said
her husband. "If she favored you she would, of course, be a very hateful
child."

He kissed his wife tenderly. As Nan said, he always "cleaned up" at the
mills and "came home kissable."

"I ought to be just next door to an angel, if I absorbed the virtues of
both my parents," declared Nan briskly, beginning to braid the wonderful
hair which she had already brushed. "I often think of that."

Her father poked her tentatively under the shoulder blades with a blunt
forefinger, making her squirm.

"I don't feel the wings sprouting yet, Nancy," he said, in his dry way.

"I hope not, yet!" exclaimed the girl. "I'd have to have a new winter
coat if you did, and I know we can't afford that just now."

"You never said a truer word, Nan," replied Mr. Sherwood, his voice
dropping to a less cheerful level, as he went away to change his coat
and light the hanging lamp in the dining room where the supper table was
already set.

Mother and daughter looked at each other rather ruefully.

"Oh, dear me!" whispered Nan. "I never do open my mouth but I put my
foot in it!"

"Goodness!" returned her mother, much amused. "That is an acrobatic feat
that I never believed you capable of, honey."

"We-ell! I reminded Papa Sherwood of our hard luck instead of being
bright and cheerful like you."

"We will give him a nice supper, honey, and make him forget his
troubles. Time enough to call to order the ways and means committee
afterward." Her husband came back into the kitchen as Nan finished
arranging the hair. "Come, Papa Sherwood!" cried the little lady. "Hot
biscuit; the last of the honey; sweet pickles; sliced cold ham; and a
beautiful big plum cake that our Nan made this morning before school
time, her own self. You MUST smile at all those dainties."

And the husband and father smiled. They all made an effort to help each
other. But they knew that with the loss of his work would doubtless come
the loss of the home. During the years that had elapsed, Mr. Sherwood
had paid in part for the cottage; but now the property was deteriorating
instead of advancing in value. He could not increase the mortgage upon
it. Prompt payment of interest half-yearly was demanded. And how could
he meet these payments, not counting living expenses, when his income
was entirely cut off?

Mr. Sherwood was forty-five years old, an age at which it is difficult
for a man to take up a new trade, or to obtain new employment at his old
one.

Cha