extravagant. He didn't see why it was necessary for her to send for
her clothes to Paris, and why Father was always worried about bills,
when he should have been able to live well within his income. Anyway,
Father wasn't able to save a cent, and one day Uncle Thomas came to him
and said that he had a very good opportunity for him to invest his
savings, so that they would draw a much better income than what they
were giving. The only trouble was that Father didn't have any savings.
Then Uncle became furious; he asked Father and Mother what kind of
future they thought they were laying up for us, and he scolded Mother
terribly for not helping Father. He quoted the Bible about women being
the helpmeet of their husbands, and about the parents eating sour
grapes and setting the children's teeth on edge. He said that they
were taking the path to ruin, and that Father could expect no help from
him unless he and Mother economized. But you see, poor Mother always
considered Paris dresses and jewellery and expensive dainties the
necessities and not just the luxuries of life. I don't suppose she
really understood how to economize at all. And anyway, things got
worse instead of better. Then, one year, Daddy lost an awful lot of
money trying to make some quickly so that he could get his debts
cleared up, and start fresh. Instead, he only got in deeper. And--and
then he fell ill. And you remember, Alma, when poor Father was dying,
Uncle came. And he cried and cried. But when Mother came into the
room, he got up and went out, and shut the door behind him. Then he
shut the gates of his house against us, too. I think he feels that
we--we girls must learn to look at life seriously, to work out our own
futures--so that poverty will teach us to be wiser than--than poor,
darling little Mother----" Nancy's voice had sunk, as if she were
talking to herself, so that Alma barely heard the last words. She was
thinking of Alma, wondering how she could teach her luxury-loving
little sister to see life practically, without taking away the joy of
it from her.

"We mustn't rely on Uncle Thomas, Alma," she said presently. "We
mustn't count on anything but what we can do for ourselves. Remember
that, dear. We've got to realize that our lives must run a different
course from those of richer girls--we can never do the things they
do--but surely they will be richer lives, and happier lives, if--if we
rely on no one, ask nothing from a