"Naw I don't, Miss Chicken--O'Halloran!" he said. "Mirrors cost money, and if you pull the sheet in the night, and slide ours off, and it breaks, we got seven years of bad luck coming, and we are nix on changing the luck we have right now. It's good enough for us. Think of them Belgium kids where the kings are making the fathers fight. This goes where it belongs, then you take your drink, and let me beat your pillow, and you fix your baby, and then we'll say our prayers, and go to sleep." Mickey replaced the mirror and carried out the program he had outlined. When he came to the prayer he ordered Peaches to shut her eyes, fold her hands and repeat after him: "'Now I lay me down to sleep'"---- Peaches' eyes opened. "Oh, is it a poetry prayer, Mickey?" she asked. "Yes. Kind of a one. Say it," answered Mickey. Peaches obeyed, repeating the words lingeringly and in her sweetest tones. Mickey thrilled to his task. "'I pray the Lord my soul to keep'"----he proceeded. "What's my soul, Mickey?" she asked. "The very nicest thing inside of you," explained Mickey. "Go on!" "Like my heart?" questioned Peaches. "Yes. Only nicer," said Mickey. "Shut your eyes and go on!" Peaches obeyed. "'If I should die before I wake'"----continued Mickey. Peaches' eyes flashed open; she drew back in horror. "I won't!" she cried. "I won't _say_ that. That's what happened to granny, an' I saw. She was the awfullest, an' then--the men came. I _won't!_" Mickey opened his eyes, looking at Peaches, his lips in a set line, his brow wrinkled in thought. "Well I don't know what they went and put _that_ in for," he said indignantly. "Scaring little kids into fits! It's all right when you don't _know_ what it means, but when kids has been through what we have, it's different. I wouldn't say it either. You wait a minute. I can beat that myself. Let me think. Now I got it! Shut your eyes and go on: "If I should come to live with Thee----" "Well I ain't goin'!" said Peaches flatly. "I'm goin' to stay right here with you. I'd a lot rather than anywhere. King's house or anywhere!" "I never saw such a kid!" wailed Mickey. "I think that's pretty. I like it heaps. Come on Peaches! Be good! Listen! The next line goes: 'Open loving arms to shelter me.' Like the big white Jesus at the Cathedral door. Come on now!" "I _won't!_ I'm goin' to live right here, and I don't want no big white Jesus' arms; I want _yours_. 'F I go anywhere, you got to lift me yourself, and let me take my Precious Child along." "Lily, you're the worst kid I ever saw," said Mickey. "No you ain't either! I know a lot worse than you. You just don't understand. I guess you better pray something you _do_ understand. Let me think again. Now try this: Keep me through the starry night----" "Sure! I just love that," crooned Peaches.