So he looked at Mrs.Sumfit, who now took upon herself to plead for Dahlia: a young thing, and such a handsome creature! and we were all young some time or other; and would heaven have mercy on us, if we were hard upon the young, do you think?
The motto of a truly religious man said, try 'em again.

And, maybe, people had been a little hard upon Dahlia, and the girl was apt to take offence.

In conclusion, she appealed to Rhoda to speak up for her sister.

Rhoda sat in quiet reserve.
She was sure her sister must be justified in all she did but the picture of the old man coming from his work every night to take his tea quite alone made her sad.

She found herself unable to speak, and as she did not, Mrs.Sumfit had an acute twinge from her recently trodden foot, and called her some bitter names; which was not an unusual case, for the kind old woman could be querulous, and belonged to the list of those whose hearts are as scales, so that they love not one person devotedly without a corresponding spirit of opposition to another.