Ann's needle flew in and out across the heel in her father's sock. "I declare, I believe I actually like to darn, and I thought I never should! I suppose it's all in knowing how; most anything can be made interesting if we'll only think so." Mr. Seabrook smiled indulgently. It was plain to see that Ann was the apple of his eye.
"Father," she asked presently, "do you think I ought to sympathize more with mother about our troubles?"
"I think," answered her father, thoughtfully, "that your mother needs to be cheered up and taken out of herself more than anything else; she has brooded over our misfortunes until her nerves are upset. You should help her in every way you can, because the hardest part comes on her."
"I do try, father; do you think I'm any comfort to her?"
"Of course you are; you're a first-class optimist."
"And what is that, please? Anything awful?"
"An optimist is one who looks on the bright side of things."
"Oh! Well, that is easy to do; the really hard thing is to look on the dark side. Sometimes, when mother gets unusually down on her luck—imagines we are on a short cut to the poor house with nobody to head us off—I try to be blue about it just to keep her company; but the first thing I know I am hoping for better things in spite of myself. Something inside of me seems to say that everything will come right if we just give it time."
"That is why you are such a comfort to your old dad."
Ann beamed on him affectionately, and, leaning over, deposited a kiss on the tip of his ear. "If anything could make me discouraged it would be that you can't have the Hill Farm when you've wanted it so long. It's queer, and I know you'll laugh at me, but I have a feeling that we'll manage it yet, some way. It doesn't do any harm to hope we'll get it, does it?"
"Wishing is first cousin to hoping, you know," laughed her father, "and if wishes were horses, beggars might ride."
Mrs. Seabrook now appeared in the doorway holding an empty bucket. "Ann, suppose you run down to Wilson's lot and try to find some blackberries for supper. Seems as if we had to skirmisli around to get enough to eat even, nowadays."
Ann sprang up with alacrity. "Just the thing, mother; I
