And to them all, Nan now came forward and made a profound bow.

"My subject is Temperance, ladies and gentlemen," she began, "and I hope
you'll pay attention, because it's a true subject, as well as a useful
one.

"I wish men wouldn't get drunk. It's dreadful smelly even going by a
saloon, so I don't see how they can. I think it would be very nice if
pleecemen would think once in a while about stopping such things as
drunkers, but they probably like to have saloons around for themselves.
A nice thing would be, to have ladies, like your mother and me, for
pleecemen. Then we'd scrub things up, and pour things out, till you
couldn't smell or taste a thing. But men are meaner than women"--Bobby
looked dubious--"some men aren't though"--he looked relieved. "The
reason we are so nice and 'spectable, is because my father is a
minister, and doesn't dare do disgraceful things, and your mother
doesn't get time. So we should be thankful, instead of wishing we had a
candy store in the family, and being sorry we have to set examples for
other kids. No! No! No! children, I mean. That's all, and I hope you
won't forget all I've told you."

"Let's play church now," said Ethelwyn promptly, "and I choose to be
preacher, because I know about Moses and Abiram. The choir will please
sing Billy Boy."

So they put on nightgowns for surplices.

"What can I do?" said Beth, who was tired of always being an audience.