TROUBLE FOR THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE

"Oh, I do wish," said Joel, a few mornings after, pushing back his
chair and looking discontentedly at his bowl of mush and
molasses, "that we could ever have something new besides this
everlasting old breakfast! Why can't we, mammy?"

"Better be glad you've got that, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper, taking
another cold potato, and sprinkling on a little salt; "folks shouldn't
complain so long as they've anything to eat."

"But I'm so tired of it--same old thing!" growled Joel; "seems as if
I sh'd turn into a meal-bag or a molasses jug!"

"Well, hand it over, then," proposed Ben, who was unusually
hungry, and had a hard day's work before him.

"No," said Joel, alarmed at the prospect, and putting in an
enormous mouthful; "it's better than nothing."

"Oh, dear," said little Phronsie, catching Joel's tone, "it isn't nice;
no, it isn't." And she put down her spoon so suddenly that the
molasses spun off in a big drop, that trailed off the corner of the
table, and made Polly jump up and run for the floor-cloth.

"Oh, Phronsie," she said, reprovingly; "you ought not to. Never
mind, pet," as she caught sight of two big tears trying to make a
path in the little molasses-streaked face, "Polly'll wipe it up."

"Sha'n't we ever have anything else to eat, Polly?" asked the child,