These demands had undoubtedly made her life serious.
Life at Perivale was a very serious thing.

As regards amusement, ordinarily so called, the need of any such institution was not acknowledged at Prospect House.

Food, drink, and raiment were acknowledged to be necessary to humanity, and, in accordance with the rules of that house, they were supplied in plenty, and good of their kind.

Such ladies as Mrs.Winterfield generally keep good tables, thinking no doubt that the eatables should do honour to the grace that is said for them.

And Mrs.Winterfield herself always wore a thick black silk dress,--not rusty or dowdy with age,--but with some gloss of the silk on it; giving away, with secret, underhand, undiscovered charity, her old dresses to another lady of her own sort, on whom fortune had not bestowed twelve hundred a year.