little chapped hands and faces clean. She re-
membered home as a place where there were
always too many children, a cross man, and
work piling up around a sick woman.

"It wasn't mother's fault. She would
have made us comfortable if she could. But
that was no life for a girl! After I began to
herd and milk I could never get the smell
of the cattle off me. The few underclothes
I had I kept in a cracker box. On Satur-
day nights, after everybody was in bed, then
I could take a bath if I wasn't too tired. I
could make two trips to the windmill to carry
water, and heat it in the wash-boiler on the
stove. While the water was heating, I could
bring in a washtub out of the cave, and take
my bath in the kitchen. Then I could put on
a clean nightgown and get into bed with two
others, who likely hadn't had a bath unless
I'd given it to them. You can't tell me any-
thing about family life. I've had plenty to
last me."

"But it's not all like that," I objected.

"Near enough. It's all being under some-
body's thumb. What's on your mind, Jim?
Are you afraid I'll want you to marry me
some day?"

[[330]]

p329 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p330w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p331

v?