"You are much vain because your father is an agency policeman and earns
money, so he buys nice things for Susie," Hannah Straight Tree said,
with growing envy. "Dolly has to wear the issue goods, and she will not
look pretty Christmas time! Her dress will be a kind that looks black,
and Lucinda only knows a way to make it look like an Indian dress. She
will wear cowskin shoes so much too large, and very ugly-colored
stockings. If her dress gets torn before she comes, Lucinda will not
mend it nice--only draw it up so puckery. Very lots of grease spots
will be on it, and her hair will be so snarly I shall have to comb her
very fast."

"My little sister is not torn and dirty any time," said Cordelia Running
Bird, "for my mother came to mission school when she was young and
learned the neat way."

"My big sister only went to camp school just a little while," said
Hannah Straight Tree. "When my mother died she had to stay at home and
work and keep my little sister. Now again my father has got married,
and Lucinda wants to come to school and bring my little sister. Dolly
was five birthdays last Thanksgiving dinner."

"Susie was five birthdays while I was at home vacation. I would be so
glad if she could stay at school next time she comes, but she was
sliding on the ice, and she fell and broke herself right here."
Cordelia touched her collarbone. "She is mended, but my mother is
afraid to leave her with the children now," she added. "But next year
she will leave her. If your big and little sister come to school they
will have nice mission things."

"But they cannot for my father," Hannah Straight Tree said, with