wish father didn't have such bad luck with
his farm machinery; then I could buy more
things for my sisters. I'm going to get Mary
a new coat this fall, if the sulky plough's
never paid for!"

Tiny asked her why she didn't wait until
after Christmas, when coats would be cheaper.
"What do you think of poor me?" she added;
"with six at home, younger than I am? And
they all think I'm rich, because when I go
back to the country I'm dressed so fine!" She
shrugged her shoulders. "But, you know, my
weakness is playthings. I like to buy them
playthings better than what they need."

"I know how that is," said Anna. "When
we first came here, and I was little, we were
too poor to buy toys. I never got over the
loss of a doll somebody gave me before we
left Norway. A boy on the boat broke her,
and I still hate him for it."

"I guess after you got here you had plenty
of live dolls to nurse, like me!" Lena remarked
cynically.

"Yes, the babies came along pretty fast, to
be sure. But I never minded. I was fond of
them all. The youngest one, that we didn't
any of us want, is the one we love best now."

[[274]]

p273 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p274w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p275

v?