Histhirdwife，theoneoriginallysecuredforahousekeeper，borehimagirl，verymuchtohisdisgust，agirlnamedPatience，andgreatwasWaitstill’sdelightatthisadditiontothedullhousehold。Themotherwasatimid，colorless，docilecreature，butPatienceneverthelesswasasparkling，bright—eyedbaby，whospeedilybecametheverycentreoftheuniversetotheolderchild。Sothemonthsandyearsworeon，drearilyenough，until，whenPatiencewasnine，thethirdMrs。Baxtersuccumbedafterthemannerofherpredecessors，andslippedawayfromalifethathadgrownintolerable。Thetroublewasdiagnosedas\"livercomplaint，\"butscarcityofproperfood，nonewfrocksorkindwords，hardwork，andcontinualbullyingmaypossiblyhavebeencontributorycauses。Dr。Perrythoughtso，forhehadwitnessedthreemostcontenteddeathsintheBaxterhouse。TheladieswereallmembersofthechurchandhadpresumablymadetheirpeacewithGod，butthegooddoctorfanciedthattheirpleasureinjoiningtheangelswasmildcomparedwiththeirreliefatpartingwiththeDeacon。
\"IknowIhadn’toughttoputthecareonyou，Waitstill，andyouonlythirteen，\"poorMrs。Baxtersighed，astheyounggirlwaswatchingwithheronenightwhentheendseemeddrawingnear。
\"I’vemadeouttolivetillnowwhenPatienceisoldenoughtodressherselfandhelpround，butI’mallbeatoutandcan’ttryanymore。\"
\"DoyoumeanI’mtotakeyourplace，beamothertoPatience，andkeephouse，andeverything？\"askedWaitstillquaveringly。
\"Idon’tseebutyou’llhaveto，unlessyourfathermarriesagain。He’llneverhirehelp，youknowthat！\"