tament; and of all
things, what she liked was to get a quiet hour of an evening alone with
Nettie and hear her sing hymns. But both Nettie and she had a great
deal, as Mrs. Mathieson said, "to put up with."

As weeks went on, the father of the family was more and more out at
nights, and less and less agreeable when he was at home. He and his
friend Lumber helped each other in mischief: they went together to
Jackson's shop and spent time in lounging and gossiping and talking
politics there; and what was worse, they made the time and the politics
go down with draughts of liquor. Less and less money came to Mrs.
Mathieson's hand; but her husband always required what he called a good
meal to be ready for him and his lodger whenever he came home, and made
no difference in his expectations whether he had provided the means or
not. The lodger's rent and board had been at first given for the
household daily expenses; but then Mr. Mathieson began to pay over a
smaller sum, saying that it was all that was due; and Mrs. Mathieson
suspected that the rest had been paid away already for brandy. Then Mr.
Mathieson told her to trade at Jackson's on account, and he would settle
the bill. Mrs. Mathieson held off from this as long as it was possible.
She and Nettie did their very best to make the little that was given
them go a good way; they wasted not a crumb nor a penny, and did not
spend on themselves what they really wanted; that they might not have
the fearful storm of anger which was sure to come if the dinner was not
plentiful and the supper did not please the taste of Mr. Mathieson and
his lodger. By degrees it came to be very customary for Mrs. Mathieson
and Nettie to make their meal of porridge and bread, after all the more
savoury food had been devoured by the others; and many a weary patch and
darn filled the night hours because they had not money to buy a cheap
dress or two. Nettie bore it very patiently. Mrs. Mathieson was
sometimes impatient.

"This wont last me through the week, to get the things you want," she
said one Saturday to her husband, when he gave her what he said was
Lumber's payment to him.

"You'll have to make it last," said he, gruffly.

"Will you tell me how I'm going to do that? Here isn't more than half
what you gave me at first."

"Send to Jackson's for what you want!" he roared at her; "didn't I tell
you so? and don't come bothering me with your noise."

"When will you pay Jackson?"

"I'll pay