I never believed he dared do it--to you." "Hear her, Phineas! She thinks nobody dare do anything ill to her husband--not even Richard Brithwood." "He is a--" "Hush, dear!--we will not talk about him; since, for all his threats, he can do us no harm, and, poor man! he never will be half as happy as we." That was true.

So Mr.Brithwood's insulting letter was left to moulder harmlessly away in the rosemary-bush, and we all walked up and down the garden, talking over a thousand plans for making ends meet in that little household.

To their young hopefulness even poverty itself became a jest; and was met cheerfully, like an honest, hard-featured, hard-handed friend, whose rough face was often kindly, and whose harsh grasp made one feel the strength of one's own.
"We mean," John said gaily, "to be two living Essays on the Advantages of Poverty.

We are not going to be afraid of it or ashamed of it.

We don't care who knows it.