t the Ladies of the G. A. R.--" she smiled and her mother
smiled with her,--"and Grant says the unions are going to pay half of
the salary of the extra teacher. That makes it easier."

"Well, Laura, don't you think--"

But her daughter interrupted her. "Now, mother," she went on, "don't you
stop me till I'm done--for this is the best yet. Morty Sands came down
to-day to help--" Laura laughed a little at her mother's surprised
glance, "and Morty promised to give us $200 for the kindergarten just as
soon as he can worm it out of his father for expense money." She drew in
a deep, tired breath, "There," she sighed, "that's all."

Her own child came up and the mother caught the little girl and began
playing with her, tying her hair ribbon, smoothing out her skirts,
rubbing a dirt speck from her nose, and cuddling the little one
rapturously in her arms. When the two women were alone, Laura sat on the
veranda steps with her head resting upon her mother's knee. The mother
touched the soft hair and said: "Laura, you are very tired."

"Yes, mother," the daughter answered. "The mothers are so hungry for
help down there in South Harvey, and," she added a little drearily--"so
am I; so we are speaking a common language."

She nestled her head in the lap above her. "And I'm going to find
something worth doing--something fine and good."

She watched the lazy clouds, "You know I'm glad about Morty Sands. Grant
thinks Morty sincerely wants to amount to something real--to help and be
more than a money grubber! If the old spider would just let him out of
the web!" The mother stared at her daughter a second.

"Well, Laura, about the only money grubbing Morty seems to be doing is
grubbing money out of his father to maintain his race horse."

The daughter smiled and the mother went on with her work. "Mother, did
you know that little Ruth Morton is going to begin taking vocal lessons
this summer?" The mother shook her head. "Grant says Mr. Brotherton's
paying for it. He thinks she has a wonderful voice."

"Voice--" cut in Mrs. Nesbit, "why Laura, the child's only
fourteen--voice--!"

Laura answered, "Yes, mother, but you've never heard her sing; she has a
beautiful, deep, contralto voice, but the treble above 'C' is a trifle
squeaky, and Mr. Brotherton says he's 'going to have it oiled'; so she's
to 'take vocal' regularly."

On matters musical Mrs. Nesbit believed she had a right to know the
whole truth, so she asked: "Where does M