'If I talk to her in a
fault-finding way, she'll only dislike me the more; she feels I've
no business to interfere.'
'You're too soft with them. You spoil them. Why, there's one of them
broken a pane in the kitchen to-day, end they know you'll take it
quiet, like you do everything else.'
Sidney wrinkled his brow. These petty expenses, ever repeated, were
just what made the difficulty in his budget; he winced whenever such
demands encroached upon the poor weekly income of which every penny
was too little for the serious needs of the family. Feeling that if
he sat and thought much longer a dark mood would seize upon him, he
rose hastily.
'I shall try kindness with her. Don't say anything more in her
hearing.'
He went to the kitchen-door, and cried cheerfully, 'My dinner ready,
girls?'
Annie's voice replied with a timorous affirmative.
'All right; I'll be down in a minute.'
Treading as gently as possible, he ascended the stairs and entered
his bedroom. The blind was drawn down, but sunlight shone through it
and made a softened glow in the chamber. In a little cot was sitting
his child, May, rather more than a year old; she had toys about her,
and was for the moment contented.
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