywhere," said his
sister, in the same enlivening way.
"Don't you see it in the unexpected good fortune which came with
this child?" asked Timothy.
"I've no doubt it seems bright enough, now," said Rachel, gloomily,
"but a young child's a great deal of trouble."
"Do you speak from experience, Aunt Rachel?" inquired Jack,
demurely.
"Yes;" said his aunt, slowly; "if all babies were as cross as you
were when you were an infant, three hundred dollars wouldn't begin
to pay for the trouble of having one round."
Mr. Crump and his wife laughed at this sally at Jack's expense, but
the latter had his wits about him sufficiently to answer, "I've
always heard, Aunt Rachel, that the crosser a child is the
pleasanter he will grow up. What a very pleasant baby you must have
been!"
"Jack!" said his mother, reprovingly; but his father, who looked
upon it as a good joke, remarked, good-humoredly, "He's got you
there, Rachel.
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