"I wish, my dear, that you could see your way to give up your religion and remain with us." "I thank you, sir," she said again, and went back to the household tasks she had fallen into the habit of performing.
She was not eating the bread of dependence.

In such a place, where woman's work is at a premium, it was easy for her to do what was reckoned of more value than what she received.

The old man had two sons.
The elder and his wife were in the prime of life, having a large family; the younger son was unmarried.

The farm was large and prosperous.

The one woman, even had she been less amiable, would have naturally desired to keep Susannah as a helper; being the kindly soul she was, she reserved the more attractive tasks for her, and bade the children call her endearing names.