xury seldom allowed the
little girls. "It is a disgusting habit," Miss Ada declared, "and I
don't want you children to acquire it. Your mother, Mary, would be
shocked if she saw you use it." But once in a while Uncle Dick slyly
furnished each with a package and Miss Ada allowed them to have it,
though protesting all the time to her brother. This special morning
Uncle Dick had hidden a package under each of their breakfast plates,
and it is needless to say that three pairs of jaws were working
vigorously as they played house.

"I'm agoing to ask Aunt Ada if we may go barefoot," announced Molly;
"it is plenty warm enough to-day."

Mary jumped up, tipping over her rocking-chair as she did so. "Oh,
does she allow you to do that?" she cried. "I've always secretly
longed to, but Miss Sharp is perfectly horrified when we ask her."

The other two looked at each other with a little smile, for it was not
such a great while before this that Mary herself had been horrified at
the suggestion.

"Aunt Ada doesn't care, if it is warm enough," Molly informed her. "I
always go barefoot up here, if I feel like it and it isn't too cold.
I'll go ask her now. Watch the baby for me, girls."

They promised to be faithful nurses while Molly went on her errand.
She was gone some time and when she returned she was carefully bearing
a plate of fresh doughnuts. "Which would you rather have, Polly," she
cried, "doughnuts or chewing-gum? you can't have both, Aunt Ada says."

"Doughnuts," decided Polly without hesitation taking the chewing-gum
from her mouth and slapping it securely against a stone in the
foundation of the porch. "Don't they look good? So brown and sugary.
I do think Luella makes the best doughnuts," and she helped herself to
a specially fat, appetizing one.

"Which do you choose, Mary?" asked Molly.

Mary continued her rocking and chewing. "I'll keep the gum, thank you."

Molly laughed. "That is what Aunt Ada said you would do. And girls,
we may take off our shoes and stockings. How's the baby, Polly?"

"Sound asleep."

"Good! Then I reckon we can leave her for a while, I do want to get my
bare toes on the grass, don't you? Come on, Polly, and let's hunt for
snakes."

"Snakes!" Mary jumped to her feet in horror. "Are there snakes here?
Fancy!" She gathered her skirts about her and looked ready to fly.

"Why, yes. Do you mind them?" returned Molly calmly. "Polly and I
love the little green grass s