The girls lived long before video games, cartoons, i-pads, or the internet. There were no cars, dishwashers, or bathrooms, very few books, and hardly any toys, and they had a lot of hard work to do every day. At home, Nora finds it almost intolerable. But with Phoebe, she learns how to turn work into fun, even if it is nasty chores. They are plain-clothes girls, always trying to be good, but sometimes can't help getting into trouble, especially since Nora has two mischievous little brothers and a stern Papa, and Phoebe has two older brothers who like to tease and a bossy, older sister. Jump into the olden days with Nora and find out what it was like. For instance, how did she sit through church with only a hanky and a hymnbook--no Sunday school or children's church?