bring us for Christmas presents?" Florence braided her golden locks
as she talked, her face cheerful as usual. The trials of that day had
left no mark on her sunny face. Not so with Maggie; the frown was
still on her forehead, and she flung herself on the lounge in a
despairing sort of way as she answered, "I'm sure I don't know nor
care either, whether I ever get another present in my life."

"Why, Maggie! What's the matter?"

"The matter is that I am tired of this awful life. I work, work, and
be scolded all the time. I wish Aunt Deborah was in Jericho, or
anybody else that is coming to make more work for us. I could stand
the work, though, but I can't stand scolding all the time. Mother
hasn't said a pleasant word to me to-day."

"Sh--h!" said Florence. "Mother is sick and nervous. Don't you think
if--if you wouldn't provoke mother so much it would be better? And
then maybe"--Florence was almost afraid to speak her next
thought--"don't you think you answer back a good deal sometimes?"

"There! you just hush up," said Margaret. "I guess you needn't set up
for a lecturer, too; two years younger than I am, you are taking a
good deal upon yourself, I should say. I'm nervous, too. Young folks
are called cross, but older ones always called nervous, when they are
cross. I wish I could go off somewhere. I'd go anywhere to get away
from home, for it's just dreadful. Mother don't care for me one bit.
She don't scold anybody else as she does me. When I go over to Mrs.
Blynn's it just makes me sick. Nettie and her mother are just like
two sisters. They sit under the drop-light with their fancy-work and
talk, or Nettie plays her new pieces over for her mother. I could