Oh , I know how hard it is ! I ca n't bear to think of leaving this dear old spot either . If we could only induce Mr. Kerr to give us a year 's grace ! I 'd be teaching then , and we could easily pay the interest and some of the principal too . Perhaps he will if we both go to him and coax very hard . Anyway , do n't worry over it till after the wedding . I want you to go and have a good time . You never have good times , Carry . '' `` Neither do you , '' said Carry rebelliously . `` You never have anything that other girls have , Patty -- not even pretty clothes . '' `` Deed , and I 've lots of things to be thankful for , '' said Patty cheerily . `` Do n't you fret about me . I 'm vain enough to think I 've got some brains anyway , and I 'm a-meaning to do something with them too . Now I think I 'll go upstairs and study this evening . It will be warm enough there tonight , and the noise of the machine rather bothers me . '' Patty whisked out , and Carry knew she should go to her sewing . But she sat a long while at the table in dismal thought . She was so tired , and so hopeless . It had been such a hard struggle , and it seemed now as if it would all come to naught . For five years , ever since her mother 's death , Carry had supported herself and Patty by dressmaking .
They had been a hard five years XXXXX pinching and economizing and going without , for Enderby was only a small place , and there were two other dressmakers .
about at by if of over since that to with