"No, indeed! Certainly not! A pretty condition she'd have it in
before night! Go and get me the red and white frock, and I will mend
it. You aught to have told me it was torn this morning. You knew
there was nothing for the child to put on ut this. I never saw such
a set as you are!"

Netty flirted away, grumbling to herself. When she came in, she
threw the frock into my lap with manner so insolent and provoking
that I could hardly keep from breaking out upon her and rating her
soundly. One thing that helped to restrain me was the recollection
of sundry ebullitions of a like nature that had neither produced
good effects nor left my mind in a state of much self-respect or
tranquillity.

I repaired the torn sleeve, while Netty stood by. It was the work of
but five minutes.

"Be sure," said I, as I handed the garment to Netty, "to see that
one of Alice's frocks is ironed first thing to-morrow morning."

The girl heard, of course, but she made no answer. That was rather
more of a condescension than she was willing to make just then.

Instead of thinking how easily the difficulty of the clean frock for
Alice had been gotten over, I began fretting myself because I had
not been able to procure a seamstress, although the children were
"all in rags and tatters."

"What is to be done?" I said, half crying, as I began to rock myself
backward and forward in the great rocking-chair. "I am out of all