The Mountain Girl by Emma Payne Erskine Chapter 12 Page 18

Her low, passive monotone sounded like a moan of sorrow.

“You must hire some one to do this heavy work.”

“Every one is working his own patch now, and — no, I have no money to hire with. I reckon I’ve thought it all over every way, Doctor.” She looked sadly down at her hands and then up at the mountain top. “I know you think this is no work for a girl to do, and you are right. Our women never have done such. Only in the war times my Grandmother Caswell did it, and I can now. A girl can do what she must. I have no way to turn but to live as my people have lived before me. I thought once I might do different, go to school and keep separate — but — ” She spread out her hands with a hopeless gesture, and rose to resume her work.