? ? ? ? "How long ago was that, mother?"
? ? ? ? "Seven years ago nearly eight."
? ? ? ? "And you continued to keep me, though the payments stopped."
? ? ? ? "Certainly; you were as dear to us as our own child--for we now had a child of our own--Grace. We should as soon have thought of casting off her as you."
? ? ? ? "But you must have been poor, mother."
? ? ? ? "We were economical, and we got along till your father died three years ago. Since then it has been hard work.
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