descended from the high stool on which she had mounted to place the
lamps in the window. "Miss Michin told me to tell you there wasn't
enough of the plush to finish off the lappets to match the collar and
cuffs, but she thinks you'll like it just as well as it is."

Mrs. Dodd examined the little dress, and, having approved of it, asked
in a friendly way what Nancy herself was going to have new this
Christmas.

"Oh, I don't know yet," answered Nancy, colouring deeply. "You see, I'm
not earning yet, and father's wages are small, you know."

"Mr. Hurst is real mean, I know that," exclaimed the post-mistress,
decidedly. "None but a very mean man would have cut your poor father's
wages down after he was laid up with a bad leg so long."

"But father says himself that he can't do as much since his accident,
and he doesn't want to be paid beyond what he earns," Nancy explained,
hastily.

Mrs. Dodd began to fold up Emma's dress, remarking, as she did so, "It's
a queer go as Mr. Hurst should have let young Mr. Fred do nothink but
music; but, to be sure, he do play beautiful. My Benny, as blows the
organ for him, says it's 'eavenly what he makes up himself. He's
uncommon handsome, too; much like his mother, who was, poor young lady,
a heap too good for the likes of Jacob Hurst. She used to play the
church organ like the angel Gabriel."

Mrs. Dodd glanced at Nancy to see the effect of this simile, which was
quite an inspiration, but the girl was intent on smoothing the creases