asked her why she did n't wait until after Christmas, when coats
would be cheaper. "What do you think of poor me?" she added; "with six at
home, younger than I am? And they all think I'm rich, because when I go
back to the country I'm dressed so fine!" She shrugged her shoulders.
"But, you know, my weakness is playthings. I like to buy them playthings
better than what they need."

"I know how that is," said Anna. "When we first came here, and I was
little, we were too poor to buy toys. I never got over the loss of a doll
somebody gave me before we left Norway. A boy on the boat broke her, and I
still hate him for it."

"I guess after you got here you had plenty of live dolls to nurse, like
me!" Lena remarked cynically.

"Yes, the babies came along pretty fast, to be sure. But I never minded. I
was fond of them all. The youngest one, that we did n't any of us want, is
the one we love best now."

Lena sighed. "Oh, the babies are all right; if only they don't come in
winter. Ours nearly always did. I don't see how mother stood it. I tell
you what girls," she sat up with sudden energy; "I'm going to get my
mother out of that old sod house where she's lived so many years. The men
will never do it. Johnnie, that's my oldest brother, he's wanting to get
married now, and build a house for his girl instead of his mother. Mrs.
Thomas says she thinks I can move to some other town pretty soon, and go
into business for myself. If I don't get into business, I'll maybe marry a
rich gambler."

"That would be a poor way to get on," said Anna sarcastically. "I wish I
could teach school, like Selma Kronn. Just think! She'll be the first
Scandinavian girl to get a position in the High School. We ought to be
proud of her."

Selma was a studious girl, who had not much tolerance for giddy things
like Tiny and Lena; but they always spoke of her with admiration.

Tiny moved about restlessly, fanning herself with her straw hat. "If I was
smart like her, I'd be at my books day and night. But she was born
smart--and look how her father's trained her! He was something high up in
the old country."

"So was my mother's father," murmured Lena, "but that's all the good it
does us! My father's father was smart, too, but he was wild. He married a
Lapp. I guess that's what's the matter with me; they say Lapp blood will
out."

"A real Lapp, Lena?" I exclaimed. "The kind that wear skins?"

"I don't know if she wore skins, but she was a Lapp all