human
Well, said Rebecca,
gpt
human
Give her! replied Mrs. Jones,
gpt
human
I would rather you would teach her to fear me, and keep my house clean, said this wicked woman.
gpt
She sha'n't come, however, unless you will pay her for it.
human
Pay her for it! said the lady;
gpt
human
I say, interrupted Rebecca,
gpt
human
Pray, said Mrs. Jones mildly,
gpt
human
I don't think any thing about it, said Rebecca;
gpt
I sha'n't let her come, and there's the long and short of the matter. Hester has other fish to fry; but you may have some of these little ones if you will.
human
No, said Mrs. Jones,
gpt
I will not; I have not set up a nursery, but a school. I am not at all this expense to take crying babes out of the mother's way, but to instruct reasonable beings in the road to eternal life: and it ought to be a rule in all schools not to take the troublesome _young_ children unless the mother will try to spare the _elder_ ones, who are capable of learning.
human
But, said Rebecca,
gpt
I have a young child which Hester must nurse while I dress dinner. And she must iron the rags, and scour the irons, and dig the potatoes, and fetch the water to boil them.
human
As to nursing the child, that is indeed a necessary duty, and Hester ought to stay at home part of the day to enable you to go to church; and families should relieve each other in this way, but as to all the rest, they are no reasons at all, for the irons need not be scoured so often, and the rags should be ironed, and the potatoes dug, and the water fetched on the Saturday; and I can tell you that neither your minister here, nor your Judge hereafter, will accept of any such excuse.
gpt
Well I don't know but I may let her come now and then when I can spare her, provided I find you make it worth her while.