iness sense.
Along comes a man, and we get foolish. Lord! Oughtn't both of us to
know about bargain counters and basement sales?"

"Well, let's eat, Mary," she concluded, seeing she had no answer. And
Mary Warren, broken-hearted, high-headed, silent, turned to the
remaining routine of the day.

Annie busied herself at the little box behind the stove--a box with a
flap of white cloth, which served as cupboard. Here she found a coffee
pot, a half loaf of bread, some tinned goods, a pair of apples. She
put the coffee pot to boil upon the little stove, pushing back the
ornamental acorn which covered the lid at its top. Meantime Mary drew
out the little table which served them, spread upon it its white cloth,
and laid the knives and forks, scanty enough in their number.

They ate as was their custom every evening. Not two girls in all
Cleveland led more frugal lives than these, nor cleaner, in every way.

"Let me wash the dishes, Sis," said Annie Squires. "You needn't wipe
them--no, that's all right to-night. Let me, now."

"You're fine, Annie, you're fine, that's what you are!" said Mary
Warren. "You're the best girl in the world. But we'll make it
fifty-fifty while we can. I'm going to do my share."

"I suppose we'd better do the laundry, too, don't you think?" she
added. "We don't want the fire to get too low."

They had used their single wash basin for their dish pan as well, and
now it was impressed to yet another use. Each girl found in her pocket
a cheap handkerchief or so. Annie now plunged these in the wash
basin's scanty suds, washed them, and, going to the mirror, pasted them
against the glass, flattening them out so that in the morning they
might be "ironed," as she called it. This done, each girl deliberately
sat down and removed her shoes and stockings. The stockings themselves
now came in for washing--an alternate daily practice with them both
since Mary had come hither. They hung the stockings over the back of
the solitary spare chair, just close enough to the stove to get some
warmth, and not close enough to burn--long experience had taught them
the exact distance.

They huddled bare-footed closer to the stove, until Annie rose and
tiptoed across to get a pair each of cheap straw slippers which rested
below the bed.

"Here's yours, Sis," said she. "You just sit still and get warm as you
can before we turn in--it's an awful night, and the fire's beginning to
peter out already. I