“Why don’t she make things then—same’s I do?” Sadie’s tone was sullen now.
“You know why. Your mother gives you a little money——”
“Mighty little,” Sadie interrupted. “I’m going to work when I’m sixteen. Then I’ll have my own money to spend.”
“And Elizabeth is nearly eighteen and can’t work for herself because she spends all her time working for the rest of you at home,” said Olga.
A startled look flashed into the sharp black eyes. Sadie had actually never before thought of that.
Olga went on, “I guess you’d miss Elizabeth at home if she should go away to work, but she ought to do it as soon as she is eighteen. And if she should, you’d have to do some of the kitchen work, wouldn’t you? And maybe then you wouldn’t have a chance to go away and earn money for yourself.”
“Is she going to do that—go off to work when she’s eighteen?” Sadie demanded, plainly disturbed at the suggestion.
“Everybody would say she had a right to. Most girls would have gone long ago—you know it, Sadie. You’d better make things easier for her at home if you want to keep her there.”
“How?” Sadie’s voice was despondent now. “Father gets so little pay—we’re pinched all the time.”
“Yet you have good clothes and money for your silver work——”