ss I'd better ask, first," said Bobby. He trotted home and soon
came back with his face shining from soap and water, and his hair
brushed straight up so that it looked like a halo around the full moon.

Then Nan, the minister's daughter, came in. She had also come to live in
their town and was the same funny, outspoken Nan, as always.

"It's a very convenient thing that I know you children," she had said,
"for it's a great trouble to have to find out, and learn to know
everybody in a town."

They were playing games in the nursery, when mother came up-stairs,
having finished the jam, ordered the groceries, and paid Mrs. O'Neal.

She was going to combine resting and mending, as usual, so she came to
the nursery, just as they were beginning a temperance lecture.

Bobby was selling tickets, and mother cheerfully paid a penny, and sat
in her low rocker near the window.

Nan had chosen to be lecturer, so Ethelwyn, Beth, and Bobby made a
somewhat reluctant and highly critical audience. Besides, there were the
dolls in various uncomfortable attitudes, but very amiable nevertheless.

And to them all, Nan now came forward and made a profound bow.

"My subject is Temperance, ladies and gentlemen," she began, "and I hope
you'll pay attention, because it's a true subject, as well as a useful
one.

"I wish men wouldn't get drunk. It's dreadful smelly even going by a
saloon, so I don't see how they can. I think it would be very nice if
pleecemen would think once in a while about stopping such things as
drunkers, but they probably like to have saloons around for themselves.
A nice thing would be, to have ladies, like your mother and me, for
pleecemen. Then we'd scrub things up, and pour things out, till you
couldn't smell or taste a thing. But men are meaner than women"--Bobby
looked dubious--"some men aren't though"--he looked relieved. "The
reason we are so nice and 'spectable, is because my father is a
minister, and doesn't dare do disgraceful things, and your mother
doesn't get time. So we should be thankful, instead of wishing we had a
candy store in the family, and being sorry we have to set examples for
other kids. No! No! No! children, I mean. That's all, and I hope you
won't forget all I've told you."

"Let's play church now," said Ethelwyn promptly, "and I choose to be
preacher, because I know about Moses and Abiram. The choir will please
sing Billy Boy."

So they put on nightgowns for surplices.

"What can I do