in the hammock. "I don't notice any of the rest of the men around here
sitting out like that."

"Bessie!" chided her mother wearily. "You know very well I'm not to
blame for what your father wears. I've tried hard enough, I'm sure!"

"Well, well, Hattie," sighed the man, with a gesture of abandonment.
"I supposed I still had the rights of a freeborn American citizen in
my own home; but it seems I haven't." Resignedly he got to his feet
and went into the house. When he returned a moment later he was
wearing his coat.

Benny, perched precariously on the veranda railing, gave a sudden
indignant snort. Benny was eight, the youngest of the family.

"Well, I don't think I like it here, anyhow," he chafed. "I'd rather
go back an' live where we did. A feller can have some fun there. It
hasn't been anything but 'Here, Benny, you mustn't do that over here,
you mustn't do that over here!' ever since we came. I'm going home an'
live with Aunt Flora. Say, can't I, Aunt Flo?"

"Bless the child! Of course you can," beamed his aunt. "But you won't
want to, I'm sure. Why, Benny, I think it's perfectly lovely here."

"Pa don't."

"Indeed I do, Benny," corrected his father hastily. "It's very nice
indeed here, of course. But I don't think we can afford it. We had to
squeeze every penny before, and how we're going to meet this rent I
don't know." He drew a profound sigh.