"My dear Mother Hubbard," he said, "that's the very thing! I have thought of that several times and have been quite angry with myself for meaning to be so much in earnest and--somehow--not exactly being so. I don't know how it is; I seem to want something or other to stand by. Even you have no idea how fond I am of Ada (my darling cousin, I love you, so much!), but I don't settle down to constancy in other things. It's such uphill work, and it takes such a time!" said Richard with an air of vexation.

"My dear Mother Hubbard," he said, "I have indeed thought of that several times and have been quite angry with myself for meaning to be so much in earnest and - somehow - not exactly being so. I don't know how it is. You have no idea how fond I am of Ada (my darling cousin, I love you so much!), but I don't settle to constancy in other things. It's such uphill work, and it takes such a time!" said Richard with an air of vexation.
