night and work
eight hours on her feet, and put her lunch money on her back, and not
pay up for it. I've seen too many blue-eyed dolls like you get broken.
I--"

"Amen!"

Sara Juke rolled her blue eyes upward, and they were full of points of
light, as though stars were shining in them; and always her lips
trembled to laugh.

"There ain't nothing funny, Sara."

"Oh, Hat, with you like a owl!"

"If I was a girl and had a cough like I've seen enough in this basement
get; if I was a girl and my skirtband was getting two inches too big,
and I had to lie on my left side to breathe right, and my nightie was
all soaked round the neck when I got up in the morning--I wouldn't just
laugh and laugh. I'd cry a little--I would."

"That's right, Hat; step on the joy bug like it was a spider. Squash
it!"

"I wouldn't just laugh and laugh, and put my lunch money on my back
instead of eggs and milk inside of me, and run round all hours to dance
halls with every sporty Charley-boy that comes along."

"You leave him alone! You just cut that! Don't you begin on him!"

"I wouldn't get overheated, and not sleep enough; and--"

"For Pete's sake, Hat! Hire a hall!"

"I should worry! It ain't my grave you're digging."

"Aw, Hat."

"I ain't got your dolly face and your dolly ways with the boys; but I
got enough sense to live along decent."

"You're right pretty, I think, Hat."

"Oh, I could daub up, too, and gad with some of that fast gang if I
didn't know it don't lead nowheres. It ain't no cinch for a girl to
keep her health down here, even when she does live along decent like
me, eating regular and sleeping regular, and spending quiet evenings
in the room, washing-out and mending and pressing and all. It ain't
no cinch even then, lemme tell you. Do you think I'd have ever asked
a gay bird like you to come over and room with me if I hadn't seen
you begin to fade like a piece of calico, just like my sister Lizzie
did?"

"I'm taking that iron-tonic stuff like you want and spoiling my
teeth--ain't I, Hat? I know you been swell to me and all."

"You ain't going to let up until somebody whispers T.B. in your
shell-pink ear; and maybe them two letters will bring you to your
senses."

"T.B.?"

"Yes--T.B."

"Who's he?"

"Gee, you're as smart as a fish on a hook! You oughtta bought a velvet
dunce cap with your lunch money instead of that brown poke bonnet. T.B.
was what I said--T.B."

"Honest, Hat, I dunno--"

"For hea