diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/45536.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/45536.txt | 9997 |
1 files changed, 9997 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/45536.txt b/old/45536.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..82733eb --- /dev/null +++ b/old/45536.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9997 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Fishers: and their Nets, by Pansy + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Little Fishers: and their Nets + +Author: Pansy + +Release Date: April 30, 2014 [EBook #45536] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE FISHERS: AND THEIR NETS *** + + + + +Produced by Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + +[Transcriber's Note: Bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic +text is surrounded by _underscores_.] + + + +THE PANSY BOOKS. + + + +=Each volume 12mo, cloth, $1.50= + + Chautauqua Girls at Home. + Christie's Christmas. + Divers Women. + Echoing and Re-Echoing. + Eighty-Seven. + Endless Chain (An). + Ester Ried. + Ester Ried Yet Speaking. + Four Girls at Chautauqua. + From Different Standpoints. + Hall in the Grove (The). + Household Puzzles. + Interrupted. + Judge Burnham's Daughters. + Julia Ried. + King's Daughter (The). + Little Fishers and Their Nets. + Links in Rebecca's Life. + Mrs. Solomon Smith Looking On. + Modern Prophets. + Man of the house. + New Graft on the Family Tree (A). + One Commonplace Day. + Pocket Measure (The). + Profiles. + Ruth Erskine's Crosses. + Randolphs (The). + Sevenfold Trouble (A). + Sidney Martin's Christmas. + Spun from Fact. + Those Boys. + Three People. + Tip Lewis and His Lamp. + Wise and Otherwise. + + +=Each volume 12mo, cloth. $1.25.= + + Cunning Workmen. + Dr. Deane's Way. + Grandpa's Darlings. + Miss Priscilla Hunter. + Mrs. Deane's Way. + What She Said. + + +=Each volume 12mo, cloth, $1.00.= + + At Home and Abroad. + Bobby's Wolf and other Stories. + Five Friends. + In the Woods and Out. + Young Folks Worth Knowing. + Mrs. Harry Harper's Awakening. + New Years Tangles. + Next Things. + Pansy Scrap Book. + Some Young Heroines. + + +=Each volume 12mo, cloth, 75 cts.= + + Couldn't be Bought. + Getting Ahead. + Mary Burton Abroad. + Pansies. + Six Little Girls. + Stories from the life of Jesus. + That Boy Bob. + Two Boys. + + +=Each volume 16mo, cloth, 75 cts.= + + Bernie's White Chicken. + Docia's Journal. + Helen Lester. + Jessie Wells. + Monteagle. + + +=Each volume 16mo, cloth, 60 cts.= + + Browning Boys. + Dozen of Them (A). + Gertrude's Diary. + Hedge Fence (A). + Side by Side. + Six O'Clock in the Evening. + Stories of Remarkable Women. + Stories of Great Men. + Story of Puff. + "We Twelve girls." + World of Little People (A). + +[Illustration: NORMAN WAS A HANDSOME BOY WHEN SHE MARRIED MR. DECKER.] + + + + +Little Fishers: and Their Nets + + BY + PANSY + AUTHOR OF "CHRISTIE'S CHRISTMAS," "A HEDGE FENCE," "GERTRUDE'S + DIARY," "THE MAN OF THE HOUSE," "INTERRUPTED," + "THE HALL IN THE GROVE," "AN ENDLESS + CHAIN," "MRS. SOLOMON SMITH LOOKING + ON," "FOUR GIRLS AT CHAUTAUQUA," + "RUTH ERSKINE'S CROSSES," + "SPUN FROM FACT," + ETC., ETC. + + + _ILLUSTRATED_ + + BOSTON + D LOTHROP COMPANY + FRANKLIN AND HAWLEY STREETS + + + + + COPYRIGHT 1887 + BY + D LOTHROP COMPANY + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE. + + CHAPTER I. + THE DECKERS' HOME 7 + + CHAPTER II. + BEGINNING HER LIFE 24 + + CHAPTER III. + THE TRUTH IS TOLD 43 + + CHAPTER IV. + NEW FRIENDS 63 + + CHAPTER V. + A GREAT UNDERTAKING 85 + + CHAPTER VI. + HOW IT SUCCEEDED 106 + + CHAPTER VII. + LONG STORIES TO TELL 125 + + CHAPTER VIII. + A SABBATH TO REMEMBER 143 + + CHAPTER IX. + A BARGAIN AND A PROMISE 164 + + CHAPTER X. + PLEASURE AND DISAPPOINTMENT 179 + + + CHAPTER XI. + A COMPLETE SUCCESS 204 + + CHAPTER XII. + AN UNEXPECTED HELPER 226 + + CHAPTER XIII. + THE LITTLE PICTURE MAKERS 240 + + CHAPTER XIV. + THE CONCERT 257 + + CHAPTER XV. + A WILL AND A WAY 271 + + CHAPTER XVI. + AN ORDEAL 288 + + CHAPTER XVII. + THE FLOWER PARTY 304 + + CHAPTER XVIII. + A SATISFACTORY EVENING 320 + + CHAPTER XIX. + READY TO TRY 334 + + CHAPTER XX. + THE WAY MADE PLAIN 351 + + CHAPTER XXI. + THE NEW ENTERPRISE 365 + + CHAPTER XXII. + TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 382 + + CHAPTER XXIII. + THE CROWNING WONDER 400 + + CHAPTER XXIV. + THE PAST AND PRESENT 418 + + + + +Little Fishers: and Their Nets. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE DECKERS' HOME. + + +JOE DECKER gave his chair a noisy shove backward from the table, over +the uneven floor, shambled across the space between it and the kitchen +door, a look of intense disgust on his face, then stopped for his +good-morning speech: + +"You may as well know, first as last, that I've sent for Nan. I've +stood this kind of thing just exactly as long as I'm going to. There +ain't many men, I can tell you, who would have stood it so long. Such a +meal as that! Ain't fit for a decent dog! + +"Nan is coming in the afternoon stage. There must be some place fixed +up for her to sleep in. Understand, now, that has _got_ to be done, and +I won't have no words about it." + +Then he slammed the door, and went away. + +Yes, he was talking to his wife! She could remember the time when he +used to linger in the door, talking to her, so many last words to say, +and when at last he would turn away with a kind "Well, good-by, Mary! +Don't work too hard." + +But that seemed ages ago to the poor woman who was left this morning +in the wretched little room with the door slammed between her and her +husband. She did not look as though she had life enough left to make +words about anything. She sat in a limp heap in one of the broken +chairs, her bared arms lying between the folds of a soiled and ragged +apron. + +Not an old woman, yet her hair was gray, and her cheeks were faded, and +her eyes looked as though they had not closed in quiet restful sleep +for months. She had not combed her hair that morning; and thin and +faded as it was, it hung in straggling locks about her face. + +I don't suppose you ever saw a kitchen just like that one! It was +heated, not only by the fierce sun which streamed in at the two +uncurtained eastern windows, but by the big old stove, which could +smoke, not only, and throw out an almost unendurable heat on a warm +morning like this, when heat was not wanted, but had a way at all +times of refusing to heat the oven, and indeed had fits of sullenness +when it would not "draw" at all. + +This was one of the mornings when the fire had chosen to burn; it had +swallowed the legs and back of a rickety chair which the mistress in +desperation had stuffed in, when she was waiting for the teakettle to +boil, and now that there was nothing to boil, or fry, and no need for +heat, the stump of wood, wet by yesterday's rain, had dried itself and +chosen to burn. + +The west windows opened into a side yard, and the sound of children's +voices in angry dispute, and the smell of a pigsty, came in together, +and seemed equally discouraging to the wilted woman in the chair. + +The sun was already pretty high in the sky, yet the breakfast-table +still stood in the middle of the room. + +I don't know as I can describe that table to you. It was a square one, +unpainted, and stained with something red, and something green, and +spotted with grease, and spotted with black, rubbed from endless hot +kettles set on it, or else from one kettle set on it endless times; +it must have been that way, for now that I think of it, there was but +one kettle in that house. No tablecloth covered the stains; there was a +cracked plate which held a few crusts of very stale bread, and a teacup +about a third full of molasses, in which several flies were struggling. +More flies covered the bread crusts, and swam in a little mess of what +had been butter, but was now oil, and these were the only signs of food. + +It was from this breakfast-table that the man had risen in disgust. +You don't wonder? You think it was enough to disgust anybody? That +is certainly true, but if the man had only stopped to think that the +reason it presented such an appearance was because he had steadily +drank up all that ought to have gone on it during the months past, +perhaps he would have turned his disgust where it belonged--on himself. + +The woman had not tried to eat anything. She had given the best she had +to the husband and son, and had left it for them. She was very willing +to do so. It seemed to her as though she never could eat another +mouthful of anything. + +Can you think of her, sitting in that broken chair midway between the +table and the stove, the heat from the stove puffing into her face; the +heat from the sun pouring full on her back, her straggling hair silvery +in the sunlight, her short, faded calico dress frayed about the ankles, +her feet showing plainly from the holes of the slippers into which they +were thrust, her hands folded about the soiled apron, and such a look +of utter hopeless sorrow on her face as cannot be described? + +No, I hope you cannot imagine a woman like her, and will never see one +to help you paint the picture. And yet I don't know; since there are +such women--scores of them, thousands of them--why should you not know +about them, and begin now to plan ways of helping them out of these +kitchens, and out of these sorrows? + +Mrs. Decker rose up presently, and staggered toward the table; a dim +idea of trying to clear it off, and put things in something like order, +struggled with the faintness she felt. She picked up two plates, sticky +with molasses, and having a piece of pork rind on one, and set them +into each other. She poured a slop of weak tea from one cracked cup +into another cracked cup, her face growing paler the while. Suddenly +she clutched at the table, and but for its help, would have fallen. +There was just strength enough left to help her back to the rickety +chair. Once there, she dropped into the same utterly hopeless position, +and though there was no one to listen, spoke her sorrowful thoughts. + +"It's no use; I must just give up. I'm done for, and that's the truth! +I've been expecting it all along, and now it's come. I couldn't clear +up here and get them any dinner, not if he should kill me, and I don't +know but that will be the next thing. I've slaved and slaved; if +anybody ever tried to do something with nothing, I'm the one; and now +I'm done. I've just got to lie down, and stay there, till I die. I wish +I _could_ die. If I could do it quick, and be done with it, I wouldn't +care how soon; but it would be awful to lie there and see things go on; +oh, dear!" + +She lifted up her poor bony hands and covered her face with them and +shook as though she was crying. But she shed no tears. The truth is, +her poor eyes were tired of crying. It was a good while since any tears +had come. After a few minutes she went on with her story. + +"It isn't enough that we are naked, and half-starved, and things +growing worse every day, but now that Nan mast come and make one more +torment. 'Fix a place for her to sleep!' Where, I wonder, and what +with? It is too much! Flesh and blood can't bear any more. If ever a +woman did her best I have, and done it with nothing, and got no thanks +for it; now I've got to the end of my rope. If I have strength enough +to crawl back into bed, it is all there is left of me." + +But for all that, she tried to do something else. Three times she made +an effort to clear away the few dirty things on that dirty table, and +each time felt the deadly faintness creeping over her, which sent her +back frightened to the chair. The children came in, crying, and she +tried to untie a string for one, and find a pin for the other; but her +fingers trembled so that the knot grew harder, and not even a pin was +left for her to give them, and she finally lost all patience with their +cross little ways and gave each a slap and an order not to come in the +house again that forenoon. + +The door was ajar into the most discouraged looking bedroom that you +can think of. It was not simply that the bed was unmade; the truth is, +the clothes were so ragged that you would have thought they could not +be touched without falling to pieces; and they were badly stained and +soiled, the print of grimy little hands being all over them. Partly +pushed under, out of sight, was a trundle-bed, that, if anything, +looked more repulsive than the large one. There was an old barrel in +the corner, with a rough board over it, and a chair more rickety than +either of those in the kitchen, and this was the only furniture there +was in that room. + +The only bright thing there was in it was the sunshine, for there was +an east window in this room, and the curtain was stretched as high as +it could be. To the eyes of the poor tired woman who presently dragged +herself into this room, the light and the heat from the sun seemed +more than she could bear, and she tugged at the brown paper curtain so +fiercely that it tore half across, but she got it down, and then she +fell forward among the rags of the bed with a groan. + +Poor Mrs. Decker! I wonder if you have not imagined all her sorrowful +story without another word from me! + +It is such an old story; and it has been told over so many times, that +all the children in America know it by heart. + +Yes; she was the wife of a drunkard. Not that Joe Decker called himself +a drunkard; the most that he ever admitted was that he sometimes took a +drop too much! I don't think he had the least idea how many times in a +month he reeled home, unable to talk straight, unable to help himself +to his wretched bed. + +I don't suppose he knew that his brain was never free from the effects +of alcohol; but his wife knew it only too well. She knew that he was +always cross and sullen now, when he was not fierce, and she knew that +this was not his natural disposition. No one need explain to her how +alcohol would effect a man's nature; she had watched her husband change +from month to month, and she knew that he was growing worse every day. + +There was another sorrow in this sad woman's heart. She had one boy +who was nearly ten years old, when she married Mr. Decker; and people +had said to her often and often, "What a handsome boy you have, Mrs. +Lloyd; he ought to have been a girl." And the first time she had felt +any particular interest in Joe Decker was when he made her boy a kite, +and showed him how to fly it, and gave him one bright evening, such +as fathers give their boys. This boy's father had died when he was +a baby, and the Widow Lloyd had struggled on alone; caring for him, +keeping him neatly dressed, sending him to school as soon as he was old +enough, bringing him up in such a way that it was often and often said +in the village, "What a nice boy that Norman Lloyd is! A credit to his +mother!" And the mother had sat and sewed, in the evenings when Norman +was in bed, and thought over the things that fathers could do for boys +which mothers could not; and then thought that there were things which +mothers could do for girls that fathers could not, and Mr. Joseph +Decker, the carpenter, had a little girl, she had been told, only a few +years younger than her Norman. And so, when Mr. Decker had made kites, +not only, but little sail boats, and once, a little table for Norman to +put his school books on, with a drawer in it for his writing-book and +pencil, and when he had in many kind and manly ways won her heart, this +respectable widow who had for ten years earned her own and her boy's +living, married him, and went to keep his home for him, and planned as +to the kind and motherly things which she would do for his little girl +when she came home. + +Alas for plans! She knew, this foolish woman, that Mr. Decker sometimes +took a drink of beer with his noon meal, and again at night, perhaps; +but she said to herself, "No wonder, poor man; always having to eat his +dinner out of a pail! No home, and no woman to see that he had things +nice and comfortable. She would risk but what he would stay at home, +when he had one to stay in, and like a bit of beefsteak better than the +beer, any day." + +She had not calculated as to the place which the beer held in his +heart. Neither had he. He was astonished to find that it was not easy +to give it up, even when Mary wanted him to. He was astonished at first +to discover how often he was thirsty with a thirst that nothing but +beer would satisfy. I have not time for all the story. The beer was not +given up, the habit grew stronger and stronger, and steadily, though at +first slowly, the Deckers went down. From being one of the best workmen +in town, Mr. Decker dropped down to the level of "Old Joe Decker," +whom people would not employ if they could get anybody else. The little +girl had never come home save for a short visit; at first the new +mother was sorry, then she was glad. + +As the days passed, her heart grew heavier and heavier; a horrible fear +which was almost a certainty, had now gotten hold of her--that her +handsome, manly Norman was going to copy the father she had given him! +Poor mother! + +I would not, if I could, describe to you all the miseries of that long +day! How the mother lay and tossed on that miserable bed, and burned +with fever and groaned with pain. How the children quarreled and cried, +and ran into mother, and cried again because she could give them no +attention, and made up, and ran out again to play, and quarreled again. +How the father came home at noon, more under the influence of liquor +than he had been in the morning; and swore at the table still standing +as he had left it at breakfast time, and swore at his wife for "lying +in bed and sulking, instead of doing her work like a decent woman," and +swore at his children for crying with hunger; and finally divided what +remained of the bread between them, and went off himself to a saloon, +where he spent twenty-five cents for his dinner, and fifty cents for +liquor. How Norman came home, and looked about the deserted kitchen +and empty cupboard, and looked in at his mother, and said he was sorry +she had a headache, and sighed, and wished that he had a decent home +like other fellows, and wished that a doctor could be found, who didn't +want more money than he was worth, to pay him for coming to see a +sick woman, and then went to a bakery and bought a loaf of bread, and +a piece of cheese, and having munched these, washed them down with +several glasses of beer, went back to his work. Meantime, the playing +and the quarreling, and the crying, went on outside, and Mrs. Decker +continued to sleep her heavy, feverish sleep. + +Several times she wakened in a bewilderment of fever and pain, and +groaned, and tried to get up, and fell back and groaned again, and lost +her misery in another unnaturally heavy sleep, and the day wore away +until it was three o'clock in the afternoon. The stages would be due in +a few minutes--the one that brought passengers over from the railroad +junction a mile away. The children in the yard did not know that one +of them was expected to stop at their house; and the father when he +came home at noon had been drinking too much liquor to remember it; and +Norman had not heard of it, and for his mother's sake would have been +too angry to have met it if he had; so Nan was coming home with nobody +to welcome her. + +If you had seen her sitting at that moment, a trim little maiden in the +stage, her face all flushed over the prospect of seeing father, and the +rest, in a few minutes, you would not have thought it possible that she +could belong to the Decker family. + +She had not seen her home in seven years. She had been a little thing +of six when she went away with the Marshall family. + +It had all come about naturally. Mrs. Marshall was their neighbor, and +had known her mother from childhood; and when she died had carried the +motherless little girl home with her to stay until Mr. Decker decided +what to do; and he was slow in deciding, and Mrs. Marshall had a family +of boys, but no little girl, and held the motherless one tenderly for +her mother's sake; and when the Marshalls suddenly had an offer of +business which made it necessary for them to move to the city, they +clung to the little girl, and proposed to Mr. Decker that she should go +with them and stay until he had a place for her again. + +Apparently he had not found a place for her in all these seven years, +for she had never been sent for to come home. + +The new wife had wanted her at first, to be mother to her, as she +fancied Mr. Decker was going to be father to her boy. But it did not +take her very many months to get her eyes open to the thought that +perhaps the girl would be better off away from her father; and of late +years she had looked on the possible home-coming with positive terror. +Her own little ones had nothing to eat, sometimes, save what Norman +provided; and if "he"--and by this Mrs. Decker meant her husband; he +had ceased to be "Mr. Decker" to her, or "Joseph," or even Joe--if +"he" should take a notion to turn against the girl, life would be more +terrible to them in every way; and on the other hand, if he should +fancy her, and because of her, turn more against the wife, or Norman, +what would become of them then? + +So the years had passed, and beyond an occasional threat when Joe +Decker was at his worst, to "send for Nan right straight off," nothing +had been said of her home-coming. The threat had come oftener of late, +for Joe Decker had discovered that there was just now nothing that his +wife dreaded more than the presence of this step-daughter; and his +present manly mood was to do all he could for the discomfort of his +wife! That was one of the elevating thoughts which liquor had given him! + +Three o'clock. The stages came rattling down the stony road. Few people +who lived on this street had much to do with the stage; they could +not afford to ride, and they did not belong to the class who had much +company. + +So when the heavy carriages kept straight on, instead of turning the +corner below, it brought a swarm of children from the various dooryards +to see who was coming, and where. + +"It's stopped at Decker's, as true as I live!" said Mrs. Job Smith, +peeping out of her clean pantry window to get a view. "I heard that +Joe had sent for little Nan, but I hoped it wasn't true. Poor Nan! if +the Marshalls have treated her with any kind of decency, it'll be a +dreadful change, and I'm sorry enough for her. Yes, that must be Nan +getting out. She's got the very same bright eyes, but she has grown a +sight, to be sure!" Which need not have seemed strange to Mrs. Smith, +if she had stopped to remember that seven years had passed since Nan +went away. + +The little woman got down with a brisk step from the stage, and watched +her trunk set in the doorway, and got out her red pocket-book, and paid +the fare, and then looked about her doubtfully. Could this be home! + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +BEGINNING HER LIFE. + + +SHE did not remember anything, but the yard was very dirty, and the +fence was tumbling down, and there were lights of glass out of the +windows, and a general air of discomfort prevailed. It did not look +like a home. Besides, where were father and mother? There must be some +mistake. + +The two little Deckers who had played and quarreled together all +day had left their work to come and stare at the new comer out of +astonished eyes. Certainly they did not seem to have been expecting her. + +The new comer turned to the elder of the two children, and spoke in a +gentle winning voice: "Little girl, do you live here--in this house?" + +The child with her forefinger placed meditatively on her lip, and her +bright eyes staring intensely, decided to nod that she did. + +"And can you tell me what your name is?" + +To this question there was no answer for several seconds, then she +thought better of it and gravely said: "I could." + +This seemed so funny, that poor Nan, though by this time carrying a +very sad heart, could not help smiling. + +"Well, will you?" she asked. + +But at this the tangled yellow head was shaken violently. No, she +wouldn't. + +"It can't be," said Nan, talking to herself, since there was no one who +would talk with her, looking with troubled eyes at the two uncombed, +unwashed children, with their dresses half torn from them, and dirtier +than any dresses that this trim little maiden had ever seen before, +"this really cannot be the place! and yet father said this street and +number; and the driver said this was right." Then she stooped to the +little one. "Won't you tell me if your name is Satie Decker?" + +But this one was shy, and hid her dirty face in her dirty hands, and +stepped back behind her sister who at once came to the rescue. + +"Yes, 'tis," she said, "and you let her alone." + +A shadow fell over Nan's face, but she said quickly, "Then you must be +Susie Decker, and this place is really home!" + +But you cannot think how strangely it sounded to her to call such +a looking spot as this home. There was no use in standing on the +doorstep. She could feel that curious eyes were peeping at her from +neighbors' windows. She stepped quickly inside the half-open door, into +the kitchen where that breakfast-table still stood, with the flies so +thick around the molasses cup, from which the children had long since +drained the molasses, that it was difficult to tell whether there was a +cup behind it, or whether this really was a pyramid of flies. + +The children followed her in. Susie had a dark frown on her face, and a +determined air, as one who meant to stand up for her rights and protect +the little sister who still tried to hide behind her. I think it was +well they were there; had they not been, I feel almost sure that the +stranger would have sat down in the first chair and cried. + +Poor little woman! It was such a sorrowful home-coming to her. So +different from what she had been planning all day. + +I wish I could give you a real true picture of her as she stood in +the middle of that dreadful room, trying to choke back the tears while +she convinced herself that she was really Nettie Decker. A trim little +figure in a brown and white gingham dress, a brown straw hat trimmed +with broad bands and ends of satin ribbon, with brown gloves on her +hands, and a ruffle in her neck. This was Nettie Decker; neat and +orderly, from ruffle to buttoned boots. I wonder if you can think what +a strange contrast she was to everything around her? + +What was to be done? she could not stand there, gazing about her; and +there seemed no place to sit down, and nowhere to go. Where could +father be? Why had he not stayed at home to welcome his little girl? or +if too busy for that, surely the mother could have stayed, and he must +have left a message for her. + +If the little girls would only be good and try to tell her what all +this strangeness meant! She made another effort to get into their +confidence. She bent toward Susie, smiling as brightly as she could, +and said: "Didn't you know, little girlie, that I was your sister +Nettie? I have come home to play with you and help you have a nice +time." + +Even while she said it, she felt ten years older than she ever had +before, and she wondered if she should ever play anything again; and if +it could be possible for people to have nice times who lived in such a +house as this. But Susie was in no sense won, and scowled harder than +ever, as she said in a suspicious tone: "I ain't got no sister Nettie, +only Sate, and Nan." + +Hot as the room was, the neat little girl shivered. There was something +dreadful to her in the sound of that name. She had forgotten that she +ever used to hear it; she remembered her father as having called her +'Nannie'; that would do very well, though it was not so pleasant to her +as the 'Nettie' to which she had been answering for seven years. + +But how strange and sad it was that these little sisters should have +been taught to call her Nan! could there be a more hateful name than +that, she wondered. Did it mean that her step-mother hated her, and had +taught the children to do so? She swallowed at the lump in her throat. +What if she should cry! what would those children say or do, and what +would happen next? she must try to explain. + +"I am Nannie," she couldn't make her lips say the word Nan. "I have +come home to live, and to help you!" She did not feel like saying "play +with you," now. "Will you be a good girl, and let me love you?" + +How Susie scowled at her then! "No," she said, firmly, "I won't." + +There seemed to be no truthful answer to make to this, for in the +bottom of her heart, Nannie did not believe that she could. Still, she +must make the best of it, and she began slowly to draw off her gloves. +Clearly she must do something towards getting herself settled. + +"Won't you tell me where father is? or mother?" her voice faltered a +little over that word; "maybe you can show me where to put my trunk; do +you know which is to be my room?" + +There were pauses made between each of these questions. The poor little +stranger seemed to be trying first one form and then another, to see if +it was possible to get any help. + +Susie decided at last to do something besides scowl. + +"Mother's sick. She lies in bed and groans all the time. She ain't got +us no dinner to-day; Sate and me called her, and called her, and she +wouldn't say anything to us. There ain't no room only this and that," +nodding her head toward the bedroom door, "and the room over the shed +where Norm sleeps. Norm is hateful. He didn't bring home no bread this +noon for Sate and me; and he said maybe he would; we're awful hungry." + +"Perhaps he couldn't," said poor startled Nettie. She hardly knew +what she said, only it seemed natural to try to excuse Norm. But what +dreadful story was this! If there was really a sick mother, why was not +the father bending over her, and the house hushed and darkened, and +somebody tiptoeing about, planning comforts for the night? She had seen +something of sickness, and this was the way it was managed. + +Then what was this about there being no room for her? Then what in the +world was she to do? Oh, what did it all mean! She felt as though she +must run right back to the depot, and get on the cars and go to her own +dear home. To be sure she knew that her father was poor; what of that? +so were the Marshalls; she had heard Mrs. Marshall say many a time +that "poor folks can't have such things," in answer to some of the +children's coaxings. But poverty such as this which seemed to surround +this home was utterly strange to Nettie. + +Still, though she felt such a child, she was also a woman; in some +things at least. She knew there was no going home for her to-night. If +she had the money to go with, and if there had been a train to go on, +she would still have been stayed, because it would be wrong to go. Her +father had sent for her, had said that they wanted her, needed her, +and her father certainly had a right to her; and she had come away +with a full heart, and a firm resolve to be as good and as helpful and +as happy in her old home as she possibly could. And now that nothing +anywhere was as she had expected it, was no reason why she should not +still do right. Only, what was there for her to do, and how should she +begin? + +She stood there still in the middle of the room, the children staring. +Presently she crossed on tiptoe to the bedroom door which was partly +open and peeped in, catching her first glimpse of the woman whom she +must call "mother." + +Also she caught a glimpse of that dreadful bed; and the horrors of that +sight almost took away the thought of the woman lying on it. How could +she help being sick if she had to sleep in such a place as that? Poor +Nettie Decker! She stood and looked, and looked. Then seeing that the +woman did not stir, but seemed to be in a heavy sleep, she shut the +door softly and came away. + +I don't suppose that Nettie Decker will ever forget the next three +hours of her life, even if she lives to be an old woman. Not that +anything wonderful happened; only that, for years and years afterwards, +it seemed to her that she grew suddenly, that afternoon, from a +happy-hearted little girl of thirteen, into a care-taking, sorrowful +woman. While she stood in that bedroom door, a perfect whirl of +thoughts rushed through her brain, and when she shut the door, she had +come to this conclusion: + +"I can't help it; I am Nettie Decker; he is my father, and I belong to +him, and I ought to be here if he wants me; and she is my mother; and +if it is dreadful, I can't help it; there is everything to do; and I +must do it." + +It was then that she shut the door softly and went back and began her +life. + +There was that trunk out on the stoop. It ought to go somewhere. At +least she could drag it into the kitchen so that the troops of children +gathering about the door need not have it to wonder at any longer. +Putting all her strength to it she drew it in and shut the door. By +this time, Sate, who was getting used to her as she had gotten used to +many a new thing in her little life, began to wail that she was hungry, +and wanted some bread and some molasses. + +"Poor little girlie!" Nettie said, "don't cry; I'll see if I can +find you something to eat. Did she really have no dinner, Susie? Oh, +darling, don't cry so; you will trouble poor mother." + +But Susie had gone back to the scowling mood. "She _shall_ cry, if she +wants to; you can't stop her; and you needn't try; I'll cry too, just +as loud as I can." + +And Susie Decker who had strong lungs and always did as she said she +would, immediately set up such a howl as put Sate's milder crying quite +in the shade. + +Nettie looked over at the bedroom door in dismay; but no sound came +from there. Yet this roaring was fearful. How could it be stopped? +Suddenly she plunged her hand into the depths of a small travelling bag +which still hung on her arm, and brought forth a lovely red-cheeked +peach. She held it before the eyes of the naughty couple and spoke in a +determined tone: "This is for the one who stops crying this instant." + +Both children stopped as suddenly as though they had been wound up, and +the machinery had run down. + +Nettie smiled, and went back into the travelling bag. "There must be +two of them, it seems," she said, and brought out another peach. "Now +you are to sit down on the steps and eat them, while I see what can be +found for our supper." + +Down sat the children. There had been quiet determination in this +new-comer's tone, and peaches were not to be trifled with. Their mouths +had watered for a taste ever since the dear woolly things began to +appear in the grocery windows, and not one had they had! + +Now began work indeed. Nettie opened her trunk and drew out a work +apron which covered her dress from throat to shoes, and made her look +if anything, prettier than before. Where was the broom? The children +busy with their peaches, neither knew nor cared; however, a vigorous +search among the rubbish in the shed brought one to light. And then +there was such a cloud of dust as the Decker kitchen had not seen in a +long time. Then came a visit to the back yard in search of chips; both +children following close at her heels, saying nothing, but watching +every movement with wide-open wondering eyes. Back again to the kitchen +and the fire was made up. Then an old kettle was dragged out from a +hole in the corner, which poor Mrs. Decker called a closet. It was to +hold water, while the fire heated it, but first it must be washed; +everything must be washed that was touched. Where was the dishcloth? + +The children being asked, stared and shook their heads. Nettie +searched. She found at last a rag so black and ill-smelling that +without giving the matter much thought she opened the stove door and +thrust it in. This brought a rebuke from the fierce Susie. + +"You better look out how you burn up my mother's things. My mother will +take your head right off." + +"It wasn't good for anything, dear," Nettie said soothingly, "it was +too dirty." And she stooped down and turned over the contents of the +trunk. Neat little piles of clothing, carefully marked with her full +name; a pretty green box which Susie dived for, and pushing off the +cover disclosed little white ruffles, some of lace, and some of fine +lawn, lying cosily together; but Nettie was not searching for such +as these. Quite at the bottom of the trunk was a pile of towels, +all neatly hemmed and marked. Two of these she selected; looked +thoughtfully at one of them for a moment, and then with a grave shake +of her head, got out her scissors and snipped it in two. Now she had +a dishcloth, and a towel for drying. But what a pity to soil the +nice white cloth by washing out that iron kettle! Nettie had grave +suspicions that after such a proceeding it would not be fit for the +dishes. Still, the kettle must be washed, and to have used the black +rag which she had burned, was out of the question. + +There was no help for it, the other neat dishcloth must be sacrificed. +So taking the precaution to wipe out the iron kettle with a piece of +paper, and then to heat it quite hot, and apply soap freely, the cloth +escaped without very serious injury; and in less time than it takes me +to tell it, the water was getting itself into bubbles over the stove, +and a tin pan was being cleaned, ready for the dishes. Then they were +gathered, and placed in the hot and soapy water, and washed and rinsed +and polished with the white towel until they shone; and the little +girls looked on, growing more amazed each moment. + +It did not take long to wash every dish there was in that house. I +suppose you would have been very much astonished if you could have +seen how few there were! Nettie was very much astonished. She wondered +how people could get supper with so few dishes, to say nothing of +breakfasts and dinner. But you see she did not know how little there +was to put on them. + +The next question was, Where to put them? One glance at the upper part +of the closet where she had found some of them, convinced Nettie that +her clean dishes could not be happy resting on those shelves. There was +no help for it; they must be scrubbed, though she had not intended to +begin housecleaning the first afternoon. More water and more soap, and +the few shelves were soon cleared of rubbish, and washed. Nettie piled +all the rubbish on a lower shelf and left it for a future day. She did +not dare to burn any more property. + +"Don't they look pretty?" she said to the children, when at last the +dishes were neatly arranged on the shelf. One held them all, nicely. + +Susie nodded with a grave face that said she had not yet decided +whether to be pleased or indignant. + +"What did you do it for?" she asked, after a moment's silent survey. + +"Why, to make them clean and shining. You and I are going to clear up +the house and make it look ever so nice for mother when she wakes up." + +"Did you come home to help mother?" + +"Yes, indeed. And you two little sisters must show me how to help her; +poor sick mother! I am afraid she has too much to do." + +"She cries," said Susie gravely, as though she were stating not a +surprising but simply a settled fact; "she cried every day: not out +loud like Sate and me, but softly. Father says she is always sniveling." + +If you had been watching Nettie Decker just then you would have noticed +that the blood flamed into her cheeks, and her eyes had a flash of +wonder, and terror, and anger in them. What did it all mean? Where +had the children learned such words? Was it possible that her father +talked in this way to his wife? + +"Hush!" she said unguardedly, "you must not talk so." But this made the +fierce little Susie stamp her foot. + +"I _shall_ talk so!" she said angrily; "I shall talk just what I +please, and you sha'n't stop me." And then the queer little mimic +beside her stamped her foot, and said, "You sha'n't stop me." + +Said Nettie, "There was a little girl on the cars to-day that I knew. +She had a little gray kitty with three white feet, and a white spot on +one ear, and it had a blue ribbon around its neck. What if you had such +a kitty. Would you be real good to it?" + +"I will have a _black_ kitty," said Susie, "all black; as black as that +stove." Nettie glancing at the stove, could not help thinking that it +was more gray than black; but she kept her thoughts to herself, and +Susie went on. "And it should have a red ribbon around its neck; as red +as Janie Martin's dress; her dress is as red as fire, and has ruffles +on, and ribbons. But what would it eat?" + +She did not mean the dress but the kitten. + +Nettie laughed, but hastened to explain that the kitten would need a +saucer of milk quite often, and bits of various things. This made wise +Susie gravely shake her head. + +"We don't have no milk," she said, "only once in awhile when Norm buys +it; Sate, she often cries for milk, but she don't get none. It don't do +no good to cry for milk; I ain't cried for any in a long time." + +Poor little philosopher! Poor, pitiful childhood without any milk! +Hardly anything could have told the story of poverty to Nettie's young +ears more surely than this. Why, she was a big girl thirteen years old, +and had lived in a city where milk was scarce, and yet her glass had +been filled every evening. Nettie did not know what to make of it. How +came her father to be so poor? She was sure that the house did not look +like this when she went away; and her clothes had been neat and good. +She had the little red dress now which she wore away. She thought of it +when Susie was talking, and wondered if with a little fixing it could +not be made to fit the black-eyed child who seemed to admire red so +much. Finding the kitty a troublesome subject, at least so far as the +finding of milk for it was concerned, she turned the conversation to +the little girls who had been on the cars; the one with the kitty, and +her little sister, whom she called "Pet." "She was about as old as you, +Susie, and Pet was about Satie's age. And she was very kind to Pet; +she always spoke to her so gently, and took such care of her everybody +seemed to love her for her kindness." + +"I take care of Sate," said Susie. "I never let anybody hurt her. I +would scratch their eyes out if they did; and they know it." + +"You slap me sometimes," little Sate said, her voice slightly +reproachful. + +"Yes," said Susie loftily, "but that is when you are bad and need it; I +don't let anybody else slap you." + +"The oldest little girl had curly hair," said Nettie, "but it wasn't so +long as yours, and did not curl so nicely as I think yours would. And +Pet's hair was a pretty brown, like Sate's, and looked very pretty. It +was combed so neatly. One wore a blue dress, and one a white dress; but +I think they would have looked prettier if they had been dressed both +alike." + +"I don't like white dresses," said Susie; "I like fiery red ones." + +So Nettie resolved that the red dress should be made to fit her. + +Meantime, the scrubbing had gone on rapidly; the table was as clean as +soap and water could make it. Now if those children would only let her +wash their faces and put their hair in order, how different they would +look. Should she venture to suggest it? + +It all depended on how the idea happened to strike Susie. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE TRUTH IS TOLD. + + +IN the bottom of that wonderful little trunk lay side by side two +little blue and white plaid dresses, made gabrielle fashion, with +ruffles around the bottom and around the neck. Never were dresses made +with more patient care. All the stitches were small and very neat. + +And they represented hours and hours of steady work. Every stitch in +them had been taken by Nettie Decker. Long before she had thought of +such a thing as coming home, they had been commenced. Birthday presents +they were to be to the little sisters whom she had never seen. She had +earned the money to buy them. She had borrowed two little neighbors of +the same age, to fit them to, and with much advice and now and then a +little skilful handling from Mrs. Marshall, they were finally finished +to Nettie's great satisfaction. + +It was the day the last stitch was set in them that she learned she was +to come herself and bring them. + +She thought of them this afternoon. If the little girls would only let +her comb their hair and wash their faces and hands, she would put on +the new dresses. She had not intended to present them in that way, but +dresses as soiled and faded and worn as those the little sisters had +on, Nettie Decker had never worn. + +She opened the trunk, with both children beside her, watching, and drew +out the dresses. + +"Aren't these almost as pretty as red ones?" she asked, as she unfolded +them, and displayed the dainty ruffles. + +"No," said Susie, "not near so pretty as red ones. But then they are +pretty. They aren't dresses at all; they are aprons. Are they for you +to wear?" + +"No," said Nettie, "they are for two little girls to wear, who have +their hair combed beautifully, and their hands and faces very clean." + +"Do you mean us?" + +"I do if the description fits. I can think just how nice you would look +if your faces were clean and your hair was combed." + +"We will put on the aprons," said Susie firmly, "but we won't have our +hair combed, nor our faces washed, and you need not try it." + +But Miss Susie found that this new sister had as strong a will as she. +The trunk lid went down with a click, and Nettie rose up. + +"Very well," she said, "then we will not waste time over them. I +brought them for you, and meant to put them on you this afternoon to +surprise mamma, but if you don't want them, they can lie in the trunk." + +"I told you we did want them," said Susie, looking horribly cross. "I +said we would put them on." + +"Yes, but you said some more which spoiled it. _I_ say that they cannot +go on until your faces and hands are so clean that they shine, and your +hair is combed beautifully." + +"You can't make us have our hair combed." + +"I shall not try," said Nettie, as though it was a matter of very small +importance to her. "I was willing to dress you all up prettily, but if +you don't choose to look like the little girls I saw on the cars, why +you can go dirty, of course. But you can't have the clean new dresses." + +"Till when?" + +"Not ever. Unless you are clean and neat." + +"It hurts to have hair combed." + +"I know it. Yours would hurt a good deal, because you don't have it +combed every day; if you kept it smooth and nice it would hardly hurt +at all. But I didn't suppose you were a cowardly little girl who was +afraid of a few pulls. If the dresses are not worth those, we had +better let them lie in the trunk." + +Nettie was already beginning to understand her queer fierce little +sister. She had no idea of being thought a coward. + +"Well," she said, after a thoughtful pause, "comb my hair if you like; +I don't care. Sate, you are going to have your hair combed, and you +needn't cry; because it won't do any good." + +It was certainly a trial to all parties; and poor little Sate in spite +of this warning, did shed several tears; but Susie, though she frowned, +and choked, and once jerked the comb away and threw it across the +floor, did not let a single tear appear on her cheeks. And at last the +terrible tangles slipped out, and left silky folds of beautiful hair +that was willing to do whatever Nettie's skilful fingers told it. When +the faces and hands were clean, and the lovely blue dresses had been +arranged, Nettie stood back to look at them in genuine delight. What +pretty little girls they were! She sighed in two minutes after she +thought this. What did it mean that they looked so neglected and dirty? + +"These must go in the wash," she said, as she gathered up the rags +which had been kicked off. + +"Will we put these on in the morning?" asked Susie, in quite a mild +tone. She was looking down at herself and was very much pleased with +her changed appearance. + +"Oh, no," Nettie said, "they are too light to play in. They are +dress-up clothes. You must have dark dresses on in the morning." + +"We ain't got no dresses only them," and Susie pointed contemptuously +at the rags in Nettie's hand. This made poor Nettie sigh again. What +did it all mean? + +However, there was no time for sighing. There was still a great deal to +be done. + +"Now we must get tea," she said, bustling about. "Where does mother +keep the bread, and other things?" + +"She don't keep them nowhere. We don't have no things. I go to the +bakery sometimes for bread, and for potatoes, and sometimes for +milk. I would go now; I just want to show that hateful little girl in +there my new dress, and my curls, but it isn't a bit of use to go. He +won't let us have another single thing without the money. He said so +yesterday, and he looked so cross he scared Sate; but I made faces at +him." + +This called forth several questions as to where the bakery was, and +Nettie, finding that it was but a few steps away, and that the little +girls really bought most of the things which came from there, counted +out the required number of pennies from her poor little purse for a +loaf of bread and a pint of milk. In the cupboard was what had once +been butter, set on the upper shelf in a teacup. It was almost oil, now. + +"If I had a lump of ice for this," Nettie murmured, "it might do. +Butter costs so much." + +"They keep ice at the bakery," said that wise young woman, Susie, "but +we never buy it." + +This brought two more pennies from the pocketbook; for to Nettie it +seemed quite impossible that butter in such a condition could be eaten. +So the ice was ordered, and two very neat, and very vain little bits of +girls started on their mission. + +Tablecloths? Where would the new housekeeper find them? Where indeed! +Hunt through the room as she would, no trace of one was to be found. +She did not know that the Deckers had not used such an article in +months. She thought of the cupboard drawer at home, and of the neat +pile which was always waiting there, and at about this hour it had +been her duty to set the table and make everything ready for tea. It +would not do to think about it. There were sharper contrasts than +these. Her proposed present to her mother had been a tablecloth, not +very large nor very fine, but beautifully smooth and clean, and hemmed +by her own patient fingers. She must get it out to-night, as no other +appeared; and of course she could not set the table without one. So it +was spread on the clean table, and the few dishes arranged as well as +she could. There was a drawing of tea set up in another teacup, and +there was a sticky little tin teapot. Nettie, as she washed it, told it +that to-morrow she would scour it until it shone; then she made tea. +Meantime the little errand girls had returned with their purchases, the +butter was resting on a generous lump of ice, the bread which was found +to be stale, was toasted, a plate of cookies from the wonderful trunk +was added, and at last there was ready such a supper as had not been +eaten in that house for weeks. To be sure it looked to Nettie as though +there was very little to eat; but then she had not been used to living +at the Deckers. She began to be very nervous about the people who were +going to sit down at this neat table. Why did not some of them come? + +The wise housekeeper knew that neither tea nor toast improved greatly +by standing, but she drew the teapot to the very edge of the stove, +covered the toast, and set it in the oven. Then she went softly to the +bedroom door and opened it. This time a pair of heavy eyes turned, +as the door creaked, and were fixed on her with a kind of bewildered +stare. She went softly in. + +"How do you feel now?" she asked gently. "I have made a cup of tea and +a bit of toast for you. Shall I bring them now? The children said you +did not eat any dinner." + +"Who are you?" asked the astonished woman, still regarding her with +that bewildered stare. + +Nettie swallowed at the lump in her throat. It would be dreadful if she +should burst out crying and run away, as she felt exactly like doing. + +"I am Nettie Decker," she said, and her lips quivered a little. "Father +sent for me, you know. Didn't you think I would be here to-day, ma'am?" + +"You can't be Nan!" + +I cannot begin to describe to you the astonishment there was in Mrs. +Decker's voice. + +"Yes'm, I am. At least that is what father used to call me once in a +while, just for fun. My name is Nanette; but Auntie Marshall where I +live, or where I used to live"--she corrected herself, "always called +me Nettie. May I bring you the tea, ma'am? I think it will make you +feel better." + +But the two children had stayed in the background as long as they +intended. They pushed forward, Susie eager-voiced: + +"Look at us! See my curls, and see my new apron, only she says it is a +dress, but it ain't; it is made just like Jennie Brown's apron, ain't +it? But we ain't got no dresses on. She's got a white cloth on the +table, and cookies, and a lump of ice, and everything; and we had two +peaches. Old Jock gave us the bread. She sent the money, and I told him +to take his old money and give me some bread right straight." + +How fast Susie could talk! + +There was scarcely room for the slow sweet Satie to get in her gentle, +"and me too." Meaning look at my dress and hair. The bewildered mother +raised herself on her elbow and stared--from Nan to the little girls, +and then back to Nan. She was sufficiently astonished to satisfy even +Susie. + +"Well, I never!" she said at last. "I didn't know, I mean I didn't +think"--then she stopped and pressed her hand to her head, and pushed +back the straggling hair behind her ears. "I took dizzy this morning," +she said at last, addressing Nettie as though she were a grown-up +neighbor who had stepped in to see her, "and I staggered to the bed, +and didn't know nothing for a long while. I had a dreadful pain in +my head, and then I must have dropped to sleep. Here I've been all +day, if the day is gone. It must be after three o'clock if you've got +here. I meant to try to do something towards making things a little +more decent; though the land knows what it would have been; I don't. +There's nothing to do with. I didn't know till this morning that he had +the least notion of sending for you--though he's threatened it times +enough. I've been ailing all the spring, and this morning I just give +out. I don't know what is the matter with me. The bed goes round now, +and things get into a kind of a blur." + +"Let me bring you a cup of tea and something to eat," said Nettie; "I +think you are faint." Then she vanished, the children following. She +was back in a few minutes, under her arm a white towel from her trunk; +this she spread on the barrel head which you will remember did duty as +a table. She spread it with one hand, little Sate carefully smoothing +out the other end. In her left hand she carried a cup of tea smoking +hot, and poor Mrs. Decker noticed that the cup shone. Susie followed +behind, an air of grave importance on her face, and in her hands a +plate, covered by a smaller one, which being taken off disclosed a +delicately browned slice of bread with a bit of butter spread carefully +over it. + +"Well, I never!" said Mrs. Decker again, but she drank the tea with +feverish haste, stopping long enough to feel of the cup with a curious +look on her face. It was so smooth. There was a sound of heavy feet +outside, and the children appeared at the door and announced that +father and Norm had come. Nettie took the emptied cup, promising to +fill it again, urged the eating of the toast while it was hot, and went +with trembling heart to meet the father whom she had not seen in so +many years that she remembered very little about him. + +A great rough-faced, unshaven man, with uncombed hair, ragged and dirty +shirt sleeves, ragged and dirty pants, a red face and eyes that seemed +but half open, and watery. Nothing less like what Nettie had imagined a +father, could well be described. However, if she had but known it, this +was a great improvement on the man who often came home to supper. He +was nearly sober, and greeted her with a rough sort of kindness, giving +her a kiss, which made her shrink and tremble. It was perfumed with +odors which she did not like. + +"Well, Nan, my girl, you have grown into a fine young lady, have you? +Tall for your years, too. And smart, I'll be bound; you wouldn't be +your mother's girl if you wasn't. Is it you that has fixed up things +so? It is a good thing you have come to take care of us. We haven't had +anything decent here in so long, we've most forgot how to treat it. +Come on, Norm. This table looks something like living again." + +And "Norm" shambled in. Rough, and uncombed, and unwashed, except a +dab at his hands which left long streaks of brown at the wrists. A +hard-looking boy, harder than Nettie had ever spoken to before. She +could not help thinking of Jim Daker who lived in a saloon not far from +her old home, and whom she had always passed with a hurried step, and +with eyes on the ground, and of whom she thought as of one who lived in +a different world from hers, and wondered how it felt to be down there +in the slum. Now here was a boy whom it was her duty to think of as a +brother; and he reminded her of Jim Daker! + +Still there was something about Norm that she could not help half +liking. He had great brown, wistful-looking eyes, and an honest face. +She had not much chance, it is true, to observe the eyes; for he did +not look at her, nor speak, until his father said: + +"Why don't you shake hands with Nan? You ought to be glad to see her. +You ain't used to such a looking supper as this." + +The boy laughed, in an embarrassed way, and said he was sure he did +not know whether he was glad to see her or not: depended on what she +had come for. He gave her just a gleam then from the brown eyes, and +she smiled and held out her hand. He took it awkwardly enough, and +dropped it as suddenly as though it had been hot; then sat down in +haste at the table, where his step-father was already making havoc with +the toast. It was not a very substantial meal for people who had dined +on bread and cheese, and were hungering at that moment for beer; but +the man had spoken the truth, it was better than they generally found. +There was one part of the story, however, that he failed to tell: which +was, that he did not furnish money to get anything better. As for Susie +and Sate, they had become suddenly silent. They sat close together and +devoured their toast, like hungry children indeed, but also like scared +children. They gave occasional frightened glances at their father which +puzzled and pained Nettie. No suspicion of the truth had yet come to +her. Oh, yes, she had smelled the liquor when her father kissed her; +but she thought it was something which had to do with the machinery +around which he worked. + +"Where is the old woman?" he asked suddenly, setting down his empty cup +which Nettie had filled for the third time. She looked up at him with a +startled air. To whom was he speaking and what old woman could he mean? +Her look seemed to make him cross. "What are you staring at?" he said +sharply. "Can't you answer a question? Where's your mother?" + +Nettie hurried to answer; she was sick, had been real sick all day, but +was better now, and was trying to get up. + +"She is everlastingly sick," the father said with a sneer; "you will +get used to that story if you live here long. I hope you ain't one of +the sickly kind, because we have heard enough of that." + +This sentence and the tone in which it was spoken, brought the blood in +great waves to Nettie's face. It was the first time she had ever heard +a man speak of his wife in such a way. Norm looked up from his cookie, +and flashed angry eyes on his step-father for a moment, and said "he +didn't know as that was any wonder. She had enough to make any woman +sick." + +"You shut up," said the father in increasing irritability; and the +children slipped out of their seats and moved toward the door, keeping +careful eyes on the father until they were fairly outside. Nettie +felt her limbs trembling so that her knees knocked together under the +table. But at last every crumb of toast was eaten, and every drop of +tea swallowed, and Mr. Decker pushed himself back from the table, and +spoke in a somewhat gentler tone: "Well, my girl, make yourself as +comfortable as you can. I'm glad to see you. We need your help, you'll +find, in more ways than one. You've been working for other folks long +enough. It is a poor place you've come to, and that's a fact. I ain't +what I used to be; I've been unfortunate. No fellow ever had worse +luck. Everything has gone wrong with me ever since your mother died. +A sick wife, and young ones to look after, and nobody to do a thing. +It is a hard life, but you might as well rough it with the rest of us. +You'll get along somehow, I s'pose. The rest of us always have. I've +got to go out for awhile. You tell the old woman to fix up some place +for you to sleep, and we'll do the best we can." + +And he lounged away; Norm having left the table and the room some +minutes before. And this was the father to whom Nettie Decker had come +home! + +She swallowed at the lump which seemed growing larger every minute in +her throat. She had choked back a great many tears that afternoon. +There was no time to cry. Some place must be fixed for her to sleep. + +In the home that she had left, there was a little room with matting on +the floor, and a little white bed in the corner, and a pretty toilet +set that the carpenter's son had made her at odd times, and a wash bowl +and pitcher that had been her present on her eleventh birthday, and a +green rocking-chair that aunt Kate had sent her: not her own aunt Kate, +but Mrs. Marshall's sister who had adopted her as a niece, and these +things and many another little knickknack were all her own. The room +was empty to-night; but then Nettie must not cry! + +She began to gather the dishes and get them ready for washing. Just as +she plunged her hands into the dishwater, the bedroom door opened, and +her mother came out, stepping feebly, like one just recovering from +severe illness. + +"I'm dreadful weak," she said in answer to Nettie's inquiries, "but +I guess I'm better than I have been in a good while. I've had a rest +to-day; the first one I have had in three years. I don't know what made +me give out so, all of a sudden. I tried to keep on my feet, but I +couldn't do it no more than I could fly. You oughtn't to have to wash +them dishes, child, with your pretty hands and your pretty dress. Oh, +dear! I don't know what is to become of any of us." + +"This is my work apron," said Nettie, trying to speak cheerily, "and +I am used to this work: I always helped with the tea dishes at home." +Then she plunged into the midst of the subject which was troubling her. +"Father said I was to ask you where I was to sleep." + +"He better ask himself!" said the wilted woman, rousing to sudden +energy and indignation. "How does he think I know? There isn't the +first rag to make a bed of, nor a spot to put it, if there was. I say +it was a sin and a shame for him to send for you, and that's the truth! +If he had one decent child who had a place to stay, where she would +be took care of, he ought to have let you alone. You have come to an +awful home, child. You have got to know the truth, and you might as +well know it first as last. It is enough sight worse than you have seen +to-night, though I dare say you think this is bad enough. You don't +look nor act like what I was afraid of, and you must have had good +friends who took care of you; and he ought to have let you alone. This +is no place for a decent girl. It is bad enough for an old woman who +has given up, and never expects to have anything decent any more. He +won't provide any place for you, nor any clothes, and what we are to do +with one more mouth to feed is more than I can see. I wouldn't grudge +it to you, child, if we had it; but we are starved, half the time, and +that's the living truth." + +"I won't eat much," said poor Nettie, trembling and quivering, "and I +will try very hard to help; but if you please, what makes things so? +Can't father get work?" + +"Work! of course he can; as much as he can do. He is as good a +machinist to-day as there is in the shops; when they have a particular +job they want him to do it. He works hard enough by spells; why, child, +it's the drink. You didn't know it, did you? Well, you may as well know +it first as last. He was nearer sober to-night than he has been in a +week; but he wasn't so very sober or he wouldn't have been cross. He +used to be good and kind as the best of them, and we had things decent. +I never thought it would come to this, but it has, and it grows worse +every day. Yes, you may well turn pale, and cry out. Turning pale won't +do any good. And you may cry tears of blood, and them that sells the +rum to poor foolish men will go right on selling it as long as they +have money to pay, and kick them out when they haven't. That is the way +it is done, and it keeps going on here year after year, homes ruined, +and children made beggars, and them that have the making of the laws, +go right on and let it be done. I've watched it. And I've tried, too. +You needn't think I gave up and sat down to it without trying as hard +as ever woman could to struggle against the curse; but I've give up +now. Nothing is of any use. And the worst of it is my Norm is going the +same road." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +NEW FRIENDS. + + +AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, +buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she +ever did in her life. + +Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one +cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a +drunkard? Or the daughter of a drunkard? Could it be possible that she, +Nettie Decker, was that! Oh, dear! how often she had stood in the door, +and with a kind of terrified fascination watched Jane Daker stealing +home in the darkness, afraid to go in at the front door, lest her +drunken father should see her and vent his wrath on her. Could she ever +creep around in the dark and hide away from her own _father_? Wouldn't +it be possible for her to go back home? She had not money enough to +get there, but couldn't she work somehow, and earn money? She could +write a letter to the folks at home and tell them the dreadful story, +and they would surely find a way of sending for her. But then, money +was not plenty in that home, and she began to understand that they had +done a great deal for her, and that it had cost a good deal to pay her +fare to this place. She had wondered, at the time, that her father did +not send the money for her to come home, but she said to herself: "I +suppose he did not know how much it would cost, and he will give it to +me to send in my first letter. Perhaps he will give me a little bit +more than it costs, too, for a little present for Jamie." + +Oh, poor little girl! building hopes on a father like hers. She had not +been at home half a day, but she knew now that no money would ever go +back to the Marshalls in return for all they had done for her. Worse +than that, she might not be able to get back to them herself. Would her +father be likely to let her go? He had sent for her, and had told her +during this first hour of their meeting, that she had worked for other +people long enough. This made her heart swell with indignation. + +Done enough for others, indeed! What had they not done for her? She +never realized it half so plainly as she did to-night. "I will go +back!" she muttered, setting the little bowl she was drying on the +table with a determined thump. "I can't stay in such a place as this. +I will write to Auntie Marshall this very night if I can get a chance, +and she will contrive some way." + +Certainly, Nettie in that mood could have no comfort for a weeping +mother, and attempted none, after the first murmured word of pity. But +meantime she knew very well that she could not go back home that night, +and the present terror was, where was she to sleep? + +Her mother went back into the bedroom after a few minutes of bitter +weeping, and Nettie finished the work, then stood drearily in the +doorway, wondering what she could do next, when a good, homely, +motherly face looked out of the side window of the small house next +their own, and a cheery voice spoke: + +"Are you Joe Decker's little Nannie?" + +"Yes'm," said Nettie, sadly, wondering drearily, even then, if it could +be possible that this was so. + +"Well," said the voice, "I calculated that you must be; though I never +should have known you in the world, if I hadn't heard you was coming, +you was such a mite of a thing when you went away. What a tall nice +girl you've got to be. Your ma is sick, the children said. I've been +away ironing all day, or I would have been in to see if I could help +the poor thing any. I don't know her very much, but she is sickly, and +has hard times now and then, and I'm sorry for her. Now what I was +wondering is, where are they going to put you to sleep? The upper part +of that house ain't finished off, is it? It is one big attic, ain't it, +where Norm sleeps? I thought so. I suppose there could be quite a nice +room made up there with a little work and a few dollars laid out, but +your pa ain't done it, I'll be bound. And I knew there wasn't but one +bedroom down-stairs, and I couldn't think how they would manage it." + +"It isn't managed at all, ma'am," said Nettie, seeing that she seemed +to wait for an answer, and there was nothing to say but the simple +truth. "There is no place for me to sleep." + +"You don't say! Now that's a shame. Well, now, what I was thinking was, +that maybe you would like to sleep in the woodhouse chamber; it is a +nice little room as ever was, and it opens right out of my Sarah Ann's +room; so you wouldn't be lonesome. I haven't any manner of use for it, +now my boy's gone away, and I just as soon you would sleep there as +not until your folks get things fixed. You're a dreadful clean-looking +little girl, and I like that. I'm a master hand to have clean things +around me; Job says he believes I catch the flies and dust their wings +before I let them go into my front room. Job is my husband, and that is +his little joke at me, you know." And she laughed such a jolly little +roly-poly sort of laugh that poor Nettie could not keep a smile from +her troubled face. A refuge in the woodhouse chamber of this neat, +good-natured-looking woman seemed like a bit of heaven to the homesick +child. + +"I am very much obliged to you, ma'am," she said respectfully; "I will +tell my mother how kind you are, and I think she will be glad to accept +the kindness for a few days. I--" and then Nettie suddenly stopped. It +might not be well to say to this new friend that she would not need to +trouble the woodhouse chamber long, for she meant to start for home +as soon as a letter could travel there, and another travel back. +Something might come in the way of this resolve, though it made her +feel hot all over to think of such a possibility. + +"Bless my heart!" said Mrs. Job Smith as Nettie vanished to consult her +mother. "If that ain't as polite and pretty-spoken a child as ever I +see in my life. She makes me think of our Jerry. To think of that child +being Joe Decker's girl and coming back to such a home as he keeps! It +is too bad! I am sure I hope they will let her sleep in the woodhouse +chamber. It is the only spot where she will get any peace." + +Mrs. Decker was only too glad to avail herself of her neighbor's kind +offer. "It is good of her," she said gratefully to Nettie. "I wish to +the land you could have such a comfortable room all the time; they are +real clean-looking folks. You wouldn't suppose from the looks of this +house that I cared for clean things, but I do, and I used to have them +about me, too. I was as neat once as the best of them; but it takes +clothes and soap and strength to be clean, and I have had none of 'em +in so long that I have most forgot how to do anything decent." + +"Soap?" said Nettie, wonderingly. She was beating up the poor rags +which composed the bed in her mother's room, trying to get a little +freshness into them. + +"Yes, soap; I don't suppose you can imagine how it would seem not to +have all the soap you wanted; I couldn't, either, once, but I tell +you I save the pennies nowadays for bread, so that I need not see my +children starve before my eyes. I would rather do without soap than +bread; especially when our clothes are so worn out that there is +nothing much to change with. Oh, I tell you when you get into a house +where the men folks spend all they can get on beer or whiskey, there +are not many pennies left. Mrs. Smith has been real kind; she sent the +children in a bowl of soup one day when their father had gone off and +not left a thing in the house, nor a cent to get anything with. + +"And she has done two or three things like that lately; I'm grateful to +her, but I'm ashamed to say so. I never expected to sink so low that I +should be glad of the scraps which a poor neighbor like her could send +in. Oh, no; they are not very poor. Why, they are rich as kings, come +to compare them with us; but they are not grand folks at all; he is a +teamster, and works hard every day; so does she; but he doesn't drink +a drop, and they have a good many comfortable things. Their boy is away +at school, and their girl, Sarah Ann, is learning a dressmaker's trade. +You will have a comfortable bed in there, and I'm glad of it." + +And now it was eight o'clock. Susie and Sate were asleep in their +trundle bed, the tired Nettie having coaxed them to let her give them +a splendid bath first, making the idea pleasant to them by producing +from her trunk a cunning little cake of perfumed soap. They looked "as +pretty as pictures," the sad-eyed mother said, as she bent over them +when they were asleep, with their moist hair in loose waves, and their +clean faces flushed with health. "They are real pretty little girls," +she added earnestly, as she turned away. "He might be proud of them. +And he used to be, too. When Sate was a baby, he said she had eyes like +you, and he used to kiss her and tell her she was pretty, until I was +afraid he would spoil her; but there isn't the least danger of that +now. He never notices either of them except to slap them or growl at +them." + +"How came father to begin to drink?" Nettie asked the question +timidly, hesitating over the last word; it seemed such a dreadful word +to add to a father's name. + +"Don't ask me, child; I don't know. They say he always drank a little; +a glass of beer now and then. I knew he did when I married him, but I +thought it was no more than all hard-working men did. I never thought +much about it. I know it never entered my head that he could be a +drunkard. I'd have been too afraid for Norm if I had dreamed of such a +thing as that. + +"He kept increasing the drinks, little by little--it grows on them, it +seems, the habit does; they say that is the way with all the drinks; I +didn't know it. I never was taught about these things. If I had been, +I think sometimes my life would have been very different. I know I +wouldn't have walked right into the fire with my one boy, anyhow. I'm +talking to you, child, as though you were a woman grown, and you seem +most like a woman to me, you are so handy, and quiet, and nice-looking. +I was sorry you were coming, because I thought you would just be an +added plague; and now I am sorry for your own sake." + +Nettie hesitated greatly over the next question. It was a very hard one +to ask this sick and discouraged mother, but she must know the whole of +the misery by which she was surrounded. "Does Norman drink too?" + +"Norm," said Mrs. Decker, dropping into the one chair, and putting +her hand to her heart as though there was something stabbing her +there, "Norm has been led away by your father. He was a bright little +fellow, and your father took to him amazingly. I used to tell him his +own little girls would have reason to be jealous of his step-son. He +took Norm with him everywhere, from the first. And taught him to do +odd things, for a little fellow, and was proud of his singing, and +his speaking, and all that. And when Susie there, was a baby, and I +was kept close at home with her, and Norm would tear around in the +evening and wake her up, I slipped into the way of letting him go out +with your father to spend the evenings; I didn't know they spent them +in bar-rooms, or groceries where they sold beer. I never _dreamed_ of +such a thing. Your father talked about meeting the men, and I thought +they met at some of the houses where there wasn't a baby to cry, and +talked their work over, or the news, you know. And there he was +teaching Norm to drink. He was a pretty little fellow, and he would +sing comic songs, and then they would treat him to the sugar in their +glasses! When I found it out, he had got to liking the stuff, and I +don't suppose a day goes by without his taking more or less of it now. +He never gets as bad as your father; but he will. He is never cross +and ugly to me, nor to the children, but he will be. It grows on him. +It grows on them all. And to think that I led him into the trap! If I +had stayed in the country where I was brought up, or if I had left him +with his grandfather, as he wanted me to, he might have been saved. The +grandfather is gone now, and so is the farm. Your father got hold of my +share of that, and lost it somehow. He didn't mean to, and that soured +him, and he drank the harder and we are going down to the very bottom +of everything as fast as we can." + +It seemed to poor Nettie that they must have reached the bottom now. +She could not imagine any lower depths than these. + +She made up the poor bed as well as she could, and then went back to +the kitchen to see what could be done about breakfast. Her new mother +was evidently too weak and sick to be troubled with the thought of +it, and while she stayed, Nettie resolved that she would help the +poor woman all she could. She went out into the yard to examine, and +discovered to her satisfaction that there must be a cooper's shop just +around the corner, for the chips lay thick. She gathered some for the +morning fire, determined in her mind that she would buy a few potatoes +at the grocery in the morning! In the cupboard she had found a cup of +sour milk; this she had carefully treasured with an eye to breakfast, +and she now looked into her purse to see if she could spare pennies for +a quart of flour. If she could, then some excellent cakes would be the +result. And now everything that she knew how to do towards the next +day's needs was attended to, and she went out in the moonlight, and sat +down on the lowest step of the back stoop, and did what she had been +longing to do all the afternoon--cried as though her poor young heart +was breaking. + +Astride a saw-horse in the yard which belonged to Job Smith, and which +was separated from the stoop where she sat only by a low fence, was a +curly-headed boy, who had come there apparently to whittle and whistle +and watch her. He was not there when she sat down and buried her head +in her apron. She did not notice his whistling, though he made it loud +and shrill on purpose to attract her attention, He knew quite a little +about her by this time. He had come upon the boys of the Grammar School +in the midst of their afternoon recess and heard Harry Stuart interrupt +little Ted Barrows who was the youngest one in the class and wrote +the best compositions. They were gathered under a tree listening to +Ted, while he read them "The Story of An Hour," which was especially +interesting because it had some of their own experiences skilfully +woven in. + +"Hold on," Harry was saying, just as the whistling boy appeared within +hearing. "You didn't make that thing up; you got it from the Deckers; +that is what is just going to happen there. Old Joe's Nan is coming +home this very day, and she is about as old as the girl you've got in +your story, and is freckled, I dare say; most girls are." + +"I didn't even know old Joe Decker had a girl to come home!" said +little Ted, looking injured. "I made every word of it out of my own +mind." + +But the boys did not hear him; their interest had been called in +another direction. "Is that so? Is Nan Decker coming home? My! What a +house to come to. Mother said only yesterday that she hoped the folks +who had her would keep her forever. What is she coming for? Who told +you?" + +"Why, she is coming because Joe thinks that will be another way to +plague the old lady. At least that is what my mother thinks. Mrs. +Decker told her once that when Joe had been drinking more than usual +he always threatened to send for Nan; but she didn't think he would. +And now it seems he has. I heard it from the old fellow himself. He +was telling Norm about it, while I stood waiting for father's saw. He +said she was coming in the stage this afternoon; that she had worked +for other folks long enough and it was time he had some good of her +himself. I pity her, I tell you." + +Then the whistler had come out from behind the trees, and said +good-afternoon, and asked a few questions. The boys had answered him +civilly enough, but in a way which showed that they did not count +him as one of them. The fact was, he was a good deal of a stranger. +He had been in town only a few weeks, and he did not go to school, +and he boarded with or lived with, the Smiths, who lived next door to +the Deckers, and were nice enough people, but did not have much to do +with the fathers and mothers of these boys, and--well, the fact was, +the boys did not know whether to take this new comer in, and make him +welcome, or not. They sort of liked him; he was good-natured, and +accommodating so far as they knew, but they knew very little about him. +He asked a good many questions about the expected Nan Decker. He had +never heard of her before. Since he was to live next door to her, it +might be pleasant to know what sort of a person she was. But the boys +could tell him very little. Seven years, at their time of life, blots +out a good many memories. They only knew that she was Nan Decker who +went away when her mother died, and who had lived with the Marshalls +ever since; and all agreed in being sorry for her that she was obliged +at last to come home. + +The whistling boy walked away, after having cross-questioned first one, +and then another, and learned that they knew nothing. He was on his +way to the woods for one of his long summer rambles. He felt a trifle +lonely, and wished that the boys had asked him to sit down under the +trees and have a good time with them. + +[Illustration: JERRY ON ONE OF HIS SUMMER RAMBLES.] + +He would have liked to hear Ted's composition, he said to himself; the +boy had a sweet face, and a head that looked as though he might be +going to make a smart man, one of these days. What was the matter with +those fellows, he wondered, that they were not more cordial? + +He thought about it quite awhile, then plunged into the mosses and +ferns and gathered some lovely specimens, which he arranged in the box +he carried slung over his shoulder, and forgot all about the boys, and +poor little Nan Decker. On the way home, in the glow of the setting +sun, he thought of her again, and wondered if she had come, and if +she would be a sorrowful and homesick little girl. It seemed queer to +think of being homesick when one came home! But then, it was only a +home in name; he had not lived next door to it for five weeks without +discovering that, and the little girl's mother was dead! Poor Nan +Decker! A shadow came over his bright face for a moment as he thought +of this. His mother was dead. He resolved to speak a kind word to +the little girl the very first time that he had a chance. And here in +the moonlight was his chance. + +He stopped whistling at last and spoke: "If it is anything about which +I can help, I shall be very glad to do it." A kind, cheerful voice. +Nettie looked up quickly and choked back her tears. She was not one to +cry, if there were to be any lookers-on. + +"I guess you are homesick," said the boy from, his horse's back; +"and that isn't any wonder. I'm homesick myself, nearly every night, +especially if it is moonlight. I don't know what there is about the +moon that chokes a fellow up so, but I've noticed it often; but then I +feel all right in the morning." + +"Are you away from your home?" + +"I should say I was! Or rather home has gone away from me. I haven't +any home in particular, only my father, and he is away out in +California. I couldn't go there with him, and since my school closed I +am waiting here for him to come back. It is home, you know, wherever +he is. He doesn't expect to be back yet for months. So you and I ought +to be pretty good friends, we are such near neighbors. I live right +next door to you. We ought to be introduced. You are Nannie Decker, I +suppose, and I am Jerry Mack at your service. I don't wonder you are +homesick; folks always are, the first night." + +"My name is Nanette," said Nettie, gently, "but people who like me most +always say Nettie: and it isn't being homesick that makes me feel so +badly--though I am homesick; but it is being scared, and astonished, +and, oh! everything. Nothing is as I thought it would be; and there are +things about it that I did not understand at all, or maybe I wouldn't +have come; and now I am here, I don't know what to do." She was very +near crying again, in spite of a watcher. + +"I know," he said, nodding his head, and speaking in a grave, +sympathetic voice. "Job Smith--that is the man I am staying with--has +told me how it used to be with your father. He says he was a very nice +father indeed. I am as sorry for you as I can be. But after all, I +wouldn't give up if I were you; and I should be real glad that I had +come home to help him. He needs a great deal of help. Folks reform, you +know. Why, people who are a great deal worse than your father has ever +been yet, have turned right around and become splendid men. If I were +you I would go right to work to have him reform. Then there's Norm--he +needs help, too; and he ought to have it before he gets any older, +because it would be so much easier for him to get started right now." + +"I don't know the least thing to do," said Nettie; but she dried her +eyes on her neat little handkerchief as she spoke, and sat up straight, +and looked with earnest eyes at the boy on the other side the fence. +This sort of talk interested and helped her. + +"No; of course you don't. You haven't studied these things up, I +suppose. But there is a great deal to do. My father is a temperance +man, and I have heard him talk. I know a hundred things I would like to +do, and a few that I can do. I'll tell you what it is, Nettie, say we +start a society, you and I, and fight this whole thing? + +"We can begin with little bits of plans which we can carry out now, and +let them grow as fast as we can follow them and see what we can do. Is +it a bargain?" + +"There is nothing I would like so well, if you will only show me how," +said Nettie, and her eyes were shining. + +It was wonderful what a weight these few words seemed to lift from her +troubled heart. The boy's face had grown more thoughtful. He seemed in +doubt just how to express what he wanted to say next. + +"I don't know how you feel about it," he said as last, "but I know +somebody who would be sure to help in anything of this kind that we +tried to do--show us how, you know, and make ways for us to get money, +and all that." + +"Who is it?" + +Nettie spoke quickly now, for her heart was beating loud and fast. Was +there somebody in this town who could be asked to come to the rescue, +and who was willing to give such hearty help as that? If such were the +case, she could see that a great deal might be accomplished. She waited +for her new friend's answer, but he looked down on the stick he was +whittling and gravely sharpened the end to a very fine point, before he +spoke again. + +"I don't know what you think about such things, but I mean--God. I +_know_ he is on our side in this business, don't you?" + +"Yes," said Nettie, thoughtfully, and her manner changed. + +Her voice which had been only eager before, became soft and gentle, and +she looked over at the boy in the moonlight and smiled. "I know Him," +she said, "and I am His servant. It is strange I forgot for a little +while that He knew all about this home, and father, and everything! +Maybe He wants me to help father. I mean to begin right away. I will +do every single thing I can think of, to keep father, and Norm, and +everybody else from drinking liquor any more forever." + +There was a sudden spring from the saw-horse, a long step taken over +the low fence, and the boy stood beside her. + +"There are two of us," he said gravely. "There is my hand on it. I am a +Christian, too. And father gave me a verse once, which always helps me +when I think of the rumsellers: 'If God be for us, who _can_ be against +us!' I know he is for us, and so, though the rumsellers are against us, +and think they are going to beat, one of these days he will show them! +What you and I want to do is to keep working at it all we can, so as to +show that we believe in him." + +"Now we are partners--Nettie Decker and Jerry Mack, who knows what we +can do? Anyhow, we are friends, and will stand by each other through +thick and thin, won't we?" + +"Yes," said Nettie, "we will." And she rose up from the doorstep, and +they shook hands. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A GREAT UNDERTAKING. + + +JERRY turned away whistling. Did you ever notice how apt boys are to +whistle when something has stirred their feelings very much, and they +don't intend that anybody but themselves shall know it? + +Nettie went back into the little brown house to see if her mother was +comfortable for the night. Her heart was lighter than she had thought +it ever would be again. + +Everything was quiet within the house. The children with their arms +tossed about one another, and their cheeks flushed with sleep, looked +sweeter than they often did awake. The heartsick mother had forgotten +her sorrow again for a little while, in sleep. Where father and Norm +were, Nettie did not know. It seemed strange to go away and leave the +light burning, and the door unfastened. At home, they always gathered +at about this hour, in the neat sitting-room, and sang a hymn and +repeated each a Bible verse, and then Mr. Marshall prayed, and after +that she kissed Auntie Marshall and the others, and tripped away to her +pretty room. The contrast was very sharp. If it had not been for that +new friend whose voice she heard at this moment softly singing a cheery +tune, I think the tears would have come again. + +As it was, she slipped into Mrs. Job Smith's neat kitchen. What a +contrast that was to the kitchen next door! The first thing she saw was +the tall old clock in the corner. "Tick-tock, tick-tock." She had never +seen so large a clock before; she had never heard one speak in such a +slow and patronizing tone, as though it were managing all the world. +She looked up into its face and smiled. It seemed like a great strong +friend. + +There was nothing very remarkable about that kitchen. At least I +suppose you would not have thought so, unless you had just spent +an afternoon in the Decker kitchen. Then you might have felt the +difference. The floor was painted a bright yellow, and had gay rugs +spread here and there. The stove shone brilliantly, and the two chairs +under the window were painted green, with dazzling white seats. A high, +old-fashioned, wooden-backed rocker occupied a cosey corner near the +clock. A table set against the wall had a bright spread on it, and +newspapers, and a book or two, and a pair of spectacles lay on it. The +lamp was in the centre, and was clear and beautifully trimmed. + +Simple enough things, all of them, but they spoke to Nettie's heart of +home. + +There was a brisk step on the stair; the door opened, and Mrs. Smith's +strong, homely face appeared in sight. "Here you are," she said +cheerily, "tired enough to go to sleep, I dare say. Well, the room is +all ready for you. I guess you won't be lonesome, for it is right out +of Sarah Ann's room, and my boy Jerry is across the hall. You've got +acquainted with Jerry, I guess? I saw you and him talking, out in the +moonlight. I'm glad of it. Jerry is good at chirking a body up; and +there never was a better boy made than he is. + +"Now you get right to sleep as goon as you can, and dream of all the +nice things you can think of. It is good luck to have nice dreams in a +new room, you know." + +"Poor little soul!" she said to herself as the door closed after +Nettie. "I hope she will be so sound asleep that she won't hear her +father and Norm come stumbling home. Isn't it a mean thing, now, that +the father of such a little girl as that should go and disgrace her?" + +Mrs. Smith was talking to nobody, and so of course nobody answered her; +and in a little while that house was still for the night. Nettie, in +the clean, sweet-smelling woodhouse chamber, was soon on her knees; not +sobbing out a homesick cry, as she thought she would, as soon as ever +she had a chance, but actually thanking God for these new friends; and +asking Him to be One in this new society, and show them just what and +how to do. Then she went into sound sleep; and heard no stumbling, nor +grumbling, though both father and brother did much of it when at last +they shambled home. + +The new plans came up for consideration early the next morning. Before +Nettie had opened her eyes to the neatly whitewashed walls in the +woodhouse chamber, she heard the sound of merry whistling, keeping time +to the swift blows of an axe. Jerry was preparing kindlings. In a very +short time after that, he looked up to say good-morning, as Nettie was +making her way across the yard to the other house. + +"Don't you want some of these nice chips? They will make your kettle +boil in a jiffy." + +This was his good-morning; he held out both hands to her, full of broad +smooth chips. "Aunt Jerusha likes them better than any other kind; I +keep her supplied. Wait, I'll carry them in." + +"Oh, you needn't," Nettie said in haste, and blushing. What would he +think of the Decker kitchen after being used to Mrs. Smith's! But he +took long springs across the walk, vaulted the fence and stood at the +kitchen door waiting for her. It looked even more desolate, in contrast +with the sunny morning, than it had the night before. Nettie resolved +to blacken the stove that very day. "Do you know how to make a fire?" +Jerry asked. "I do. I made aunt Jerusha's for her, two mornings, but it +is hard work to get ahead of her." + +Yes, Nettie knew how. She had made the fire for the supper, in Mrs. +Marshall's boarding house, many a time. She proceeded to show her skill +at once; Jerry, looking on admiringly, admitted that she knew more +about it than he did. + +"You see, father and I board," he said apologetically, "and there +isn't much chance to learn things. I'll tell you what I can do--get you +a fresh pail of water." + +Before she could speak, he darted away. There was a sound of feet +coming down the unfinished stairs, and Norm lounged into the room, +rubbing sleepy eyes, and looking as though he had not combed his hair +in a week. He stared at Nettie as though he had never seen her before, +and answered her good-morning, with: + +"I'll be bound if I didn't forget you! Where have you been all night?" + +"Asleep," said Nettie, brightly. "Now I want to have breakfast ready by +the time mother comes out, to surprise her. Will you tell me whether +you have tea or coffee?" + +Norm laughed slightly. "We have what we can get, as a rule. I heard +mother say there wasn't any tea in the house. And I don't believe +we have had any coffee for a month. I'd like some, though; I know +that. I've got a quarter; I'll go and get some, if you will make us a +first-rate cup of coffee." + +"Well," said Nettie, "I'll do my best." + +She spoke a little doubtfully, having a shrewd suspicion that the +quarter ought to be saved for more important things than coffee; +but she did not like to object to Norm's first expressed idea of +partnership; so he went away, and when the fresh water came, the +teakettle was filled, the table set, the potatoes washed and put in the +oven; by the time Mrs. Decker appeared, Nettie, with a very flushed +face, was bending over her hot griddle, testing the cake she had baked. + +"Well, I do say!" said Mrs. Decker, and the tone expressed not only +surprise, but gratitude. There was a pleasant odor of coffee in the +room, and the potatoes were already beginning to hint that they would +soon be done. The cake that Nettie had baked was as puffy and sweet as +her heart could desire. + +"I believe you're a witch," said Mrs. Decker. "I couldn't think of a +thing for breakfast. Where did you get them cakes?" + +"Made them," said Nettie; "I found a cup of sour milk; Auntie Marshall +used to let me make them often for breakfast. Norm went after the +coffee; and I guess it is good. I saved my egg shell from the cakes to +settle it." + +"You're a regular little housekeeper," said Mrs. Decker. "And so Norm +went after coffee! Did you ask him to? Went of his own accord! That's +something wonderful for Norm. He used to think of things for me but he +don't any more." + +Altogether, it was really almost a comfortable breakfast, though it +seemed to Nettie that she would never get it ready. She was not used +to managing with so few dishes. Her father drank three cups of coffee, +said it was something like living, and gave Nettie twenty-five cents, +with the direction that he hoped there would be something decent to eat +when they came home at noon. + +Nettie's cheeks were red with more than the baking of cakes, then. She +was ashamed of her father. How could he speak in a way to insult his +wife! They went off hurriedly at last, Norm and the father; and the +children who had been silent, began to chatter the moment the door +closed after them. Mrs. Decker, too, began to talk. + +"He thinks twenty-five cents will buy a dinner for us all, and keep us +in clothes, and get new furniture, and dishes! He will have it that it +is because things are wasted that we have such poor meals. As if I had +anything to waste! I don't know what to do, nor which way to turn. We +need everything." + +"Don't you think we had better clean house to-day?" Nettie asked a +little timidly, as they rose from the table and she began to gather the +dishes. + +"Clean house!" repeated the dazed mother. "Why, yes, child, I suppose +so. It needs it badly enough. Oh, we can wash up the floor, and the +shelf. It doesn't take long; there are not many things in the way. +No furniture to move. But it doesn't stay clean long, I can tell +you. Just one room in which to do everything! I might have kept it +looking better, though, if I had not been sick. I have just had to let +everything go, child. Lying awake nights, and worrying, have used me +up." + +She took the broom as she spoke and began to sweep vigorously, +scurrying the children out of her way. + +It was a long day, and a busy one. And at night, the room certainly +looked better. The floor had been scrubbed with hot lye to get off the +grease, and the stove had been blackened until the children shouted +that it would do for a looking-glass. Several other improvements had +been made. But after all, to Nettie's eyes it was dreadfully bare and +comfortless. Not a cushioned chair, nor a rocker, nor anything that to +her seemed like home. All day she had been casting glances at a closed +door which opened from the kitchen, and thinking her thoughts about +the room in there. A large square room, perfectly empty. Why wasn't it +used? If for nothing else, why didn't Norm sleep in it, instead of in +that dreadful unfinished attic where the rats must certainly have full +sweep? Or why did not her mother move in there with the trundle bed, +instead of being cooped up in that small bedroom? Or why had they not +prepared it for her to sleep in, if they really did not want it for +anything else? She gathered courage at last, to ask questions. + +"Oh, that room," her mother said with bitterness, "when I first came +here to live, we pleased ourselves nights, after the children were in +bed, telling what we would have in it. We meant to furnish it for a +parlor. We were going to have it carpeted; he wanted a red carpet, and +I wanted a brown one with a little bit of pink in, but land! I would +have taken one that was all yellow, just to please him. And we were +going to have a lounge, and two rocking chairs, and I don't know what +not. And there it is, shut up. I might have had it for a bedroom at +first, but I wouldn't. I wanted to save it. And then, when I gave that +all up, there was nothing to fix it with. Norm couldn't sleep there +without curtains to the windows; no more could we; it is right on the +street, almost. + +"And things keep getting worse and worse, so I just shut the door and +locked it and let it go. If I had had a spare chair to put in, I might +have gone in there and cried, now and then, but I hadn't even that. I +tried to rent it; but the woman who was hunting rooms heard that your +father drank, and was afraid to come. Oh, we have a splendid name in +the place, you'll find. We are just going to ruin as fast as a family +can; that's the whole story." + +In the middle of the afternoon, when Nettie had done everything she +could think of, unless some money could be raised, and some clothes +made, so that the children could have the ones washed which they were +wearing, she stood in the back door, wondering how that could be +brought about, when Jerry appeared in his favorite seat on the sawhorse. + +"Everything done up for the day?" he asked. + +Nettie laughed. + +"Everything has stopped for the want of things to do with," she said. +"I don't see but that will be the trouble with what we want to do. Why, +you can't do a single thing without money; and where is it to come +from?" + +"That is one of the things we must think up," Jerry said gravely. "I +have thought about it some. This temperance business needs money. One +of the troubles with boys like Norm is that they have no nice places +to go to. Boys like to meet together and talk things over, you know, +and have a good time, and how are some of them going to do it? The +church isn't the place, nor the schoolhouse, and those fellows haven't +pleasant homes; the only spot for them is the saloons. I don't much +wonder that they get in the habit of going there. I have heard my +father say that saloons were the only places that were fixed up, and +lighted, where folks without any pleasant homes were made welcome. Why, +just look at it in this town. There's your Norm. There are two fellows +who go with him a great deal. If you meet one, you may be sure that +the other two are not far away. Their names are Alf Barnes and Rick +Walker. Neither of them have as decent a home as Norm's, oh! not by a +good deal. And he doesn't feel like inviting them into your kitchen to +spend the evening. Should you think he would?" + +Warm as the day was, Nettie shivered. "I should think they would rather +stay out in the street than to come there," she said. + +"Well, now you see how it is. They don't stay in the streets, such +fellows don't. Not all the time. They get tired, and sometimes it +rains, and in winter it is cold, and they look about them for somewhere +to go. There's a saloon, bright and clean; comfortable chairs, and +good-natured people. It is the only place that says Come in! to such +fellows. Why shouldn't they go in? + +"I've heard my father talk about this by the hour. In big cities they +have rooms warmed and lighted, and nicely furnished, on purpose for +such young men; only father is always saying that they don't begin to +have enough of them; but in such a town as this, I would like to know +what the boys who haven't nice homes to stay in, are expected to do +with themselves evenings? One of these days, when I am a man, that +is the way I am going to use all my extra money. I'll hunt out towns +where the fellows have just been left to stay in the streets, or else +go to the rum-holes, and I'll fit up the nicest kind of a room for +them. Bright as gas can make it, and elegant, you know, like a parlor; +and I'll have cakes, and coffee, and lemonades, and all those things, +cheaper than beer, and serve them in fine style. Wouldn't that be a +fine thing to do?" + +"Then the first thing," said Nettie, "is a room." + +Jerry turned round on his horse and looked full at her and laughed. +"You talk as though it was to be done now," he said. "I was telling +what I would do in that dim future, when I become a man." + +"We might begin pieces of it now. Norm will be too old when you are a +man; and so will those others. There is our front room. If we only had +some furniture to put in it. My Auntie Marshall made some real pretty +seats once, out of old boxes; she padded them with cotton, and covered +them with pretty calico, and you can't think how nice they were. I +could make some, if I had the boxes and the calico." + +"I could get the boxes," said Jerry. "I know a man in the blacksmith +shop who has a brother in the grocery down at the corner, and he could +get boxes for us of him, I'm pretty sure. He is a nice man, that +blacksmith. I like him better than any man in town, I believe. I could +fix covers on the boxes myself, and do several other things. I have a +box of tools, and I often make little things. I say, Nettie, let's fix +up the front room. I've often wondered what there was in there. Would +your mother let us have it?" + +"She would let us have most everything, I guess," Nettie said +thoughtfully, "if she thought it would do any good." + +"All right. We'll make it do some good. Let's set to work right away. +The first thing as you say, is a room. No, we have the room; the first +thing is furniture. I'll go and see Mr. Collins this very evening. He +is the blacksmith." + +In less than half an hour from that time Jerry stood beside Mr. Collins. + +That gentleman had on his big leather apron, and was busy about his +work as usual. + +"Boxes?" he said to Jerry. "Why, yes, there are piles of them in his +cellar, and out by his back door. I should think he would be glad to +get rid of some. But what do you want of them? Furniture? How are you +going to make furniture out of boxes? What put such a notion as that +into your head, and what do you want of furniture, anyhow?" + +So Jerry sat down on a box and told the whole story. Mr. Collins +listened, and nodded, and shook his head, and smiled grimly, +occasionally, and sighed, and in every possible way showed his interest +and appreciation. + +"And so you two are going to take hold and reform the town?" he said +at last. "Humph! Well, it needs it bad enough! if old boxes will help, +it stands to reason that you ought to have as many as you want. I'll +engage to see that you get them." + +When Mr. Collins told his brother-in-law, the grocer, the two laughed +a good deal, but the blacksmith finished his story with, "Well, now I +tell you what it is--something is better than nothing, any day; there's +been nothing done here for so long that I think it is kind of wonderful +that those two young things should start up and try to do something." + +"So do I, so do I," assented the grocer, heartily, "and if old boxes +will help 'em, why, land, they're welcome to as many as they can use. +Tell the chap to step around here and select his lumber, and I'll have +it delivered." + +This message Jerry was not slow to obey; so it happened that the very +next afternoon Mrs. Job Smith stood in her back door and watched with +curious eyes the unloading of the grocer's wagon. Six, seven, eight +empty boxes! "For the land's sake, what be you going to do with them?" +she asked Jerry. + +Mrs. Job Smith had a great warm heart, but no education to speak of; +and no mother had, in her childhood, begged her a dozen times a day not +to use such expressions as "for the land's sake!" she knew no better +than to suppose they added emphasis to her words; Jerry laughed. + +"It is for the room's sake, auntie," he said. "We are going to have a +cabinet shop in the barn loft. Mr. Smith said I might. I shall make +some nice things, auntie, see if I don't. Come up in the loft, will +you, and see my tool chest?" + +This last sentence was addressed to Nettie who had appeared in her +back door to admire the boxes. So the two climbed the ladder stairs, +Nettie a little timidly as one unused to ladders, and Jerry with quick +springs, holding out his hand to her at the top, to help her in making +the final leap. Then he took from his pocket a curious little key which +he explained to Nettie would open that tool chest provided you knew +how to use it; but he supposed that a man who had stolen it might try +for a week, and yet not get into the chest. + +A skilful touch, and the handsome chest was open before her, displaying +its wonders to her pleased eyes. It was a well-stocked chest. Chisels, +and saws, and hammers, and augers, and sharp, wicked-looking little +things for which Nettie had no name, gleamed before her. + +"How nice!" she said at last. "How splendid! It looks as though +somebody who knew how, could make splendid things with them." + +"And I know how," said Jerry. "At least, I know some things. I spent a +summer down in a little country town where father had some business; +and the man we boarded with kept a small shop, where all sorts of +things were made. Not a great factory, you know, where they make a +thousand chairs of one kind, and a thousand of another, and never +make anything but chairs. This was just a little country shop, where +they made a table one day, and a chair the next, and a bedstead the +next; and you could watch the men at work, and ask questions and learn +ever so much. I got so I could use tools, as well as the next one, +Mr. Braisted said, whatever he meant by that. Father liked to have +me learn. He said tools were the cleanest sharp things that he knew +anything about. I can make ever so many things. I like to do it. I +wonder I have not been about it since I came here. Now what shall we go +at first? What does your mother say about the room?" + +"She is willing," said Nettie, "only she doesn't see how much of +anything can be done. She is most discouraged, you see, and nothing +looks possible to her, I suppose." + +"That's all right. She can't be expected to know we can do things until +we show her. If she will let us try, that is all we need ask." + +"She says the room ought to have some kind of a carpet; they always +have carpets in home-like rooms, she says; and I guess that is so. +Except in kitchens, of course." + +Nettie hastened to say this, apologetically, thinking of Mrs. Job +Smith's bright yellow floor. + +Jerry whistled. + +"That is so, I suppose," he said thoughtfully; "and they don't make +carpets out of boxes, nor with saws and hammers, do they? I don't know +how we would manage that. There must be a way to do it, though. Let's +put that one side among the things that have got to be thought about." + +"And prayed about," said Nettie. + +"Yes," he said, flashing a very bright look at her, "I thought that, +but somehow I did not like to say it out, in so many words." + +"I wonder why?" said Nettie thoughtfully; "I mean, I wonder why it is +so much harder to say things of that kind than it is to speak about +anything else?" + +"Father used to say it was because people didn't get in the habit of +talking about religion in a common sense way. They don't, you know; +hardly anybody. At least hardly anybody that I know; around here, +anyway. Now my father speaks of those things just as easy as he does of +anything." + +"So does Auntie Marshall; but I used to notice that not many people +did. Your father must be a good man." + +"There never was a better one!" + +Notwithstanding Jerry said all this with tremendous energy, his voice +trembled a little, and there came one of those dashes of feeling over +him which made him think that he must drop everything and go to that +dear father right away. + +"When he comes after you and takes you away, what will I do?" + +Nettie's mournful tone restored the boy's courage. + +He laughed a little. "No use in borrowing trouble about that. He is +afraid he cannot come back before winter, if he does then. I'm going +to get him to let me stay here until he does come, though. And now we +must attend to business. What will you have first in my line? Chairs, +tables, sofas--why, anything you say, ma'am." + +And both faces were sunny again. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +HOW IT SUCCEEDED. + + +MRS. JOB SMITH leaned against the table in her bright kitchen, caught +up the edge of her apron in one hand, then leaned both hands on her +sides, and thought. Jerry had been consulting her. Was there any way +of planning so that the front room in the Decker house could have +a carpet? He repeated all Mrs. Decker said about a room not being +home-like without one, and Mrs. Smith, at first inclined to combat +the idea, finally admitted that in winter a room where you sat down +to visit, did look kind of desolate without a carpet, unless it was +a kitchen, and had a good-sized cook stove to brighten it up. There +was no denying that that square front room would be the better for a +carpet. At the same time there was no denying that the Deckers needed +a hundred other things worse than they did a carpet. But the hearts of +the boy and girl were bent on having one; and what the boy was bent +on, Mrs. Job Smith liked to have accomplished, and believed sooner or +later that it would be. The question was, How could she help to bring +it about? + +"There's that roll of rag carpeting, bran-new," she said aloud; Mrs. +Smith had spent a good deal of her time alone and had learned to +hold long conversations with herself, arguing out questions as well, +sometimes she thought better, than a second party could have done. +At this point she put her hands on her sides. "There's enough of it, +and more than enough. I had it made for the front room the year poor +Hannah died, and sent me that boughten carpet which just exactly +fitted, and is good for ten years' wear. That rag carpeting has been +rolled up and done up in tobacco and things ever since--most two years. +Sarah Jane doesn't need it, and I don't know as I shall ever put it +on the kitchen. I don't like a great heavy carpet in a kitchen, much, +anyway; rugs, and square pieces that a body can take up and shake, +are enough sight neater, to my way of thinking. But I can't afford to +give away bran-new carpeting. To be sure it only cost me the warp and +the weaving; and I got the warp at a bargain, and old Mother Turner +never did ask me as much for weaving as she did other folks. The rags +was every one of them saved up. Poor Hannah used to send me a lot of +rags, and Sarah Jane and I sewed them at odd spells when we wouldn't +have been doing anything. It is a good deal of bother to take care of +it, and I'm always afraid the moths will get ahead of me, and eat it +up. I might sell it to her for what the warp and the weaving cost me. +But land! what would she pay with? I might give her a chance to do +ironing. I have to turn away fine ironing every week of my life because +I can't do more than accommodate my old customers. Who knows but she +is a pretty good ironer? I might give her the coarse parts to iron, +and watch her, and find out. Job is always at me to have somebody help +with the big ironings, and I have always said I wouldn't have a girl +bothering around, I would rather take less to do. But then, she is a +decent quiet body, and that Nettie is just a little woman. She will +have to do something to help along if they ever get started in being +decent; perhaps ironing is the thing for her, and I can start her if +she knows how to do it. For the matter of that, I might teach her +how, if she wanted to learn. To be sure they need other things more +than carpets, but it wouldn't take her long to pay for this, if I just +charge for the weaving. I might throw in the warp, maybe, seeing I got +it at a bargain. The two are so bent on having a carpet for that room; +and Jerry, he said he had prayed about it, and while he was on his +knees, it kind of seemed to him as though I was the one to get to think +it out. That's queer now! Jerry don't know anything about the carpet +rolled up in tobacco in the box in the garret; why should he think that +I could help? I feel almost bound to, somehow, after that. I don't like +to have Jerry disappointed, nor the little girl either, now that's a +fact. I take to that little Nettie amazingly. Well, I know what I'll +do. I'll talk with Job about it, and if he is agreed, maybe we will see +what she says to it." + +This last was a kind of "make believe," and the good woman knew it; Job +Smith thought that his wife was the wisest, most prudent, most capable +woman in the world, and besides being sure to agree to whatever she had +to propose, he was himself of such a nature that he would have given +away unhesitatingly the very clothes he wore, if he thought somebody +else needed them more than he. There was little need to fear that Job +Smith would ever put a stumbling-block in the way of any benevolence. + +But who shall undertake to tell you how astonished Mrs. Decker was +when Mrs. Smith, having duly considered, and talked with Sarah Jane, +and talked with Job, and unrolled the tobacco-smelling carpet, and +examined it carefully, did finally come over to the Decker home with +her startling proposition. It is true that a carpet had taken perhaps +undue proportions in this poor woman's eyes. Her best room during all +the years of her past life had never been without a neat bright carpet; +it had been the pleasant dream of her second married-life, so long as +any pleasantness had been left to allow of dreaming; and she could not +get away from the feeling that people who had not a scrap of carpeting +for their best room, were very low down. She opened her eyes very +wide while listening to Mrs. Smith's rapidly told story. What kind of +a carpet could it be that was offered to her for simply the price of +the weaving? for Job and his wife after some figuring with pencil and +paper, had agreed together heartily to throw in the warp. She went +over to the neat kitchen and examined the carpet. It was bright and +pretty. There was a good deal of red in it, and there was a good deal +of brown; a blending of the two colors which had been the subject of +much discussion between herself and husband in the days when Mr. Decker +talked anything about the comforts of his home. How well it would look +in the square room which had two windows, and was really the only +pleasant room in the house. Surely she could iron enough to pay for +that. + +"I am not very strong," she said with a sigh. "I used to be, but of +late I've been failing. But Nannie is so handy, and so willing, that +she saves me a great deal, and she has a notion that she would like to +fix up the front room and try to get hold of my Norm. It would be worth +trying, maybe, but I don't know. We are very low down, Mrs. Smith." + +And then Mrs. Decker sank into one of the green painted chairs and +cried. + +"Of course it is worth trying," Mrs. Smith said, bustling about, as +though she must find some more windows to raise; tears always made her +feel as though she was choking. "If I were you I would have a carpet, +and curtains to the windows, and lots of nice things, and make a home +fit for that boy of yours to have a good time in. There is nothing like +a nice pleasant home to keep a boy from going wrong." + +Before Mrs. Decker went home, she had promised to try the ironing the +very next week, and if she could do it well enough to suit Mrs. Smith, +the carpet should be bought. + +"Poor thing!" said Mrs. Smith, looking after her, and rubbing her eyes +with the corner of her apron. "The ironing shall suit; if she irons +wrinkles into the collars and creases in the cuffs, I won't say a word; +only I guess maybe I won't give her collars and cuffs to iron; not till +she learns how. I ought to have done something to kind of help her +along before; only I don't know what it would have been. It takes that +boy of mine to set folks to work." + +Meantime, "that boy" sat in the kitchen door, studying. Not from a +book, but from his own puzzled thoughts. He did not see his way clear. +Under Nettie's direction he had planned a very satisfactory sofa with +a back to it, and two chairs, but how to get the material needed to +finish them, and also for curtains for the new room, had sent Nettie +home in bewilderment, and stranded him on the doorstep in the middle +of the afternoon to think it out. + +"How much stuff does it take for curtains, anyhow?" + +"For curtains?" said Mrs. Smith, coming back with a start from her +ironing table and the plan she had for teaching Mrs. Decker to iron +shirts. "Why, that depends on what kind of stuff it is, and how many +curtains you want, and how big the windows are." + +"Well, what do they use for curtains?" + +Mrs. Smith still looked bewildered. + +"A great many things, Jerry. They have lace curtains, and linen ones, +and muslin ones, and in some of the rooms up at Mrs. Barlow's, on the +hill, you know, when I helped her do up curtains that time, they had +great heavy silk things, or maybe velvet, though the stuff didn't look +much like either. I don't rightly know what it was, but it was heavy, +and soft, and satiny, and shone like gold, in some places." + +Jerry turned around on the doorstep and looked full at Mrs. Smith, +and laughed. "I know," he said, "I have seen such curtains. They are +damask. I am not thinking about lace, and damask, and all that sort of +thing. I mean for Mrs. Decker's front room. What could be used that +would do, and how much would they cost?" + +"Surely!" said Mrs. Smith, coming down to everyday life. "What a goose +I was. I might have known what you were thinking about. Why, let me +see. Cheese cloth makes real pretty curtains; if you have a bit of +bright calico to put over the top, and a nice hem in, or maybe some +bright calico at the bottom to help them hang straight, I don't know as +there is anything much prettier. Though to be sure they aren't good for +much to keep people from looking in; and they aren't quite suitable for +winter. I suppose you want to plan for winter, too? I'll tell you what +it is, I believe that unbleached muslin makes about as pretty a curtain +as a body could have; put bright red at the top and bottom, and they +look real nice." + +"What is unbleached muslin? I mean, how much does it cost?" + +"Why," said Mrs. Smith, dropping into her rocking-chair, and folding +her hands on her lap to give her mind fully to the important question, +"as to that, I should have to think; I'm not very good at figures. +Unbleached muslin costs about eight cents a yard, or maybe ten; we'll +say ten, because I've always noticed that was easier to calculate. Ten +cents a yard, and two windows, say two yards to each, and no, two yards +to each half, four yards to each, and twice four is eight, eight yards +at ten cents a yard. How much would that be, Jerry? You can tell in a +minute, I dare say." + +"Eighty cents," said Jerry with a sigh. "I am afraid she will think +that is a great deal. And then there's the red to put on them. What +does that cost?" + +"Why, that ought to be oil calico, because the other kind ain't fast +colors. I don't much believe you could get those curtains up short of +fifty cents apiece; and that is a good deal for curtains, that's a +fact. Paper ones don't cost so much, but then there's the rollers and +the fastenings, I don't know but they do cost just as much. And then +they tear." + +"I don't want her to have paper ones," said Jerry decisively. "A dollar +for the curtains, and I don't know how much more for the furniture. She +can't imagine where the money is to come from." + +"I could tell where it ought to come from," said Mrs. Smith, nodding +her head and looking severe. "It ought to come out of Joe Decker's +pocket. He makes his dollar a day, even now, when he doesn't half work; +Job said so only last night. But furniture is dreadful dear stuff, +Jerry, worse than curtains. And they need about everything. I never did +see such a desolate house! And those little girls need clothes." + +"Nettie is going to make them some clothes," said Jerry; "she has some +that she has outgrown; a great roll in her trunk; she is going to make +them over to fit the little girls. She is at work at some of them +to-day. And you know, auntie, I am making the furniture." + +"Making it!" + +"Well, making its skeleton. If we had some clothes to put on it, I +guess it would be furniture. I've made a sofa, and two chairs, and I'm +at work at a table. Only I would like to see how the things were going +to look, before I went any farther." + +"Making furniture!" repeated dazed Mrs. Smith; and she shook her head. +"I don't see how you can! You can do a great many things that no other +boy ever thought of; but I'm afraid that's beyond you." + +"Why, you see, auntie, she has seen some made, and she showed me what +to do with hammer and nails. You make a frame, just the size you want +for a sofa, and put a back to it, then it is padded with cotton, and +covered with something bright, cretonne, I think she said they called +it, only it wasn't real cretonne, but a cheap imitation, and they tack +a skirt to the thing in puckers, so," and he caught up a bit of Mrs. +Smith's apron to illustrate. + +"I see," she said, nodding her head and speaking in an admiring tone. +"What a contriving little thing she is! And what about the chairs?" + +"The chairs are served in very much the same way. The table is just +two flat boards and a post between them, nailed firmly, then they tack +red calico, or blue, or whatever they want, around it, and cover it +with thin white cheese cloth or some lacey stuff, she had the name of +it, but I've forgotten; it doesn't cost much, she said, and tie a sash +around it, and it looks like an hour glass. The question is, where are +the cotton and calico to come from?" + +"Well," said Mrs. Smith, "you two do beat all! It can't take much stuff +for a little table; and I can see that they might be real pretty. I +want a table myself, to stand under the glass in my front room. What if +you was to make two, and I'd get cloth enough for two, and she would do +mine and hers, to pay for the cloth?" + +Jerry sprang up from his doorstep, and came over and put both arms +around Mrs. Smith's trim waist. + +"Hurrah!" he said; "you are the contriver. That will do splendidly. +I'll go this minute and set up the skeleton of another table. I have +two boards there which will just do it. Then we'll think out a way to +get the rest of the stuff." + +Now Nettie, busy with her fingers in the house next door, had not left +the others to do all the thinking. She knew the price of "oil calico," +and imitation cretonne, and unbleached muslin; she knew to a fraction +how many yards of each would be needed, and the sum total appalled her. +Yet she too knew that her father earned at least a dollar a day, and +did not give them two a week to live on. This her mother had told her. + +Also she knew that on this Saturday evening at about six o'clock, he +would probably be paid for his week's work. Couldn't she contrive to +coax some of the money from his keeping into hers? She had hinted the +possibility of her mother's getting hold of it, and Mrs. Decker had +said that the bare thought of trying made her feel faint and sick; that +if she had ever seen her father in a passion such as he could get into +when things did not go just to suit him, she would know what it was to +ask him for anything. Nettie, who had not yet been at home a week, had +some faint idea of what her father might do and say if he were very +angry. Nevertheless, she was trying to plan a way to meet him before he +left the shop, and secure some of that money if she could. + +With this thought in view, she presently laid aside the neat little +petticoat on which she had been sewing, brushed her hair, put on her +brown ribboned hat, and her brown gloves, watched her chance while the +children were quarreling over an apple that Jerry had given them, and +stole out in the direction of the shop where her father worked. She +would not ask Jerry to go with her, though he looked after her from the +barn window and wished she had; if her father was to grow angry and +swear, and possibly strike, no one should know it but herself, if she +could help it. + +I must not forget to tell you of one thing that she did before +starting. She went into her mother's little tucked-up bedroom, put a +nail over the door, which she had herself arranged for a fastening, and +knelt there so long by the barrel which did duty as a table, that her +mother, had she seen her, would have been frightened. But Nettie felt +that she needed courage for this undertaking; and she knew where to get +it. + +Then she had to walk pretty fast; it was later than she thought, for +just as she turned the corner by the shop where her father worked, the +six o'clock bell began to ring. + +"Halloo!" said one of the men, standing in the door while he untied +his leather apron. "What party is this coming down the street? The +neatest little woman I've seen for many a day. A stranger in this part +of the world, I reckon. Doesn't fit in, somehow. Do you know who it is, +Decker?" + +And Mr. Decker, thus appealed to, came to the door in time to receive +Nettie's bow and smile. + +"That's my girl," he said, and a look of pride stole into his face. +She was a trim little creature; it was rather pleasant to own her as +his daughter. + +"Your girl!" and the astonishment which the man felt was expressed by a +slight whistle. "I want to know now if that is the little one who went +away six, seven years ago, was it? She's as pretty a girl as I've seen +in a year. Looks smart, too. I say, Decker, you better take good care +of her. She is a girl to be proud of." + +At just that moment Nettie sprang up the steps. + +"May I come in, father?" she said; "I wanted to see where you worked." +Her voice was clear and sweet. All the men in the shop turned to look. +The foreman who was paying Mr. Decker, and who had begun severely with +the sentence: "Two half-days off again, Decker; that sort of thing +won't"--stopped short at the sound of Nettie's voice, and gave him +the two two dollar bills, and two ones, without further words. Six +dollars! If only she could get part of it! How should the delicate +matter be managed? Suddenly Nettie acted on the thought which came to +her. What more natural than for a child to ask for money just then and +there? She needed it, and why not say it? Perhaps he would not like +to refuse her entirely before all the men. And poor Nettie had a very +disagreeable fear that he would certainly refuse her if she waited +until the men were gone; even if she found a chance to ask him before +he reached the saloon just next door, where he spent so much of his +money. Or at least where his wife thought he spent it. + +"May I have some of that, father? I want some money. That was one of +the things I came after." + +This was certainly the truth. Why not treat it as a matter of course? +"Why should I take it for granted that he is going to waste all his +money?" said poor Nettie to herself. All the same she knew she had good +reason for supposing that he would. + +"Money!" he said, as he seized the bills. "What do you know about +money, or want with it?" + +"Oh, I want things. The little girls must have some shoes. I promised +to see about it as soon as I could. And then I want to buy your Sunday +dinner; a real nice one." + +The tone was a winning, coaxing one. Nettie did not know how to coax; +was not very well acquainted with her father; did not know how he would +endure coaxing of any sort, but some way must be tried, and this was +the best one she knew of. + +"Divide with her, Decker," said the man who had first called his +attention to Nettie. "She looks as though she could buy a dinner, and +cook it too. If I had a trim little girl like that to look out for +my comfort, hang me if I wouldn't take pleasure in keeping her well +supplied." He sighed as he spoke, and nobody laughed; for most of them +remembered that the man's home was desolate. Wife and daughter both +buried only a few months before. This man sometimes spent his earnings +on beer, but he was accustomed to say that there was nobody left to +care; and that while he had them, he took care of them; which was true. +Nettie looked up at the man with a curious pitiful interest. His tone +was very sad. She was grateful to him for his words. Was there possibly +something sometime that she could do for him? She would remember his +face. + +All the men were looking now, and there was Nettie's outstretched hand. +Her face a good deal flushed; but it wore an expectant look. She was +going to believe in her father as long as she could. + +"Go ahead, Joe, divide with the girl. Such a handsome one as that. You +ought to be proud of the chance." + +"You have something worth taking care of, it seems, Decker." It was the +foreman who said this, as he passed on his way to the other side of the +room where the men were waiting. + +Whether it was a father's pride, or a father's shame, or both these +motives which moved Mr. Decker, I cannot say, but he actually took a +two and a one and placed them in her hands as he said hastily, "There, +my girl, I've given you half; you can't complain of that." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +LONG STORIES TO TELL. + + +IF only I had a good picture of Nettie, so that you might see the +radiant look in her eyes just then! + +She had hoped for the money, she had tried to trust her father, but +she was, nevertheless, wonderfully surprised when her hand closed over +three dollars. + +"O father!" she said, "how nice." And then her courage rose. "Will you +go with me, father, to buy the shoes? The little girls are so eager for +them. I promised to take them with me to Sunday-school to-morrow, if I +could get shoes, but I don't know how to buy them very well. Could you +go?" + +The shoe shop was farther down the street, in an opposite direction +from the one where Mr. Decker generally got his liquor, and wily Nettie +remembered that there was a street leading from it which would take +them home without passing the saloon. Of course it was true that she +needed his help to select the shoes, but it was also true that she +was very glad she did. Mr. Decker was untying his apron, and rolling +down his sleeves; he felt very thirsty--the sight of the money seemed +to make him thirsty. He had meant to go directly to the saloon, give +them one dollar on the old bill, and spend what he needed, only a very +little, on beer. With the rest of the money he honestly meant to pay +his rent. Yet no one ought to have understood better than he that he +would not be likely to get away from that saloon with a cent of money +in his pocket. For all that, he wanted to go. He wished Nettie would go +away and let him alone. But the men were watching. + +"You can't fit the children to shoes without having them along," he +said gruffly. But Nettie was ready for him: "Oh!" she said, swiftly +unrolling a newspaper, "I brought their feet along." And with a bright +little laugh she plumped down two badly worn shoes on the work table. + +"That left-footed one is Satie's. The other was so dreadfully worn out, +I was afraid the shoemaker couldn't measure it. This is the best one +of Susie's." + +It was plain to any reasonable eyes that two pairs of shoes were badly +needed. + +"I guess they need other things besides shoes." + +It was the father who said this, and they were out on the street, and +he was actually being drawn by Nettie's eager hand in the opposite +direction from the saloon. + +"O no," she said; "I had some clothes which I had outgrown; I have +been at work at them all day, and they make nice little suits. Auntie +Marshall sent them each a cunning little white sunbonnet. When we get +the shoes, they will look just as nice as can be. You don't know how +pleased they are about going to Sunday-school. I am so glad they will +not be disappointed to-morrow." + +The shoes were bought, good, strong-looking little ones, and +wonderfully cheap, perhaps because Nettie did the bargaining, and the +man who knew how scarce her money must be, was sorry for the little +woman. It did seem a great deal to pay out--two whole dollars--for +shoes when everything was needed. It was warm weather, perhaps she +ought to have let the little girls go barefoot for awhile, but then she +could not take them to Sunday-school very well; at least, it seemed to +her that she couldn't; and father was willing to have them bought now. +Who could tell when he would be willing again? + +He stood in the door and waited for her, wondering why he did so, why +he could not leave her and go back to that saloon and get his drink. +One reason was, that she gave him no chance. She appealed to him every +minute for advice. + +"Father, can we go to market now? I want to get just a splendid piece +of meat for your Sunday dinner. I know just how to cook it in a way +that you will like." + +"I guess you can do that without me; I have an errand in another +direction." They were on the street again. She caught his hand eagerly. +"O, father, do please come with me to the market, there are so many men +there I don't like to go alone; and it is so nice to take a walk with +you. I haven't had one since I came. Won't you please come, father?" + +Joe Decker hardly knew what to think of himself. There was something +in her soft coaxing voice which seemed to take him back a dozen years +into the past, and which led him along in spite of himself. + +The meat was bought, Nettie looking wise over the different pieces, and +insisting on a neck piece, which the boy told her was not fit to eat. +"I know how to make it fit," she said, with a little nod of her head. + +"I want three pounds of it. And then, father, I want two carrots and +two onions; I'm going to make something nice." + +Only sixty-eight cents of her precious money left! + +"I did need some butter," she said mournfully, "and that in the tub +looks nice, but I guess I can't afford it this time." + +"How much is butter?" asked Mr. Decker, suddenly rising to the needs of +the moment. "Twenty-five," said the grocer, shortly. He did not know +the trim little woman who had paid for her carrots and onions, and held +them in a paper bag at this moment, but he did know Joe Decker and had +an account against him. He had no desire to sell him any butter. + +"Then give me two pounds, and be quick about it." And Mr. Decker put +down a dollar bill on the counter. + +The man seized it promptly and began to arrange the butter in a neat +wooden dish, while he said, "By the way, Mr. Decker, when will it be +convenient to settle that little account?" + +"I'll do it as soon as I can," said Mr. Decker, speaking low, for +Nettie turned toward him startled; this was worse than she thought. +She had not known of any accounts. Mr. Decker himself had forgotten +it until he stood in the very door. It was months since he had bought +groceries. + +"Is it much, father?" Nettie asked, and he replied pettishly: + +"Much? no. It is only a miserable little three dollars. I mean to pay +it; he needn't be scared." Yet why he shouldn't be "scared," when he +had asked for those three dollars perhaps fifty times, Mr. Decker did +not say. + +"Father," said Nettie, in a very low voice, "couldn't you let the man +keep the fifty cents, on the account, and that would be a beginning?" + +But this was too much. + +"No," said Mr. Decker; "I will pay my bills when I get ready and not +before; and it is none of your business when I do it. You must not +meddle with what does not belong to you." + +"No, sir;" said Nettie, though it was hard work to speak just then; +there was a queer little lump in her throat. She was not in the habit +of being spoken to in this way. The butter was ready, and the man +handed back the change. + +Mr. Decker pocketed it, saying as he did so, "I'll have some money for +you next week, I guess." And then they went away. + +"If it hadn't been for the girl I'd have kept the fifty cents and got +so much out of the old drunkard; but someway I couldn't bring myself +to doing it with her looking on." This was what the grocer muttered as +they walked away. But they did not hear him. Nettie was bent now on +tolling her father down the cross street to go home. + +"Father," she said, "we are going to have milk toast for supper. Mother +said she would have it ready, and toast spoils, you know, if it stands +long. Couldn't we go home this way and make it shorter?" + +He was a good deal astonished that he did it. He was still very +thirsty, but there really came to him no decent excuse for deserting +his little girl and going back to the saloon. And they walked into the +house together, so astonishing Mrs. Decker that she almost dropped the +teapot which she was filling with hot water. Whatever other night, Mr. +Decker contrived to get home to supper, he was always late on Saturday, +and in a worse condition than at any other time. + +That was really a nice little suppertime. Mrs. Decker had done her part +well, not for the husband whom she did not expect, but in gratitude to +the little girl who had worked so hard all the week for herself and +her neglected babies. The toast was well made, and the tea was good. +Besides, there was a treat; not ten minutes before, Mrs. Job Smith had +sent in a plate of ginger cookies; "for the children," she said, and +the children each had one. So did the father and mother. + +Mr. Decker washed his hands before he sat down to the table, for the +tablecloth had been freshly washed and ironed that day, and his wife +had on a clean calico apron and a strip of white cloth about her neck, +and her hair was smooth. + +"There!" said Nettie, displaying her meat, "now, mother, we can have +that stew for to-morrow, just as we planned. Father got the meat, and +the carrots, and everything. And what do you think, little girlies, +father bought you each a pair of shoes!" + +Mrs. Decker set down the teapot again. She was just in the act of +giving her husband a cup of tea, and the color came and went on her +face so queerly that Nettie for a moment was frightened. As for the +father, he felt very queer. Scared and silent as his little girls +generally were in his presence, they could not keep back a little +squeal of delight over this wonderful piece of news. Altogether, Mr. +Decker could not help feeling that it really was a nice thing to be +able to buy shoes and meat for his family. + +"Come," he said, "give us your tea if you're going to; I'm as dry as a +fish." + +And the tea was poured. + +The toast was good, and there was plenty of it, and someway it took +longer to eat it than this family usually spent at the supper-table; +and then, after supper, the shoes had to be tried on, and Nettie called +the little girls to their father to see if the shoes fitted, and he +took Sate up on his lap to examine them, which was a thing that had not +happened to Sate in so long that Susie scowled and expected that she +would be frightened, but Sate seemed to like it, and actually stole an +arm around her father's neck and patted his cheek, while he was feeling +of the shoe. Then Mrs. Decker had a happy thought. + +She winked and motioned Nettie into the bedroom and whispered: "Don't +you believe he might like to see the children in their nice clothes? +I ain't seen him notice them so much in a year; and he hasn't been +drinking a mite, has he?" + +"Not a drop," said Nettie; "I'll dress Susie." And she flew out to the +kitchen. + +"Father, just you wait until Susie is ready to show you something. Come +here, Susie, quick." And almost in less time than it takes me to tell +it, Susie was whisked into the pretty petticoats and dress which had +been shortened and tightened for her that day. The dress was a plain, +not over-fine white one; but it was beautifully ironed, and the white +sunbonnet perched on the trim head completed the picture and made a +pretty creature of Susie. I am sure I don't wonder that the child felt +a trifle vain as she squeaked out in her new shoes to show herself to +her father. She had not been neatly dressed long enough to consider it +as a matter of course. + +"Upon my word!" said Mr. Decker, and there he stopped. This was +certainly a wonderful change. He looked at his little daughter from +head to foot, and could hardly believe his eyes. What a pretty child +she was. And to think that she was his! Certainly she ought to have new +shoes, and new clothes. Sate's arm was still about his neck, and Sate's +sweet full lips were suddenly touched to his rough cheek. + +"I've got new clothes too," she said sweetly, "only I doesn't want to +get down from here to put them on." + +The father turned at that and kissed her. Then he sat her down hastily +and got up. Something made his eyes dim. He really did not know what +was the matter with him, only it all seemed to come to him suddenly +that he had some very nice children, and that they ought to have +clothes and food and chances like others, and that it was his own fault +they hadn't. + +Nettie hated tobacco, but she went herself in haste and lighted her +father's pipe and brought it to him; if he must smoke, it would be so +much better to have him sit in the door and do it rather than to go off +down to that saloon. She hated the saloon worse than the tobacco. As +she brought the pipe, she said within her hopeful little heart: "Maybe +sometime he won't want either to drink or smoke. I most know we can +coax him to give them both up; and then won't that be nice?" + +One thing was troubling her; as soon as she could, she followed her +mother into the yard and questioned, "Do you know where Norm is?" + +Yes, Mrs. Decker knew. He came home just after Nettie had gone out, +and said he had an hour's holiday; their room had closed early for +Saturday, and he was going to wash up and go down street before supper. + +"My heart was in my mouth," said the poor mother; "because when there +is a holiday he gets into worse scrapes than he does any other time; +he goes with a set that don't do anything but have holidays, and they +always have some mischief hatched up to get Norm into. I never see the +like of the boys in this town for getting others into scrapes; but I +didn't dare to say a word, because Norm thinks he is getting too big +for me to give him any words, and just as he was going out, that boy +next door--Jerry, you said his name was, didn't you?--he came out +and called Norm, real friendly, and they stood talking together; he +appeared to be arguing something, and Norm holding off, and at last +Norm came in and wanted the tin pail and said he had changed his mind +and was going fishing; and they went off together, them two." And Mrs. +Decker finished the sentence with a rare smile. She was grateful to +Jerry for carrying off her boy, and grateful to Nettie for thinking +about him and being anxious. + +"Good!" said Nettie with a happy little laugh, "then we will have some +fried fish to-morrow for breakfast. What a nice day to-morrow is going +to be." + +Mr. Decker was a good deal surprised at himself, but he did not go down +town again that night. After he had smoked, he felt thirsty, it is +true, and at that very minute Nettie came in with the one glass which +they had in the house, and it was full of lemonade. + +"Did he want a nice cool drink?" she had two lemons which she bought +with her own money, and she knew how to make good lemonade, Auntie +Marshall used to say. + +The father drank the cool liquid off almost at a swallow, said it was +good, and that he guessed she knew how to do most things. By this time +the little girls had been tucked away to bed, and just as Mr. Decker +rose up to say he guessed he would go down street awhile, Norm appeared +with a string of fish. They were beauties; he declared that he never +had such luck in his life; that fellow just bewitched the fish, he +believed, so they would rather be caught than not. Then came a talk +about dressing them. Norm said he was sure he did not know how; and Mr. +Decker said, a great fellow like him ought to know how. When he was a +boy of fourteen he used to catch fish for his mother almost every day +of his life, and dress them too; his mother never had to touch them +until they were ready to cook. Then Nettie, flushed and eager, said: + +"O father, then you can show me how to do it, can't you? I would like +to learn just the right way." And the father laughed, and looked at his +wife with something like the old look on his face, and said he seemed +to be fairly caught. And together they went to the box outside, and in +the soft summer night, with the moon looking down on them, Nettie took +her lesson in fish dressing. + +When the work was all done, Norm having hovered around through it all, +and watched, and helped a little, Mr. Decker went back to the kitchen +and yawned, and wondered how late it was. No clock in this house to +give any idea of time. There used to be, but one day it got out of +order and Mr. Decker carried it down street to be fixed, and never +brought it back. Mrs. Decker asked about it a good many times, then +went herself in search of it, and found it in the saloon at the corner. + +"He took it for debt," the owner told her, and a poor bargain it was; +it never came to time, any better than her husband did. However, just +as Mr. Decker made his wonderment, the old clock over at Mrs. Smith's +rose up to its duty, and dignifiedly struck nine. + +"Well, I declare," said Mr. Decker, "I did not think it was as late as +that. There ain't any evenings now days. Well, I guess, after all, I'll +go to bed. I'm most uncommon tired to-night somehow." + +Norm had already gone up to his room; and Mrs. Decker when she heard +her husband's words, hurried into the bedroom to hide two happy tears. + +"I declare for it, I believe you have bewitched him," she said to +Nettie, who followed her to ask about the breakfast; "I ain't known him +to do such a thing not in two years, as to go to bed at nine o'clock +without ever going down street again. He don't act like himself; not +a mite. I was most scared when I saw him take Sate in his arms; that +child don't remember his doing it before, I don't believe. Did he +really buy the things, child, and pay for them? Well, now, it does beat +all! And Saturday night, too; that has always been his worst night. +Child, if you get hold of your father, and of my Norm, there ain't +anything in this world too good for you. I'd work my fingers to the +bone any time to help along, and be glad to." + +It was all very sweet. Nettie ran away before the sentence was fairly +finished, waiting only to say, "Good-night, mother!" She had done this +every night since she came, but to-night she reached up and touched +her lips to the tall woman's thin cheek. Poor Nettie had been used to +kissing somebody every night when she went to bed. It had made her +homesick not to do it. But she had not wanted to kiss anybody in this +house, except the little girls. To-night, she wanted to kiss this +mother. She reached the back door, then stopped and looked back; her +father sat in his shirt sleeves, in the act of pulling off one boot. +Should she tell him good-night? He had not been there for her to do it +a single evening since she came home. Should she kiss him? Why not? +Wasn't he her father? Yet he might not like it. She could not be sure. +He was not like the fathers she had known. However, she came back on +tiptoe and stooped over him, her voice low and sweet: + +"Good-night, father! I am going now." And then she put a kiss on the +rough cheek, just where little Sate had left her velvet touch. + +Mr. Decker started almost as though somebody had struck him. But it was +not anger which filled his face. + +"Good-night, my girl," he said, but his voice was husky; and Nettie ran +as fast as she could across the yard to the next house. + +"I did not get the things," she said to Jerry, who stood in the doorway +waiting for her; "I couldn't; but, Jerry, I had such a wonderful time! +Father gave me money, and we went to market, and bought shoes and he +bought butter; and since we came home almost everything has happened. I +can't begin to tell you. I can get some of the things on Monday. Father +gave me money." + +"All right," said Jerry; "I didn't get the skeletons ready, either; I +meant to work after tea, but instead of that I went fishing." And he +gave her a bright smile. + +"Oh! I know it," said Nettie, breathless almost with eagerness. "That +is part of my nice time. Jerry, I am so glad you went fishing to-night, +and I am so glad you caught your fish; not the ones which we are to +eat for our Sunday breakfast, you know, but the other one. Do you +understand?" + +And Jerry laughed. "I understand," he said, "I had a nice time, too. We +shall have some long stories to tell each other, I guess. We must go in +now." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +A SABBATH TO REMEMBER. + + +SUNDAY was a successful day at the Deckers. The sun shone brilliantly; +a trifle too warm, you might have thought it, for comfort; but the +little Deckers did not notice it. The fish was beautifully browned and +the coffee was delicious. Mr. Decker had a clean shirt which his wife +had contrived to wash and mend, the day before, and all things were +harmonious. Some time before nine o'clock. Sate and Susie were arrayed +in their new white suits, and with their trim new shoes, and hair +beautifully neat, they were as pretty little girls as one need want +to see. Nettie surveyed them with unqualified satisfaction, and then +seated them, each with a picture primer, while she made her own toilet. +She put on the dress which had been her best for Sunday, all summer. It +was a gingham, a trifle finer and a good deal lighter than the brown +one in which she had travelled. It was neatly made, and fitted her +well; and the brown hat and ribbons looked well with it. + +On the whole, when they set off for Sabbath-school, Jerry accompanying +them, arrayed in a fresh brown linen suit, Mrs. Decker watching them +from the side window, admitted that she never saw a nicer-looking set +in her life! She even had the courage to call Mr. Decker to see how +nice the two little girls looked, and he came and watched them out of +sight. And when he said that his Nan was about as nice a looking girl +as he wanted to see, she answered heartily that Nannie was the very +best girl she ever saw in her life. + +Fairly in the Sabbath-school, a fit of extreme shyness came over +the two little Deckers. With Susie, as usual, it took the form +of fierceness; she planted her two stout feet in the doorway and +resolutely shook her head to all coaxings to go any farther; keeping +firm hold of Sate's hand, and giving her arm a jerk now and then, to +indicate to her that she was not to stir from her protector's side. +The situation was becoming embarrassing. Nettie could not leave them, +and Jerry would not; though some of the boys were giggling, those of +his class were motioning him to leave the group and join them. The +superintendent came forward and cordially invited the children in, but +Susie scowled at him and shook her head. Then Jerry went around to +Sate's side and held out his hand. "Sate," he said in a winning tone, +"come with me over where all those pretty little girls sit, and I will +get you a picture paper with a bird on it." + +To Susie's utter dismay, Sate who had meekly obeyed her slightest whim +during all her little life, suddenly dropped the hand that held hers, +and gave the other to Jerry, with a firm: "I'm going in, Susie; we came +to go in, and Nettie wants us to." Poor, astonished, deserted Susie! + +She had been so sure of Sate that she had neglected to keep firm hold, +and now she had slid away. There was nothing left for Susie but to +follow her with what grace she could. + +They were seated at last. Seven little girls of nearly Nettie's size +and age. As she took a seat among them, I wish I could give you an idea +of how she felt. Up to this hour, it had not occurred to her that she +was not as well dressed as others of her age. Not quite that, either; +being a wise little woman of business, she was well aware that her +clothes were plain, and cheap, and that some girls wore clothes which +cost a great deal of money. But I mean that this was the first time +she had taken in the thought of the difference, so that it gave her a +sting. The Sabbath-school which she had been attending, was a mission, +in the lower part of the city; the scholars, nearly all of them, coming +from homes where there was not much to spare on dress; and the girls +of her class had all of them dressed like herself, neatly and plainly. +It was very different with these seven girls. She felt at once, as +she seated herself, as though she had come into the midst of a flower +garden where choice blossoms were glowing on every side, and she +might be a poor little weed. Summer silk dresses, broad-brimmed hats +aglow with flowers, kid gloves, dainty lace-trimmed parasols--what a +beautiful world it was into which this poor little weed had moved? + +Nettie knew that her hat was coarse, and the ribbon narrow and cheap, +and her gloves cotton, but these things had never troubled her before. +Why should they now? + +The truth is, it was not the pretty things, but the curious glances +that their owners gave at the small brown thrush which had come in +among them. They seemed to poor Nettie to be making a memoranda of +everything she had on, from the narrow blue ribbon on her hair to the +strong neat boots in which her plump feet were encased. The look in +their eyes said, "How queerly she is dressed!" It was impossible to +get away from the thought of their thoughts, and from the fact that +the girl next to her drew her blue silk dress closer about her, and +placed her pink-lined parasol on the other side, even though the pretty +lady who sat before them in the teacher's seat, welcomed her kindly, +and hoped she would be happy among them. Nettie hoped so, too; but she +could hardly believe that it could be possible. + +She looked over at Jerry. He seemed to be having a good time; there was +not so much difference in boys' clothes as in girls. She did not see +but he looked as well as any of them. She looked forward at the little +girls. Susie had allowed herself to be led in search of Sate, and the +two were at this moment side by side in a seat full of bobbing heads; +they had taken off their sunbonnets, and their pretty heads bobbed +about with the rest, and the white dresses of the two looked as well +at a distance as the others, though Nettie could see that there were +ruffles, and tucks, and embroidery and lace. But some were plain; and +none of the wee ones seemed to notice or to care. It was only Nettie +who had gotten among those who made her care, by the glance of their +eyes, and the rustle of their finery. She tried to get away from it +all; tried hard. She listened to the words read, and joined as well as +she could, in the hymn sung, and answered quietly and correctly, the +questions put to her; but all the while there was a queer lump in her +throat, which kept her swallowing, and swallowing, and a wish in her +heart that she could go back to Auntie Marshall's. + +[Illustration: LORENA BARSTOW.] + +When the service was over, she stood waiting, feeling shy and alone. +Jerry was talking with the boys in his class, and the little girls +were being kissed by their pretty teacher. Her classmates stood and +looked at her. At last the teacher who had been talking with one of the +secretaries turned to her with a pleasant voice: + +"Well, Nettie, we are glad to have you with us. Can you come every +Sabbath, do you think? Are you acquainted with these girls? No? Then +you must be introduced. This is Irene Lewis, and this is Cecelia +Lester," and in this way she named the seven girls, each one making in +turn what seemed to poor Nettie the stiffest little bow she had ever +seen. At last, Irene Lewis, who stood next to her, and wore an elegant +fawn-colored silk dress trimmed with lace, tried to think of something +to say. + +"You haven't begun school yet, have you? I haven't seen anything of +you. What grade are you in?" + +Nettie explained that she had not been in a regular school; that she +went afternoons to a private school which had no grades, and that now +she did not expect to go at all; because mother could not spare her. + +"A private school!" said Miss Irene, "and held only in the afternoon! +What a queer idea! I should think morning was the time to study. What +was it for?" + +Then it became necessary to further explain that the girls who attended +this afternoon school, had all of them work to do in the mornings, and +could not be spared. + +"I have heard of them," said Lorena Barstow. "They are sort of charity +schools, are they not?" + +Lorena was dressed in white, and looked almost weighed down with rich +embroidery; but she had a disagreeable smile on her face, and a look in +her eyes that made Nettie's face crimson. + +"I don't know," she said, quietly, "I never heard it called by that +name. My auntie thought very well of it, and was glad to have me go." +Then she turned away, and hoped that none of the girls would ask her +any more questions, or try to be friendly with her. Just now, she +could be glad of only one thing, and that was, that she need not go to +school with these disagreeable people. She stepped quite out of sight +behind the screen which shielded the next class, and waited impatiently +for the little girls. They seemed to be having a very nice time, and +were in no haste to come to her. Standing there, waiting, she had the +pleasure of hearing herself talked about. + +"Isn't she a queer little object?" said Lorena Barstow. And when one of +the others was kind enough to say that she did not see anything very +queer about her, Lorena proceeded to explain. + +"You don't! Well, I should think you might. Did you ever see a girl in +our class before, with a gingham dress on? Of course she wore her very +best for the first Sunday; and her hat is of very coarse straw, just +the commonest kind, and last year's shape at that; then look at her +cotton gloves! I'm sure I think she is as funny a little object as ever +came into this room." + +"What of it? I am sure she looks neat and clean, and she spoke very +prettily, and knew her lesson better than any of us." + +"I didn't say she didn't. I was only talking about her clothes." + +"Clothes are not of much consequence." + +"O Miss Ermina! When you dress better than any of us. Why don't you +wear gingham dresses, and cheap ribbons, and cotton gloves, if you +think they look as well as nice ones?" + +"I did not say that; I wear the clothes my mother gets for me; but I +truly don't think they are the most important things in the world." + +"Neither do I. You needn't take a person up in that way, as though you +were better than anybody else. I am sure I am willing she should wear +what she likes." + +Then Cecelia Lester took up the conversation: + +"She could not be expected to dress very well, of course. Don't you +know she is old Joe Decker's daughter?" + +"Who is Joe Decker? I never heard of him." + +"Well, he is just a drunkard; they live over on Hamlin street. Mrs. +Decker washes for my auntie once in awhile, when they have extra +company, and I have seen her there, with both the little girls. I heard +that Joe's daughter who has been living out, for years, was coming +home." + +"Living out! that little thing! No wonder she hasn't better clothes. +She has a pretty face, I think. But it seems sort of queer to have her +come into our class, doesn't it? We sha'n't know what to do with her! +She can't go in our set, of course." + +"O, I don't know. Perhaps Ermina Farley will invite her to her party." +At this point, all the others laughed, as though a funny thing had +been said, but Ermina spoke quietly: "So far as her gingham dress is +concerned, I am sure I would just as soon. I don't choose my friends on +account of the clothes they wear; and I suppose the poor thing cannot +help her father being a drunkard; but then, I shouldn't like to invite +her, for fear you girls would not treat her well." + +Nettie could see the toss of Lorena Barstow's yellow curls as she +answered: "Well, I must say I like to be careful with whom I associate; +and mother likes to have me careful. I am sorry for the girl; but +I don't know that I need make her my most intimate friend on that +account. Say, girls, did you ever notice what fine eyes that boy has +who came in with her? Some think he is a real handsome fellow." + +"He seems to be a particular friend of this girl; I saw them on the +street together yesterday, and they were talking and laughing, as +though they enjoyed each other ever so much. Who is that boy?" + +Lorena seemed to be prepared to answer all questions. + +"He isn't much," she said, with another toss of her yellow curls. "His +name is Jerry Mack; a regular Irish name, and he is Irish in face; I +think he is coarse-looking; dreadful red cheeks! The girls over on the +West Side say he is smart, and handsome, and all that. I don't see +where they find it." + +"O, he is smart," said Cecelia Lester. "My brother knows him, and he +says there isn't a more intelligent boy in town. I used to think he +was splendid; I have talked with him some, and he is real pleasant; but +I must say I don't understand why he goes with that Decker girl all the +time." + +"I don't see why he shouldn't," declared Lorena. "For my part, I think +they are well matched; he works for his board at Job Smith's the +carman's, and she is a drunkard's daughter; they ought to be able to +have nice times together." + +"Does he work for his board?" chimed in two or three voices at once. + +"Why, I suppose so, or gets it without working for it. He lives there, +anyway. They say his father has deserted him, run away to California, +or somewhere; Jerry will have to learn the carman's trade, and support +himself, and Nettie, too, maybe." Whereupon there was a chorus of +giggles. Something about this seemed to be thought funny. + +Ermina seemed to have left the group, so they took her up next. "Ermina +Farley meant to invite him to her party, but I hardly think she will, +when she finds out how all we girls feel about it. She tries to do +things different from everybody else, though; so perhaps that will be +the very reason why she will ask them both. I'll tell you what it is, +girls, we must stand up for our rights, and not let her have everything +her own way. Let's say squarely that we will not go to her party if she +invites out of our set. I could endure the boy if I had to, because he +is very polite, and merry; and so few of the boys around here know how +to behave themselves; but if he has chosen that Decker girl for his +friend, we must just let them both alone. This class isn't the place +for that girl; I wonder who invited her in? I think it was real mean +in Miss Wheeler to ask her to come again, without knowing how we felt +about it." + +All this time was poor Nettie behind that screen. Not daring to stir, +because there was no place for her to go. The little girls were still +engaged with their teacher, who had Sate on her lap, and Susie by her +side, and was showing them some picture cards, and apparently telling +them a story about the pictures. Jerry had sat down beside a boy who +was copying something which Jerry seemed to be reading to him, and +various groups stood about, chatting. They were waiting for the bell +to toll before they went into church. Nettie could not go without the +little girls, and she could not stir without being brought into full +view. And just then she felt as though it would not be possible for her +to meet the eyes of anybody. If only she could run away and hide, where +she need never see any of those dreadful girls again! or, for that +matter, see anybody. It was true, she was a drunkard's daughter, and +would go down lower and lower, until her neat dress would be in rags, +and her hat, coarse as it was, would grow frayed, and be many years +behind the fashion. What a cruel, wicked world it was! Who could have +imagined that those pretty, beautifully dressed girls could have such +cruel tongues, and say such hateful words! Didn't they know she was +within hearing? Couldn't they have waited until she got out of the way, +so that she need not have known how dreadful they were? + +So far as that was concerned, they did not know it. To do them justice, +I think none of them would have wounded her so, quite to her face. +They might have been cold, but they would not have been cruel in her +presence. They thought she went out of the room, instead of behind the +screen. The bell tolled, at last, and Jerry finished his reading, and +came over to her, his face bright. The girls in their beautiful plumage +fluttered away like gay birds, the teacher of the little girls came +toward her holding a hand of each, and saying brightly: "Are these your +little sisters? What dear little treasures they are! We have had such +a pleasant time together. I hope you have enjoyed your first day at +Sabbath-school?" + +"Thank you, ma'am," said Nettie. She was in great doubt as to whether +this was a correct answer, for the sentence had the tone of a question +in it, but truthful Nettie could not say that she enjoyed it very much, +and did not want to say that she had never had a more miserable time in +her life. + +Jerry was harder to answer. "Was it nice?" he asked her, as soon as +they were fairly outside. "Did you have a good time? Those girls looked +a trifle like peacocks, didn't they? I thought you were the best +dressed one among them." + +O, ignorant boy! If there hadn't been such a lump in Nettie's throat, +she would have laughed at this bit of folly. As it was, she contrived +to give him a very little shadow of a smile, and was glad that the +church door was near at hand, and that there was no more time for +closer questions. + +All through the morning service she was trying to forget. It was +not easy to do, for there sat three of the girls in a seat on which +she could look down all the time; and try as she would, it seemed +impossible to keep eyes or thoughts from turning that way. The girls +did not behave very well. They whispered a good deal, during the Bible +reading, and giggled over a book that fell while the hymn was being +sung; and though Nettie covered her eyes during prayer, she could not +help hearing a soft little buzz of whispering voices, even then. Jerry +looked straight before him, with bright, untroubled face, and seemed +to be having a good time. Susie and Sate, who had never been in church +before in their lives, behaved remarkably well. In the course of the +morning Sate leaned her little brown head trustingly against Nettie and +dropped asleep, and Nettie put her arm around her, arranged her pretty +head comfortably, and looked lovingly down upon her, and was glad that +she had a little sister to love. Two of them, indeed, for Susie sat +bolt upright and looked straight before her, and took in everything +with wide-open eyes, and looked so handsome with her glowing cheeks and +her lovely curls, that it was almost impossible not to feel proud of +the womanly little face. + +Nettie contrived to keep herself occupied with the prattle of the +children during the walk home. She was not yet ready for Jerry's +questions. She did not know what to say. Of one thing she felt sure; +that was, that she never meant to go to that Sabbath-school again. + +Dinner was nearly ready when they reached home; such an appetizing +smell of soup as had never filled the Decker kitchen before. Mrs. +Decker had followed the directions of her young daughter with great +care; and presently a very comfortable family sat down to the table. +There were no soup plates, but there were two bowls for the father and +mother, and a deep saucer for Norm; and the little girls were made +happy with tin cups, two of which Nettie had found and scoured, the day +before. It was certainly a very pleasant time. After dinner, as Nettie +was preparing to wash the dishes, her mother came out with a troubled +face, and whispered: + +"Norm says he guesses he will go out for a walk; and I know what +that means; he gets with a mean set every Sunday, and they carouse +dreadful; it is the worst day in the week for boys. I was thinking, +what if you could get that boy next door to go a-fishing again; Norm +enjoyed it last night first-rate; and he said that boy was as jolly +company as he should ever want. If he could keep him away from that +set, he would be doing a good deed." + +"But, mother," she said, "it is Sunday." + +"Yes," said Mrs. Decker, "that's just what I've been saying; Sunday is +the day when he gets into the worst kind of scrapes. Do you think Jerry +would help us?" + +"I know he would if he could; but he could not go fishing on Sunday, +you know." + +"Why not? I should think it was enough sight better than for Norm to go +off with a set of loafers, who do all sorts of wicked things." + +Poor Nettie was not skilled in argument; she did not know how to +explain to her mother that Jerry must not do one wrong thing, to keep +Norm from doing another wrong thing, even though the thing he chose +might be the worse of the two. There was only a simple statement which +she could make. "This is God's day, mother, and he says we must not do +our own work, or our own pleasure on his day; and I know Jerry will +try to obey him, because he is his soldier." + +Mrs. Decker looked at the red-cheeked young girl a moment, then drew a +long sigh. + +"Well," she said, "I know that is the way good folks talk; I used to +hear plenty of it when I was young; and I was brought up to keep the +Sabbath as strict as anybody; I would do it now if I could; but I'm +free to confess that I would rather have Norm go a-fishing, ten times +over, than to go with those fellows and get drunk." + +"Yes'm," said Nettie, respectfully. "But then, God says we must obey +him; and he has told us just how to keep the Sabbath day. He couldn't +help us to do things for other people, if we begin by disobeying Him." + +Mrs. Decker went away, the trouble still on her face, and Nettie began +to wash the dishes. Suddenly, she dropped her dish towel and rushed +after Norman as he lounged out of the door. + +"Norman," she called, just as he was moving down the street, "won't you +take the little girls and me over to that green place, that I see, the +other side of the pond? There is such a pretty tree there, and it looks +so pleasant on the bank. I have some story papers that I promised +to read to the little girls, and that would be such a nice place for +reading. Won't you?" + +Norm stopped and looked down at her in astonishment, and some +embarrassment. "You can go over there without me," he said, at last; +"it isn't such a dreadful ways off; there's a plank across the stream +down there a ways, where it is narrow. Lots of girls go there." + +Nettie looked over at it timidly. She was honestly afraid of the water, +and nothing short of keeping Norm out of harm's way would have tempted +her to cross a plank, with the little girls for companions. She spoke +in genuine timidity. + +"I wouldn't like to go over there alone, with just the children. I am +not used to going about alone. Couldn't you go with us, for just a +little while? It will seem so nice to have a big brother to take care +of me." + +Something about it all seemed suddenly rather nice to Norm. He had +never been asked to take care of anybody before. He stood irresolutely +for a moment, then said lazily, "Well, I don't know as I care; bring on +your babies, then, and we'll go." + +Nettie sped back to the kitchen, dashed after the little girls and +their sunbonnets, saying to Mrs. Decker as she went: "Mother, would you +mind finishing the dishes? Norman is going to take the little girls and +me over to the big tree, and we are going to stay there awhile, and +read." + +"I'll finish,'em," said Mrs. Decker, comfort in her tone, and she +murmured, as she watched them away, Sate with her hand slipped inside +of Norm's, "I declare, I never see the beat of that girl in all my +life." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +A BARGAIN AND A PROMISE. + + +DURING the next few days work went on rapidly in the Decker home: +or, more properly speaking, in the room over Job Smith's barn. +Jerry developed such taste in the manufacture of furniture, or of +"skeletons," that Nettie grew alarmed lest there should never be found +clothing enough to cover them. However, matters in that respect began +to look brighter. Mrs. Job Smith, as she grew into an understanding of +the plan, dragged out certain old trunks from her woodhouse chamber and +looked them over. There were treasures in those trunks, which even Mrs. +Job herself had forgotten. A gay chintz dress of Job's mother's, which +had been saved by her daughter-in-law "she couldn't rightly tell for +what, only Job set store by it because it was his old mother's." Nettie +fairly clapped her hands in delight over it, and then blushed crimson +when she remembered it was not hers. + +"Well, now," said Mrs. Job, "I'll just tell you what it is. If you see +anything in life to do with these rolls of things, here is a bundle of +old muslin curtains, embroidered, you know, and dreadful pretty once, I +suppose, but they are all to pieces now. Mrs. Percival, a lady I used +to clear starch and iron for, gave them to me; paid me in that kind of +trash, you know, though what in the world she thought I could ever do +with them is more than I could imagine. But I was younger then than I +am now, and was kind of meek, and I lugged home the great roll and said +nothing; only I remember when I got home I just sat down on a corner +of the table and cried, I was so disappointed. I had expected to be +paid in money, and I had planned two or three things to surprise Job, +and they had to be given up. Well, as I was saying," she added, in a +brisker tone, having roused from her little dream of the past to watch +Nettie's fingers linger lovingly and wistfully among the rolls of soft +muslin, "they have never been the least mite of good to me. I have just +kept them because it didn't seem quite the thing to throw such pretty +soft stuff into the rag-bag, and they were dreadful poor trash to give +away; and Sarah Jane, she is tired of having them in the attic taking +up room, and if there is anything in life can be done with these things +in this trunk, I wish you would just go shares, and make some things +for me too. Sarah Jane would like it, first-rate." + +This sentence fairly made Nettie catch her breath. The treasures in +that trunk were so wonderful to her. "I could make such lovely things!" +she said, almost gasping out the words; "but, O Mrs. Smith, you can't +mean it! I'm afraid I oughtn't to." + +"Why, bless your heart, child, I tell you I don't know of a single +useful thing in that trunk; not one; it is just a pack of rubbish, now, +that's the truth; and if Sarah Jane has begged me once to let her sell +it to the rag pedlers, I believe she has twenty times." + +The bare thought of such a sacrifice as this almost made Nettie pale. +Also it settled her resolution and her conscience. She reached forward +and plunged into the delights of the despised trunk with a satisfied +air. "I will make you some of the prettiest things you ever saw in +your life," she said, with the air of one who knew she could do it. And +Mrs. Smith laughed, and watched her with admiring eyes, and told Sarah +Jane that she believed the child could do some things that other folks +couldn't. + +It was after the day's work was done, and the little girls were asleep, +and Nettie sat in the back door waiting for father and Norm, and +wishing that they had not gone down town again, that she had a chance +to say the few little words which she had made up her mind to say to +Jerry. While her hands had been busy over long seams of rag carpeting, +and over the wonderful trunk full of treasures, her thoughts had, much +of the time, been busy with other matters. Yesterday at noon she had +been sure that she should never go to that Sabbath-school again. By +night, after the quiet talk under the trees with Norm and the little +girls, she had not been so sure of it. The little girls could not go +without her, and they had learned sweet lessons that very day, which +had filled their young heads full of wondering thoughts, and they had +asked questions which had at least amused Norm, and which might set +him to thinking. In any case, ought she, because she had not been +happy in her class, to deprive the little girls of the help which the +Sabbath-school might be to them? Then how badly it would look to Norm, +and to her mother, if she went no more. And what would Jerry think? On +the whole, the longer she thought about it, the more she felt inclined +to believe that her decision might have been a hasty one, and it was +her duty to continue in that Sabbath-school, and even in that class, +at least until the superintendent placed her in some other. It was a +good deal of a trial to her to decide the question in this way, but she +could not make any other seem right. + +There had also been another question to decide, which had been harder, +and cost her more tears than the other. She was a very lonely little +girl, and it seemed hard to give up a friend. But this, too, seemed to +be the only right thing to do, so she made it known to Jerry in the +moonlight. + +"Do you know, Jerry, I have been thinking all day of something that I +ought to say to you?" + +"All right," said Jerry, whittling away at the stick which he was +fashioning into a proper shape to do duty as a towel rack for Mrs. Job +Smith's kitchen towel. "Go ahead, this is a good time to say it." +And he held the stick up and took a scientific squint at it in the +moonlight. "This thing would work better if the wood were a little +softer. I am going to make one for your mother if it is a success, and +it will be. Now what is your news?" + +"It isn't news," said Nettie, "it is only something that I have made +up my mind I ought to say. Jerry, I think, that is, I don't think, I +mean"-- And there she stopped. + +"Just so," said Jerry, nodding his head gravely, "that is plain, I am +sure, and interesting; I agree with you entirely." After that, both of +them had to laugh a little, and the story did not get on. + +"But I truly mean it," Nettie said at last, her face growing grave +again, "and I ought to say it. What I want to tell you is, that I have +made up my mind that you and I must not be friends any more." + +Jerry did not laugh now, he did not even whistle. His knife suddenly +stopped, and he squared around to get a full view of her face. + +"What!" he said at last, as though he did not think it possible that he +could have understood her. + +"Yes," she said firmly, "I mean it, Jerry, and it is real hard to say; +you and I ought not to be friends, or, I mean we must not let folks +know that we are friends. We mustn't take walks together, nor work +together. I don't mean that I shall not like you all the same; but we +mustn't have anything to do with each other." + +"Why not, pray? Have I done anything to make you ashamed of me? I'll +try to behave myself, I'm sure." + +This was so ridiculous that Nettie could not help smiling a little. + +"O, Jerry!" she said, "you know better than to talk in that way. It +sounds strange, I know, and it is real hard to do, but I am sure it is +right, and we must do it." + +"But what in the world is the trouble? Can't you give a fellow a reason +for things? Is it your brother who doesn't like it?" + +"O no! Norm likes you; and mother is as much obliged to you as she can +be, for getting him to go a-fishing. But, you see, it is bad for you to +be my friend." + +"Oh-ho! I don't believe your influence is very hard on me; I don't feel +as though you had led me very far astray!" + +"It isn't fun, Jerry, it is sober earnest. I have heard things said +that set me to thinking. I overheard the girls talk! those girls in the +class, you know, yesterday. I guess they did not know I was there. They +talked about me a good deal. They said I had a last year's hat on, and +that is true, and my dress was only gingham, and washed at that." + +"Washed!" interrupted Jerry in bewilderment; "well, what of that? Would +they have had you wear it dirty?" + +But Nettie hastened on; she did not feel equal to explaining to him +the subtle distinction between a brand-new dress and one that had been +"done up." + +"They said a good deal more than that, Jerry, and it was all true. They +said I was nothing but a drunkard's daughter," and here Nettie found it +hard work to control the sob in her throat. + +"That is not true," said Jerry, indignantly. "Your father has not drank +a drop in three days." + +"Oh! but, Jerry, you know he does drink; and he has gone down town +to-night, and mother is sure that he will not come home sober. It is +all true, Jerry. I don't mean that I am going to give up. I shall try +for father all the time; and I think maybe he will reform, after a +while. And I won't forget our promise, and I know you won't; but it is +best for us not to act like friends. They talked about you, too; they +said you were handsome, and they used to like you; they thought you +were smart. But now you had begun to go with me, so you couldn't be +much. One of them said you were an Irish boy, that you had a real Irish +name. Are you Irish, Jerry?" + +"Not much! Or, hold on, I don't know but I am. Why, yes, my +great-grandmother came from the North of Ireland. Father is proud of +it, I remember." + +"Well, I don't care where you came from, you know. Nor whether you are +Irish, or Dutch, or what; I am only telling you what they said. They +told how you worked at Job Smith's for your board; and one of them said +your father had run away and left you." + +"Well, he has; run three thousand miles away, and left me, as sure as +time. But he means to run back again, when he gets ready." + +"I knew that wasn't true, Jerry; and I only tell you because I thought +you might want to speak about your father in a way that would show them +it wasn't so. But what I want to say is, that I know they will get all +over those feelings when they come to know you; and they will like +you, and invite you to places, if you don't go with me; but they won't +any of them have anything to do with me, on account of my father. And, +Jerry, I want you not to go with me, or talk with me any more." + +"Just so," said Jerry, in an unconcerned voice. "Do you think I am +making this stick too long for the frame? Our kitchen towels are pretty +wide. Well, now, see here, Miss Nettie Decker, you would not make a +very honest business woman if you went back on a square bargain in +that fashion. You and I settled it to be partners in a very important +business; and partners can't get along very well without speaking to +each other. There is no use in talking. You are several days too late. +The mischief is done. I'm your friend and fellow-laborer and partner in +the cabinet business, and the upholstery line, and all the other lines. +You will find me the hardest fellow to get rid of that ever was. I +don't shake off worth a cent. I shall take walks with you every chance +I can get; and shout to you from the woodshed window when you are over +home, and wait for you to come out when I think it is about time you +should appear, and be on hand in all imaginable places. Now I hope you +understand what sort of a fellow I am." + +If the boy had looked in Nettie's face just then, he would have seen a +sudden light flash over it which carried away a good deal of the look +of patient endurance which it had worn for the last few hours. Still +her voice was full of earnestness. + +"But, Jerry, they will not have anything to do with you if you act +so. By and by they will not even speak to you. And they won't invite +you to their parties, nor anywhere. There is going to be a party next +week, and I think you would have been invited if you hadn't gone with +me Sunday; now I am afraid you won't be." And now Jerry whistled a few +rollicking notes. + +"All right," he said in a cheery tone. "If there is any one thing more +than another that I don't like to go to, it is a girls' party where +they make believe act like silly, grown-up men and women. I know just +about what kind of a party those girls in that class would get up. If +you have been the means of saving me from an invitation, it is just +another thing to thank you for. Look here, Nettie, let us make another +bargain, sober earnest, not to be broken. I don't care a red cent for +the girls, nor their invitations, nor their bows; I would just as soon +they did not know me when they met me as not. If that is their game, I +shall like nothing better than to meet them half-way; girls who would +know no better than to talk the way they did about you, are not to my +liking. If because you wear clothes that are neat and nice and the best +you can afford, and because I am an Irish boy and work for my board, +are good reasons for not having anything to do with us, why, we will +return the favor and not have anything to do with them, for better +reasons than they have shown. Let's drop them. I thought some of them +would be good friends to you, maybe, and help you to have a nice time; +but they are not of the right sort, it seems. You and I will have just +as good times as we can get up. And we will bow to them if they bow to +us; if they don't we will let them pass. What is settled is, that we +are bound to work out this thing together. Understand?" + +"Yes," said Nettie, with a little soft laugh, "I understand, and I +don't believe I ought to let you do it. But you don't know how nice it +is; and I can't tell you how lonesome I felt when I thought I ought not +to talk with you any more." + +"I should like to see you help yourself," said Jerry, in a complacent +tone. "You would find it the hardest work you ever did in your life not +to talk to me, when I should keep up a regular fire of questions of all +sorts and sizes." + +Then Nettie laughed outright, but added, after a moment of silence, +"But, Jerry, I think the worst of it is about father; and that is true, +you know. They might not think so much about the clothes, if it were +not for him." + +"That has nothing to do with it," said Jerry sturdily. "You are not to +blame for your father's drinking liquor. Wouldn't you stop it quick +enough if you could? It is only another reason why they ought to be +friends to you. Besides, there wouldn't be so much of the stuff for +folks to drink, if Lorena Barstow's father did not make it." + +"O Jerry! does he?" + +"Yes, he does. Owns one of the largest distilleries in the country." + +"Jerry, I think I would rather have my father drink liquor than make it +for other folks. At least he doesn't make money out of other people's +troubles." + +"So would I, enough sight," said Jerry with emphasis. Then he lifted +up his voice in answer to Mrs. Job Smith who appeared in the adjoining +door. "All right, auntie, we are coming." And he carefully gathered the +chips he had whittled, into his handkerchief, and rose up. + +"Going over now, Nettie? I guess auntie thinks it is time to lock up." + +Nettie darted within for a few minutes, then appeared, and they crossed +the yard together. As they stepped on the lower step of Mrs. Smith's +porch, Jerry said: "Remember this is a bargain forever and aye, Nettie; +there is to be no backing out, and no caring for what folks say, or for +what happens, either now or afterwards. Do you promise?" + +"I promise," said Nettie with a smile. And they went into the clean +kitchen. Before Jerry went to bed that night he took out of the fly +leaf of his Bible the picture of a tall man, and kissed it, as he said +aloud: "So you have run away and left your poor little Irish boy, have +you? But when you run back again, won't they all be glad to see you, +though!" + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +PLEASURE AND DISAPPOINTMENT. + + +THE day came at last when the front room at the Deckers was put in +order. I don't suppose you have any idea how pretty that room looked +when the last tack was driven, and the last fold in the curtain +twitched into place! The rag carpet was very bright. "I put a good many +red and yellows in it," said Mrs. Smith, "and now I know why I did it. +It is just bright enough for this room. I don't see how you two could +have got it down as firm as you have." + +"Nettie managed it," said Mrs. Decker, "she is a master hand at putting +down carpets." + +The furniture was done and in place, and certainly did justice to the +manufacturers. There were two "sofas" with backs which were so nicely +padded that they were very comfortable things to lean against, and the +gay-flowered goods that had looked "so horrid" in a dress that Mrs. +Smith could never bring herself to wear it, proved to be just the thing +for a sofa-cover. Between the windows was a very marvel of a table. +Nobody certainly to look at it, draped in the whitest of muslin, with +a pink cambric band around its waist, covered with the muslin, and +looking as much like pink ribbon as possible, would have imagined that +a square post, about six inches in diameter, and two feet long, with +a barrel head securely nailed to each end, was the "skeleton" out of +which all this prettiness was evolved. "And mine is as like it as two +peas," said Mrs. Smith, "only mine is tied with blue ribbon. Who would +have thought such things could be made out of what they had to work +with! I declare them two young things beat all!" This time she meant +Nettie and Jerry, not the two tables. + +The curtains for which, after much consideration, cheap unbleached +muslin had been chosen, when their pinkish lambrequins of the same +gay-flowered goods as the sofas, had been cut and scalloped, and put in +place, were almost pretty enough to justify the extravagant admiration +which they called forth. But the crowning glory was, after all, a +chair which occupied the broad space between the window and the door. +It was cushioned, back, and sides, and arms; it was dressed in a robe +which had belonged to Job Smith's grandmother. It was delightful to +look at, and delightful to sit in. Mrs. Decker declared that the first +time she sat down in it, she felt more rested than she had in three +years. + +Those two barrel chairs were triumphs of art. Jerry had been a week +over the first one, planning, trying, failing, trying again; Nettie had +seen one once, in the room of a house where she used to go sometimes +to carry flowers to a sick woman. She had admired it very much, and +the lady herself had told her how it was made, and that her nephew, +a boy of sixteen, made it for her. Now, although Jerry was not a boy +of sixteen, he had no idea there lived one of that age who could +accomplish anything which he could not; so he persevered, and I must +say his success was complete. Mrs. Smith believed there never was such +a wonderful chair made, before. + +Jerry who had been missing for the last half-hour, now appeared, and +with long strides reached the nice little mantel and set thereon a +lamp, not very large, but new and bright. + +"That belongs to the firm," he said, in answer to Nettie's look. "I saw +a lamp the other day that I knew would just fit nicely on that mantel, +and I couldn't rest until I had tried it." + +Nettie's cheeks were red. She glanced over at her mother to see how she +would like this. Nettie did not know whether a poor boy's money ought +to be taken to provide a lamp for the new room; she much doubted the +propriety of it. "The first money I earn, or father gives me, I can pay +him back," she thought, then gave herself up to the enjoyment of her +new treasure. + +None of them had planned to give a reception that evening, yet I do not +know but such an unusual state of things as was found at the Deckers +about eight o'clock, is worthy of so dignified a name. Mr. Decker and +Norm came in to supper together, and both a little late. Nettie had +trembled over what kept them, and her heart gave a great bound of +relief and thanksgiving, when they appeared at last, none the worse +for liquor. Indeed, she did not think either of them had taken even +a glass of beer. They were in good humor; a bit of what Mr. Decker +called "extra good luck" had fallen to him in the shape of a piece of +work which it was found he could manage better than any other hand in +the shop, and for which extra wages were to be paid. And Norm had been +told that he was quite a success in a certain line of work. "He kept me +after hours to give the new boy a lift," said Norm, good-naturedly; "he +said I knew how to do the work, and how to tell others better than the +other fellows." + +It was a good time for Mrs. Decker to tell what had been going on in +the square room, or rather to hint at it, and tell them when supper was +over, they should go in and see. "Nannie and I haven't been folding our +hands while you have been working," she said with a complacent air, and +a smile for Nettie as warmed that little girl's heart, making her feel +it would not be a hard thing to love this new mother a great deal. + +So after supper they went in. I suppose you can hardly understand or +imagine their surprise; because, you see, you have been used all your +life to nicely arranged rooms. For Mr. Decker it stirred old memories. +There had been a time when his best room if not so fine as this, was +neat and clean, with many comforts in it. "Well, I never," he began, +and then his voice choked, and he stopped. + +However, Norm could talk, and expressed his surprise and pleasure in +eager words. "Where did you get the table, and the gimcracks around +that chair? _Is_ that a chair, or a sofa, or what? Halloo! here's a new +lamp. Let's have it lighted and see how it works. I tell you what it +is, Nannie Decker, I guess you're a brick and no mistake." + +Then father was coaxed to sit down in the barrel chair, and try its +strength and its softness, and guess what it was made of. And the +little girls stood at his knee and put in eager words as to the effect +that they helped, and altogether, there was such a time as that family +had not known before. + +Just as Nettie was explaining that it was dark enough to try the lamp, +and Norm went for a match, Mrs. Smith made her way across the yard, and +who should march solemnly behind her but Job Smith himself! + +"Come right along," said Mrs. Decker heartily, as the new lamp threw a +silvery light across the room. "Come and try the new sofa. Here, Mr. +Smith, is a chair for you, if that is too low. Decker, he's got the +seat of honor; Nettie said her pa must have the first chance in it." + +The name "Nettie" seemed to slip naturally from Mrs. Decker's tongue; +she had heard Jerry use it so often during the past few days, that it +was beginning to seem like the proper name of that young woman. Mr. +Smith sat down, slowly, solemnly, in much doubt what to do or say next. + +"Well, Neighbor Decker, these young folks of ours are busy people, +ain't they, and seem to be getting the upper hand of us?" Then he +laughed, a slow, pleasant laugh. Mrs. Smith laughed a round, admiring +satisfied laugh; she was _very_ proud of Job for saying that. Then they +fell into conversation, the two men, about the signs of the times as +regarded business, and prices, and various interests. Mr. Decker was +a good talker, and here lay some of his temptations; there was always +somebody in the saloons to talk with; there was never anybody in his +home. Jerry came, presently, to admire the room and the lamp, and +to have a little aside talk with Nettie. Norm was trying one of the +lounges near them. + +"How did you make this thing?" he asked Jerry, and Jerry explained, +and Norm listened and asked a question now and then, until presently +he said, "I know a thing that would improve it; the next time you make +one, try it and see." + +"What is that?" asked Jerry. + +"Why, look here, in this corner where you put the crossbar, if you +should take a narrower piece, so, and fit it in here so," and the sofa +was unceremoniously turned upside down and inside out, and planned +over, Jerry in his turn becoming listener until at last he said: "I +understand; I mean to fix this one, some day." + +Nettie nodded, her eyes bright; it was not about the sofa that they +shone; it gave her such intense pleasure as perhaps you cannot +understand, to see her father sitting beside Mr. Smith, talking +eagerly, and her mother and Mrs. Smith having a good time together, +and Jerry and Norm interested in each other. "It is exactly like other +folks!" she said to Jerry, later, "and I don't believe either father or +Norm will go down street to-night." And they didn't. + +It was a very happy girl who went over to Mrs. Smith's woodhouse +chamber to sleep that night. She sang softly, while she was getting +ready for rest; and as often as she looked out of the window towards +the square room in the next house, she smiled. It looked so much +better than she had ever hoped to make it; and father and Norm had +seemed so pleased, and they had all spent such a pleasant evening. + +Alas for Nettie! All the next day her happiness lasted. She sang over +her work; she charmed the little girls with stories. She made an apple +pudding for dinner, she baked some choice potatoes for supper; but +they were not eaten, at least only by the little girls. They waited +until seven o'clock, and half-past seven, and eight o'clock for the +father and brother who did not come. Jerry, who stopped at the door +and learned of the anxiety, slipped away to try to find out what kept +them; but he came back in a little while with a grave face and shook +his head. Both had left their shops at the usual time; nobody knew what +had become of them. Jerry could guess, so also could Mrs. Decker. The +poor woman was too used to it to be very much astonished; but Nettie +was overwhelmed. She ate no supper; she did not sing at all over the +dishwashing. She watched every step on the street, and turned pale at +the sound of passing voices. She put the little girls to bed, and cried +over their gay chatter. She coaxed her sad-faced mother to go to bed +at last, and drew a long sigh of relief when she went into her bedroom +and shut the door. It had been so dreadful to hear her say: "I told you +so; I knew just how it would be. They will both come staggering home. +It's of no use." + +Nettie did not believe it. She believed that work somewhere was holding +them; people often had extra work to do, or were sent on errands, but +she went at last over to the woodhouse chamber; it would not do to keep +the Smiths up longer. Instead of making ready for bed, she kneeled down +before the little window which gave her a view of the next house, and +watched and waited. They came at last; father and son; not together. +Norm came first, and stumbled, and shuffled, and growled; his voice was +thick, and the few words she could catch had no connection or sense. He +had too surely been drinking. But he was not so far gone as the father. +_He_ had to be helped along the street by some of his companions; he +could not hold himself upright while they opened the door. And when +the gentle wind blew it shut again, he swore a succession of oaths +which made Nettie shudder and bury her face in her hands. But she +did not cry. It was the first time in her young life that her heart +was too heavy for tears. She drew great deep sighs as she went about, +at last, preparing for bed; she wished that the tears would come, for +the choking feeling might be relieved by them; but the tears seemed +dried. She tossed about on her neat little bed, in a sorrow very unlike +childhood. Poor, disappointed Nettie! + +The sun shone brightly the next morning, but there was no brightness in +the little girl's heart. She was early down stairs, and stole away to +the next house without seeing anybody. Mrs. Decker was up, with a face +as wan as Nettie's. + +"Well," she said, in a hopeless tone, "it's all over. Did you hear them +come in last night? Both of 'em. If it had been one at a time, we could +have stood it better; but both of 'em! I _did_ have a little hope, as +sure as you live. Your pa seemed so different by spells, and Norm, he +seemed to like you, and to stay at home more, and I kind of chirked up +and thought may be, after all, good times was coming to me; but it's +all of no use; I've give up; and it seems to me it would have been +easier to have stayed down, than to have crept up, to tumble back. + +"Not that I'm blaming you, child," she said, "you did your best, and +you did wonders; and I think sometimes, maybe if I had made such a +brave shift as that in the beginning, things wouldn't have got where +they have. But I didn't, and it's too late now." + +Not a word had Nettie to say. It was a sad breakfast-time. Mr. Decker +shambled down late, and had barely time to swallow his coffee very hot, +and take a piece of bread in his hand, for the seven o'clock bells were +ringing, and punctuality was something that was insisted on by his +foreman. Norm came later, and ate very little breakfast, and looked +miserable enough to be sent back to bed again. Nettie only saw him +through a crack in the door; she stayed out in the little back yard, +pretending to put it in order. He made his stay very short, and went +away without a word to mother or sister; and the heavy burden of life +went on. Mrs. Decker prepared to do the big ironing which yesterday +she had been glad over, because it would give them a chance to have +an extra comfort added to the table; but which to-day seemed of very +little importance. + +Nettie washed the dishes, and wished she was at Auntie Marshall's, +and tried to plan a way for getting there. What was the use of staying +here? Hadn't she tried her very best and failed? didn't the mother say +it was harder for her than though they hadn't tried at all? + +In the course of the morning, Mrs. Smith sent in a basket of corn. +Sarah Jane brought it. "Some folks on a farm that mother ironed for, +when they lived in town, sent her a great basket full; heaps more than +we can use, and mother said it would be just the thing for your men +folks; they always like corn, you know." + +Mrs. Decker took the basket without a smile on her face. "Your mother +is a very kind woman," she said, "the kindest one I ever knew; in fact, +I haven't known many kind people, and that's the truth. She has done +all she could to help us, but I don't know as we can be helped; it +seems as though some people couldn't." + +Sarah Jane went back and told her mother that Mrs. Decker seemed +dreadful downhearted and discouraged; and Mrs. Smith replied with a +sigh that she didn't know as she wondered at it; poor thing! Nettie +made the dinner as nice as she could. Mr. Decker ate with a relish, +and said the corn was good, and he had sometimes thought that the bit +of ground back of the house might be made to raise corn; and Nettie +brightened a little, and looked over at Norm and was just going to say, +"Let's have a garden next summer," when he spoiled it by declaring that +he wouldn't slave in a garden for anybody. It was hard enough to work +ten hours a day. Then his father told him that he guessed he did not +hurt himself with work; and he retorted that he guessed they neither +of them would die with over-work; and his father told him to hold his +tongue. In short, nothing was plainer than that these two were ashamed +of themselves, and of each other, and were much move irritable than +they had been for several days. + +The afternoon work was all done, and Nettie had just hung up her +apron, and wondered whether she should offer to iron for awhile, or +run away to the woodhouse chamber, and write to Auntie Marshall, when +Jerry appeared in the door. She had not seen him since the sorrow of +the night before had come upon them; Nettie thought he avoided coming +in, because he too was discouraged. Her face flushed when she heard +his step, and she wished something would happen so that she need not +turn around to him. She felt so ashamed of her own people, and of his +efforts to help them. His voice, however, sounded just as usual. + +"Through, Nettie? Then come out on the back step; I want to talk with +you." + +"There is no use in talking," she said, sadly. But she followed him +out, and sat down listlessly on the broad low step, which the jog in +Mr. Smith's house shaded from the afternoon sun. + +Jerry took no notice of the words if indeed he heard them. + +"I heard some news this morning," he began. "Two of the older boys at +the corner, that one in Peck's store, you know, and the one next door +told me that a lot of fellows were going off to-night on what he called +a lark. They have hired a boat, and are going to row across to Duck +Island, and catch some fish and have a supper in that mean little hole +which is kept on the island; they mean to make an all-night of it. I +don't know what is to be done next; play cards, I suppose; they do, +whenever they get together, and lots of drinking. It is a dreadful +place. Well, I heard, by a kind of accident, that they thought of +asking Norm to join 'em. At first they said they wouldn't, because he +wouldn't be likely to have any money to help pay the bills; but then +they remembered that he was a good rower, and thought they would get +his share out of him in that way; and I say, Nettie, let's spoil their +plans for them." + +"How?" asked Nettie, drearily. + +Jerry talked on eagerly. "I have a plan; I rented a boat for this +afternoon, and was going to ask Mrs. Decker to let me take you and +the chicks for a ride, and I meant to catch some fish for our supper; +but this will be better. I propose to invite Norm and two fellows +that he goes with some, to go out with me, fishing. I have a splendid +fishing rig, you know, and I'll lend it to them, and help them to have +a good time, and then if you will plan a kind of treat when we get +back--coffee, you know, and fish, and bread and butter, we could have +a picnic of our own and as much fun as they would get with that set +on the island. I believe Norm would go; he is just after a good time, +you see, and if he gets it in this way, he will like it as well, maybe +better, than though he spent the night at it and got the worst of +his bargain. Anyhow, it is worth trying; if we can save him from this +night's work it will be worth a good deal. Don't you think so?" + +Instead of the hearty, "yes, indeed," which he expected, Nettie said +not a word; and when he turned and looked at her, to learn what was the +matter, her face was red and the tears were gathering in her eyes. + +"Don't you know what has happened?" she asked at last. "I thought I +heard you in your room last night when he came home." + +"Yes," said Jerry, speaking gravely, "I was up. What of it?" + +"What of it? O Jerry!" and here the tears which had been choking poor +Nettie all day had it their own way for a few minutes. She had not +meant to cry; but she felt at once how quickly the tears relieved the +lump in her throat. + +"I don't mean that, exactly," Jerry said, after waiting a minute for +the sobs to grow less deep, "of course it was a great trouble, and I +have been so sorry for Mrs. Decker all day that I wanted to stay away, +because I could not think of the right thing to say; but it's only +another reason why we should work and plan in all ways to get ahead of +them and save Norm." + +"O Jerry! don't you think it is too late?" + +"Too late! What in the world can you mean? Has anything happened to-day +that I haven't heard of? Where is Norm? Has he gone away anywhere?" + +"O, no," said Nettie, "he has gone to work; but I mean--I +meant--doesn't it all seem to you of no use at all? After we worked so +hard and got everything nice, and he seemed so pleased, and stayed at +home all the evening and talked with us, and then the very next night +to come home like that!" + +Jerry stared in blank astonishment. + +"I don't believe I understand," he said at last. "You did not think +that Norm was going to reform the very minute you did anything pleasant +for him, did you?" + +"N-no," said Nettie slowly, "I don't suppose I did; but it all seemed +so dreadful! I expected something, I hardly know what, and I could not +help feeling disappointed and miserable." Nettie's face was growing +red; she began to suspect she might be a very foolish girl. + +"Why, that is queer," said Jerry. "Now I am not disappointed a bit. +I am sorry, of course, but I expected just that thing. Why, Nettie, +they go after men sometimes for months and years before they get real +hold and are sure of them. There is a lawyer in New York that father +says kept three men busy for five years trying to save him. They didn't +succeed, either, but they got him to go to the One who could save him. +He is a grand man now. Suppose they had given up during those five +years!" + +"Do you think it may take five years to get hold of Norm?" There were +tears in Nettie's eyes, but there was a little suggestion of a smile on +her face, and she waited eagerly for Jerry's answer. + +"I'm sure I hope not," he said, "but if it does, we are not to give him +up at the end of five years; nor _before_ five years, that is certain." + +Nettie wiped the tears away, and smiled outright; then sat still in +deep thought for several minutes. Then she arose, decision and energy +on her face. + +"Thank you, Jerry; I wish you had come in this morning. I have been a +goose, I guess, and I almost spoiled what we tried to do. We'll get +up a nice supper if you can get Norm and the others to come. I don't +believe they will, but we can try. We have coffee enough to make a nice +pot of it, and Mrs. Smith sent us some milk out of that pail from the +country that is almost cream. I will make some baked potato balls, they +are beautiful with fish; all brown, you know; and I was going to make +a johnny-cake if I could get up interest enough in it. I'm interested +now, and I shouldn't wonder if I staid so," and she blushed and laughed. + +"You see," said Jerry, "you must not expect things to be done in a +minute. Why, even God doesn't do things quickly, when he could, as well +as not. And he doesn't get tired of people, either; and that I think is +queer. Have you ever thought that if you were God, you would wipe most +all the people out of this world in a second, and make some new ones +who could behave better?" + +"Why, no," said Nettie, wonderment and bewilderment struggling together +in her face, this strange thought sounded almost wicked to her. "Well, +I do," said Jerry sturdily; "I have often thought of it; I believe +almost any _man_ would get out of patience with this old world, full +of rum saloons, and gambling saloons and tobacco. I think it is such a +good thing that men don't have the management of it. + +"I'll tell you what it is, Nettie, we shall have a pretty busy +afternoon if we carry out our plans, won't we? Suppose you go and talk +the thing up with your mother, and I will go and see what Norm says. +Or, hold on, suppose we go together and call on him; I'll ask him to go +fishing, and you ask him to bring his friends home to eat the fish. How +would that do?" + +It was finally agreed that that would do beautifully, and Jerry went to +see whether his long flat stick fitted, while Nettie ran to her mother. +Mrs. Decker was ironing, her worn face looking older and more worn, +Nettie thought, than she had ever seen it before. Poor mother! Why had +not she helped her to bear her heavy burden, instead of almost sulking +over failure? + +"O, mother," she began, "Jerry has a plan, and we want to know what you +think of it; he has heard of things that are to be done this evening." +And she hurried through the story of the intended frolic on the island, +and the fishing party that was, if possible, to be pushed in ahead. +Mrs. Decker listened in silence, and at first with an uninterested +face; presently, when she took in the largeness of the plan, she stayed +her iron long enough to look up and say: + +"What's the use, child? I thought you and Jerry had given up." + +"O, mother," and the cheeks were rosy red now, "I'm ashamed that I felt +so discouraged; Jerry isn't at all; and he thinks it is the strangest +thing that I should have been! He says they have to work for years, +sometimes, to get hold of people. He knew a man that they kept working +after for five years, and now he is a grand man. He says we must hold +on to Norm if it is five years, though I don't believe it will be. I'm +going to begin over again, mother, and not get discouraged at anything. +It is true, as Jerry says, that we can't expect Norm to reform all +in a minute. He says the boys that Norm goes with the most are not +bad fellows, only they haven't any homes, and they keep getting into +mischief, because they have nowhere to go to have any pleasant times. +Don't you think Norm would like it to have them asked home with him to +supper, and show them how to have a real good time? Jerry says the two +boys that he means board at a horrid place, where they have old bread +and weak tea for supper, and where people are smoking and drinking in +the back end of the room while they are eating. I am sure I don't know +as it is any wonder that they go to the saloons sometimes." + +Mrs. Decker still held her iron poised in air, on her face a look that +was worth studying. "Norm hasn't ever had a decent place to ask anybody +to, nor a decent time of any kind since he was old enough to care much +about it," she said slowly. "I thought I had done about my best, but +it may be I'll find myself mistaken. Well, child, let's try it, for +mercy's sake, or anything else that that boy thinks of. You and him +together are the only ones that's done any thinking for Norm in years; +and if I don't go half-way and more too for anybody that wants to do +anything, it will be a wonder." + +In a very few minutes Nettie was in her neat street dress, and the two +were walking down the shady side of the main street, toward Norm's +shop. They passed Lorena Barstow, and though Jerry, without thinking, +took off his cap to her, she tossed her head and looked the other way. + +Jerry laughed. "I did not know she was so nearsighted as all that, did +you?" he asked, and then continued the sentence which the sight of her +had interrupted. Nettie could not laugh; she was sore over the thought +that she had so spoiled Jerry's life for him that his old acquaintances +would not bow to him on the street. + +Norm was at work, and worked with energy; they stood and looked at him +through the window for a few minutes. "He works fast," said Jerry, "and +he works as though he would rather do it than not; Mr. Smith says there +isn't a lazy streak in him. He ought to make a smart man, Nettie; and I +shouldn't wonder if he would." + +Then they went in. To say that Norm was astonished at sight of them, +would be to tell only half the story. He stood in doubt what to say, +but Jerry was equal to the occasion; nothing could have been more +matter-of-course than the way in which he told about his plans for +going fishing, declaring that the afternoon was prime for such work, +and that he was tired of going alone. "Wouldn't Norm and his two +friends go too?" Now a ride in a boat was something that Norm rarely +had. In the first place, boats cost money, and in the second place they +took time. To be sure, after working hours, there was time enough for +rowing, but boats were sure to be scarce then, even if money had been +plenty. + +Norm wiped his face with a corner of his work-apron, and admitted that +he would like to go, first-rate, but did not know as he could get away. +They were not over busy it was true, neither was the foreman troubled +with good nature; he would be next to certain to say no, if Norm asked +to be let off at five o'clock. + +"Let's try him," said Jerry, and he walked boldly to the other side of +the room where the foreman stood. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A COMPLETE SUCCESS. + + +THIS man was a friend of Jerry's; it was only two weeks ago that he +had done him a good turn, in finding and bringing home his stray cow. +He was perfectly good-natured, and found no fault at all with Norm's +leaving the shop at five; in fact he said he was glad to have the boy +leave in such good company. + +"Would the others go?" Nettie questioned eagerly, and Norm, laughing, +said he reckoned they would go quick enough if they got a chance; +invitations to take boat rides were not so plenty that they could +afford to lose them. + +Then was time for Nettie's great surprise. + +"And, Norm, will you bring them all home to supper with you? I'll have +everything ready to cook the fish in a hurry as soon as you get into +the house, and you can visit in the new room until they are ready." + +Now indeed, I wish you could have seen Norm! It never happened to him +before to have a chance to invite anybody home to supper with him. He +looked at Nettie in silent bewilderment for a minute; he even rubbed +his eyes as though possibly he might be dreaming; but she looked so +real and so trim, and so sure of herself standing there quietly waiting +his answer, that at last he stammered out: + +"What do you mean, Nannie? You aren't in dead earnest?" + +"Why, of course," said Nettie, deciding in a flash upon her plan of +action; she would do as Jerry had, and take all this as a matter of +course. "I'm going to make a lovely johnny-cake for supper, and some +new-fashioned potatoes, and we have cream for the coffee. You shall +have an elegant supper; only be sure you catch lots of fish." + +It was all arranged at last to their satisfaction, and the two +conspirators turned away to get ready for their part of the business. + +"Norm liked it," said Jerry. "Couldn't you see by his face that he did? +I believe we can get hold of him after awhile, by doing things of this +kind; things that make him remember he has a home, and pleasant times, +like other boys." + +If Jerry had waited fifteen minutes he might have been surer of that +even than he was. Norm's second invitation followed hard on the first; +and Norm, who felt a little sore over certain meannesses of the night +before, and who knew his foreman was within hearing and would be sure +to object to this young fellow who had come to ask him to go to the +island, answered loftily: "Can't do it; I've promised to go out fishing +with a party; and besides, our folks are going to have company to tea." + +Company to tea! He almost laughed when he said it. How very strange the +sentence sounded. + +"O, indeed," said Jim Noxen from the saloon. "Seems to me you are +getting big." + +"It sounds like it," said Norman. "I wonder if I am?" But this he said +to himself; for answer to the remark, he only laughed. + +"If I had a chance to keep company with a young fellow like Jerry, and +a trim little woman like that sister of yours, I guess I wouldn't often +be found with the other set." + +This the foreman said, with a significant nod of his head toward the +young fellow who represented the other set. And this, too, had its +influence. + +Jerry and Nettie had a glimpse of one of Norm's friends as they passed +his shop on their homeward way. + +"He has a good face," said Nettie. "Poor fellow! Hasn't he any home at +all? Don't you wish we could get hold of him so close that he would +help us? He looks as though he might." + +Then she stepped into the boat and floated idly around, while Jerry ran +for the oars; and while she floated, she thought and planned. There was +a great deal to be done, both then and afterwards. + +"I wish you could go with us and catch a fish," said Jerry, as he saw +how she enjoyed the water, "but maybe it wouldn't be just the thing." + +"I know it wouldn't," said Nettie; "besides, who would make the +johnny-cake, and the potato balls? There is a great deal to be done to +make things match, when you are catching fish." + +The fishing party was a complete success. Jerry said afterwards that +the very fish acted as though they were in the secret and were bound +to help. He had never seen them bite so readily. By seven o'clock, the +boat was headed homeward, with more fish than even four hungry boys +could possibly eat. + +"Now for supper," said Norm, who with secret delight had thought +constantly of the surprise in store for Alf and Rick. "Boys, I'm going +to take you home with me and show you what a prime cook my little +sister is. We'll have these fish sizzling in a pan quicker than you +have any notion of; and she knows how to sizzle them just right; +doesn't she, Jerry?" + +But Jerry was spared the trouble of a reply, for Alf with incredulous +stare said, "You're gassing now." + +"No, I'm not gassing. You can come home with me, honor bright, and you +shall have such a supper as would make old Ma'am Turner wild." + +Old Ma'am Turner, poor soul, was the woman who kept the wretched +boarding house where these homeless boys boarded, and she really did +know how to make things taste a little worse, probably, than any one +you know of. + +"What'll your mother say to your bringing folks home to supper?" +questioned Rick, looking as incredulous as his friend. "She'll give us +a hint of broomstick, I reckon, if we try it." + +"Well," said Norm, unconcernedly, dipping the oar into the water, "try +it and see, if you are a mind to, that's all I've got to say. I ain't +going to force you to eat fish; but I promise you a first-class meal of +them if you choose to come." + +"Oh! we'll go," said Alf, with a giggle; "if we are broomed out the +next second, we'll try it, just to see what will come of it. Things is +queerer in this world than folks think, often; now I didn't believe +a word of it, when you said we was going out in a boat to-night; I +thought it was some of your nonsense; and here the little fellow has +treated us prime." + +The "little fellow" was Jerry, who smiled and nodded in honor of his +compliment, but said nothing; he resolved to let Norm do the honors +alone. + +They went with long strides to the Decker home, Jerry waiting to fasten +the boat and pay his bill. Each boy carried a fine string of fish of +his own catching; and appeared at the back door just as Nettie came out +to look. + +"O, what beauties!" she said, gleefully; "and such a nice lot of them! +I'm all ready and waiting. You go in, Norm, with your friends, and +we'll have them cooking as soon as we can." + +"Not much," said Norm, coming around to the board which she had +evidently gotten ready for cleaning the fish, and diving his hand in +his pocket in search of his jack-knife. "Let's fall to, boys, and clean +these fellows. I know how, and I think likely you do, and they'll taste +the better, like enough." + +"Just so," said Rick Walker, who owned the face that Nettie had decided +was a good one. "I'm agreeable; I know how to clean fish as well as the +next one; used to do it for mother, when I was a little shaver." + +Did the sentence end in a sigh, or did Nettie imagine it? All three +went to work with strong skilful hands, and Nettie hopped back and +forth bringing fresh water, and fresh plates, and feeling in her secret +heart very grateful to the boys for doing this, which she had dreaded. + +They were all done in a very short time, and each boy in turn had +washed his hands in the basin which shone, and then, the shining, or +the smoothness and beautiful cleanness of the great brown towel, or +something, prompted Rick to take fresh water and dip his brown face +into it, and toss the water about like a great Newfoundland dog. + +"I declare, that feels good!" he said. "Try it, Alf." And Alf tried it. + +Then Norm led the way to the new room. It would have done Nettie's +heart good if she had known how many times he had thought of that room +during the last hour. He knew it would be a surprise to the boys. They +had never seen anything but the Decker kitchen, and not much of that, +standing at the door to wait a minute for Norm, but the few glimpses +they had had of it, had not led them to suppose that there was any such +place in the house as this in which he was now going to usher them. +Their surprise was equal to the occasion. They stopped in the doorway, +and looked around upon the prettiness, the bright carpet, the delicate +curtains, the gay chairs! nothing like this was to be found at Ma'am +Turner's, nor in any other room with which they were familiar. + +"Whew!" said Rick, closing the word with a shrill whistle; "I think as +much!" said Alf. "Who'd have dreamed it. I say, Norm, you're a sly one; +why didn't you ever let on that you had this kind of thing?" + +How they entertained one another during that next hour, Nettie did +not know. Eyes and brain were occupied in the kitchen. Jerry came, +presently, but reported that they were getting on all right in the +front room, and he believed he could do better service in the kitchen; +so he set the table with a delicate regard for nicety which Nettie had +been taught at Auntie Marshall's, and which she knew he had not learned +at Mrs. Job Smith's. Sarah Jane was rigidly clean, but never what +Nettie called "nice." + +"We'll take the table in the front room," decreed Nettie as she +surveyed it thoughtfully for a few minutes. "It is very warm out here, +and they will like it better to be quite alone; we can put all the +dishes on, with the leaves down, and set them in their places in a +twinkling, after we have lifted it in there. Won't that be the way, +mother?" + +"Land!" said Mrs. Decker, withdrawing her head from the oven, whither +it had gone to see after the new-fashioned potato balls, "I should +think they could eat out here; you may depend they never saw so clean +a kitchen at old Ma'am Turner's. But it is hot here, and no mistake; +and I should not know what to do with myself while they was eating. +Please yourself, child, and then I'll be pleased. I'm going to save one +of these potatoes for your pa; I never see anything in my life look +prettier than they do." + +Mrs. Decker's tones told much plainer than her words, that she liked +Nettie's idea of putting the table in the front room for Norm's +company. She would not have owned it, but her mother-heart was glad +over a "fuss" being made for her Norm. + +So the table went in; Jerry at one end, and Nettie at the other. They +hushed a loud laugh by their entrance, but Jerry went immediately over +to Rick Walker to show a new-fashioned knife, and Nettie's fingers flew +over the table, so by the time the knife had been exhausted, she was +ready to vanish. + +Confess now that you would like to have had a seat at that table when +it was ready. A platter of smoking fish, done to the nicest brown, +without drying or burning; a bowl of lovely little brown balls, each of +them about the size of an egg, a plate of very light and puffy-looking +Johnny-cake, and to crown all, coffee that filled the room with such an +aroma as Ma'am Turner perhaps dreamed of, but never certainly in these +days smelled. Mrs. Job Smith at the last minute had sent in a pat of +genuine country butter, and Sate had flown to the grocery for a piece +of ice with which to keep it in countenance. + +Jerry set the chairs, and Nettie poured the coffee, and creamed and +sugared it, and then slipped away. + +She knew by the looks on the faces of the guests, that they were +astonished beyond words, and she knew that Norm was both astonished and +pleased. There was another supper being made ready in the kitchen. Mrs. +Decker had herself tugged in the box which had been lately set up as a +washbench, and spread the largest towel over it, and was serving three +lovely fish, and a bowl of potato balls for "Decker" and herself. + +"I guess I'm going to have company too," she said to Nettie, her face +beaming. "Your pa has gone to wash up, and I thought seeing there was +only two chairs, and two plates left, you wouldn't mind having him and +me sit down together, for a meal, first." + +"Yes, I do mind," said Nettie; "I think it is a lovely plan; I'm so +glad you thought of it, and Jerry and I will keep watch that they have +everything in the other room, while you eat." If you are wondering in +your hearts where those important beings, Sate and Susie, were at this +moment, I should have told you before, that Sarah Jane had a brilliant +thought, but an hour before, and carried them out to tea. So all the +Decker family were visiting that evening, save Nettie, and I think +perhaps she was the happiest among them all. Every time she heard a +burst of fresh fun from the front room, she laughed, too; it was so +nice to think that Norm was having a good time in his own home, and +nothing to worry over. + +It is almost a pity that, for her encouragement, she could not have +heard some of the conversation in that room. + +"I say, Norm," said his friend Alf, his tones muffled by reason of a +large piece of johnny-cake, "what an awful sly fellow you are! You +never let on that you had these kind of doings in your house. Who'd +have thought that you had a stunning room like this for folks, and +potatoes done up in brown satin, to eat, and coffee such as they get up +at the hotels! It beats all creation!" + +"That's so," said Rick, taking in a quarter of a fish at one mouthful, +"I never dreamed of such a thing; what beats me, is, why a fellow who +has such nice doings at home, wants to loaf around, and spend evenings +at Beck's, or at Steen's. Hang me if I don't think the contrast a +little too great. 'Pears to me if I had this kind of thing, I should +like to enjoy it oftener than Norm seems to." + +Norman smiled loftily on them. Do you think he was going to own that +"this kind of thing" had never been enjoyed in his home before, during +all the years of his recollection? Not he; he only said that folks +liked a change once in awhile, of course, and he only laughed when Rick +and Alf both declared that if they knew themselves, and they thought +they did, they would be content never to change back from this kind of +thing to Ma'am Turner's supper table so long as they lived. + +How those boys did eat! Nettie owned to herself that she was +astonished; and privately rejoiced that she had made four johnny-cakes +instead of three, though it had seemed almost extravagant until she +remembered that it would warm up nicely for breakfast. Not a crumb +would there be for breakfast. She had one regret and she told it to +Jerry as she went out to him on the back stoop, having poured the third +cup of coffee around, for the three in the front room. + +"Jerry, I am just afraid there won't be a speck of johnny-cake left for +you to taste. Those boys do eat so!" + +"Never mind," laughed Jerry. "We will eat the tail of a fish, if any +of them have a tail left, and rejoice over our success; this thing is +going to work, I believe, if we can keep it going." + +"That's the trouble," said Nettie, an anxious look in her eyes. "How +can we? Fish won't do every time; and there are no other things that +you can catch. Besides, even this has cost a great deal. I paid +eight cents for lard to fry the fish, and the butter and milk and +things would have cost as much as fifteen cents certainly. Mrs. Smith +furnished them this time, but of course such things won't happen again." + +"A great many things happen," said Jerry, wisely. "More than you can +calculate on. 'Never cross a bridge until you come to it, my boy.' +Didn't I tell you that was what my father was always saying to me? I +have found it a good plan, too, to follow his advice. Many a time I've +worried over troubles that never came. Look here, don't you believe +that if we are to do this thing and good is to come from it, we shall +be able to manage it somehow?" + +"Why, y-e-s," said Nettie, slowly, as though she were waiting to see +whether her faith could climb so high; "I suppose that is so." + +"Well, if good isn't going to come of it, do we want to do it?" + +"Of course not." + +"All right, then," with a little laugh. "What are we talking about?" +And Nettie laughed, and ran in to give her father his last cup of +coffee, and to hear him say that he hadn't had so good a meal in six +years. + +It was a curious fact that Susie and Sate were the chief movers in the +next thing that these young Fishers did to interest the particular fish +whom they were after. + +It began the next Sabbath morning in Sabbath-school. There, the little +girls heard with deep interest that on the following Sabbath there +was to be a service especially for the children. A special feature of +the day was to be the decoration of the church with flowers, which +the children were to bring on the previous Saturday. Susie and Sate +promised with the rest, that they would bring flowers. Promised in the +confident expectation of childhood that some way they could join the +others and do as they did; though both little girls knew that not a +flower grew in or about them. During the early part of the week they +forgot it, but on Saturday morning they stood in the little front yard +and saw a sight which recalled all the delights of the coming Sunday +in which they seemed to be having no share. The little girls from the +Orphanage on the hill were bringing their treasures. Even fat little +Karl who was only five, had a potted plant in full bloom, which he was +proudly carrying. Little Dutch Maggie, in her queer long apron, carried +a plant with lovely satiny leaves which were prettier than any bloom, +and behind her was Robert the Scotch gardener with his arms full; then +young Rob Severn, Miss Wheeler's nephew, had a lovely fuchsia just +aglow with blossoms, and Miss Wheeler herself, who was the matron at +the Orphanage, was carrying a choice plant. All these the hungry eyes +of Sate and Susie took in, as the procession passed the house, then +they ran wailing to Nettie who had already become the long suffering +person to whom they must pour out their woes. + +"We promised, we did," explained Sate, her earnest eyes fixed on +Nettie, while her arms clasped that young lady just as she was in the +act of throwing out her dishwater. "We did promise, and they will +'spect them, and they won't be there." + +"Well, but, darling, what made you promise, when you knew we had no +flowers? Mrs. Smith would give you some in a minute if hers were in +bloom. Why didn't they wait a little later, I wonder? Then Mrs. Smith +could have given us such lovely china-asters." + +"We must have some to-morrow," said the emphatic Susie, and she +fastened her black eyes on Nettie in a way that said: "Now you +understand what must be, I hope you will at once set about bringing it +to pass." + +Nettie could not help laughing. "If you were a fairy queen," she said, +"and could wave your wand and say, 'Flowers, bloom,' and they would +obey you, we should certainly have some; as it is, I don't quite see +how they are to be had. We have no friends to ask." + +"I can't help it," said Susie, positively, "we _promised_ to bring +some, and of course we must. You said, Nettie Decker, that we must +always keep our promises." + +"Now, Miss Nettie Decker, you are condemned!" said Jerry, with grave +face but laughing eyes; "something must evidently be done about this +business. Dandelions are gone, except the whiteheads, and they would +blow away before they got themselves settled in church, I am afraid. +Hold on, I have a thought, just a splendid one if can manage it; wait a +bit, Susie, and we will see what we can do." + +Susie, who was beginning to have full faith in this wise friend of +theirs, told Sate in confidence that they were going to have some +flowers to take to church, as well as the rest of them; she did not +know what Jerry was going to make them out of, but she knew he would +_make_ some. + +After that, Jerry was not seen again for several hours. In fact it +was just as the dinner dishes were washed, that he appeared with a +triumphant face. "Have you made some?" asked Sate, springing up from +her dolly and going toward him expectantly. + +"Made some what, Curly?" + +"Flowers," said Sate, gravely. "Susie said she knew you would." + +Jerry laughed. "Susie has boundless faith in impossibilities," he said. +"No, I haven't made the flowers, but I have the boat. That old thing +that leaked so, you know, Nettie; well, I've put it in prime order, and +got permission to use it, and if you and the chicks will come, we will +sail away to where they make flowers, and pick all we want; unless some +wicked fairy has whispered my bright thought to somebody else, and I +don't believe it, for I have seen no one out on the pond to-day." + +Then Sate, her eyes very large, went in search of Susie to tell her +that this wonderful boy had come to take them where flowers were made, +and to let them gather for themselves. + +"I suppose it is heaven," said Sate, gravely, "because the real truly +flowers, you know, God makes, and he has his things all up in heaven to +work with, I guess." + +"What a little goosie you are!" said Susie, curling her wise lip; "as +if Jerry Mack could take us to heaven!" + +However, she went at once to see about it, and was almost as much +astonished to think that they were really going out in a boat, as she +would have been if they were going to heaven. "I s'pose it's safe?" +said Mrs. Decker doubtfully, watching the light in the little girls' +eyes, and remembering how few pleasures had been offered them. + +"O, yes'm," said Jerry, "as safe as the road. I could row a boat, +ma'am, very well indeed, father said, when I was six years old; and you +couldn't coax that clumsy old thing to tip over, if you wanted it to; +and if it should, the water isn't up to my waist anywhere in the pond." + +Mrs. Decker laughed, and said it sounded safe enough; and went back to +her ironing, and the four happy people sailed away. If not to where the +pond lilies were made, at least to where they grew in all their wild +sweet beauty. + +"How very strange," said Nettie, as they leaned over the great rude, +flat-bottomed boat and pulled the beauties in; "how very strange that +no one has gathered these for to-morrow. Why, nothing could be more +lovely!" + +"Well," said Jerry, "only a few people row this way, because it isn't +the pleasantest part of the pond, you know, for rowing; and I guess no +one has remembered that the lilies were out; there don't many people, +only fishermen, go out on this pond, you know, because the boats are +so ugly; and fishermen don't care for flowers, I guess. Anyhow, they +haven't been here, for the buds are all on hand, just as I thought they +would be by this time, when I was here on Tuesday. But I never thought +of the church; so you see how little thinking is done." + +Well, they gathered great loads of the beauties, and rowed home in +triumph, and put the lilies in a tub of water, and sat down to consider +how best to arrange them. It was curious that Mrs. Job Smith should +have been the next one with an idea. + +"I should think," she said, standing in the doorway of her kitchen, her +hands on her sides, "I should think a great big salver of them laid +around in their own leaves, would be the prettiest thing in the world." + +"So it would," said Nettie, "the very thing, if we only had the salver." + +"Well, I've got that. Mrs. Sims, she gave me an old battered and +bruised one, when they were moving. It is big enough to put all the +cups and saucers on in town, almost; when I lugged it home, Job, he +wanted to know what on _earth_ I wanted of that, and says I, I don't +know, but she give it to me, and most everything in this world comes +good, if you keep it long enough. Sarah Ann, you run up to the corner +in the back garret and get that thing, and see what they'll make of it." + +So Sarah Ann ran. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +AN UNEXPECTED HELPER. + + +PERHAPS you do not see how the pond lilies, lovely as they were, +arranged on that salver, helped Jerry and Nettie in their plans for +Norm and his friends. But there is another part to that story. + +After the salver had been filled with sand, and covered with moss, and +soaked until it would absorb no more water, and the lilies had been +laid in so thickly that they looked like a great white bank of bloom, +the whole was lovely, as I said, but heavy. The walk to the church +was long, and Nettie, thinking of it, surveyed her finished work with +a grave face. How was it ever to be gotten to the church? She tried +to lift one end of it, and shook her head. There was no hope that she +could even _help_ carry it for so long a distance. Mrs. Smith saw the +trouble in her eyes, and guessed at its cause. "It is an awful heavy +thing, that's a fact," she said, "hefting" it in her strong arms; "I +don't know how you are going to manage it; Sarah Jane would help in a +minute, but there's her back; she ain't got no back to speak of, Sarah +Jane hasn't. And there's Job, he ain't at home; he went this morning +before it was light, away over the other side of the clip hill with a +load, and the last words he says to me was: 'Don't you be scairt if I +don't get round very early; them roads over there is dreadful heavy, +and I shall have to rest the team in the heat of the day,' and like +enough he won't get back till nigh ten o'clock." + +Certainly no help could be expected from the Smith family. "We shall +have to take some of the sand out," said Nettie, surveying the mound +regretfully; "I'm real sorry; it does look so pretty heaped up! but +Jerry can never carry it away down there alone." + +Then came Jerry's bright idea. "I'll get Norman to help me." + +"Norm!" said Nettie, stopping astonished in the very act of picking out +some of the lilies. It had not once occurred to her that Norm could be +asked to go to the church on an errand. She couldn't have told why, +but Norm and the church seemed too far apart to have anything in common. + +"Yes," said Jerry, positively. "Why not? I know he'll help; and he and +I can carry it like a daisy. Don't take out one of them, Nettie. I know +you will spoil it if you touch it again; it is just perfect. Halloo, +Norm, come this way." + +Sure enough at that moment Norm appeared from the attic where he +slept; he had washed his face and combed his hair, and made himself as +decent looking as he could, and was starting for somewhere; and Nettie +remembered with a sinking heart that it was Saturday night; Norm's +worst night except Sunday. + +He stopped at Jerry's call, and stood waiting. + +"You are just the individual I wanted to see at this moment," said +Jerry with a confident air. "This meadow here has got to be dug up and +carried bodily down to the church; and it is as heavy as though its +roots were struck deep in the soil. Will you shoulder an end with me?" + +"To the church!" repeated Norm with an incredulous stare. "What do they +want of that thing at the church?" + +"They are our flowers," said Sate with a positive little nod of her +head. "We promised to bring them, and they are so big and heavy we +can't. Will you help?" + +Now Norm had really a very warm feeling in his heart for this small +sister; Susie he considered a nuisance, and a vixen, but Sate with her +slow sweet voice, and shy ways, had several times slipped behind his +chair to escape a slap from her angry father, thus appealing to his +protection, and once when he lifted her over the fence, she kissed +him; he was rather willing to please Sate. Then there was Jerry who +was a good fellow as ever lived, and Nettie who was a prime girl; why +shouldn't he help tote the thing down to the church if that was what +they wanted? To be sure he wanted to go in the other direction, and +the fellows would be waiting, he supposed; but he could go there, +afterwards, let them wait until he came. + +"Well," he said at last, "come on, I'll help; though what they want of +all this rubbish at the church is more than I can imagine." And Nettie +and the little girls stood with satisfied faces watching the two move +off under their heavy burden. It was something to have Norm go to +church if it was only to carry flowers. + +Arrived at the door, Norm was seized with a fit of shyness; the doors +were thrown wide open, and ladies and children were flitting about, and +many tongues were going, and flowers and vines were being festooned +around the gas lights, and the pillars, and wherever there was a spot +for them. + +"Hold on," said Norm, jerking back, thus putting the great salver in +eminent peril, "I ain't going in there; all the village is there; you +better pitch this rubbish out, they've got flowers enough." + +"There isn't a lily among them," said Jerry. "And besides they have +to go in, anyhow, we can't afford to disappoint Sate. Come on, Norm, +I can't carry the thing alone, any more than I could the stove; it is +unaccountably heavy." + +This was true, but Jerry was very glad that it was. He had his reasons +for wanting to get Norm down the aisle to the front of the pulpit. With +very reluctant feet Norm followed, bearing his share of the burden, +his face flushing over the exclamations with which they were at last +greeted. + +"Oh, oh! pond lilies! I did not know there were any this year. Where +did you get them? Girls, look! Did you ever see anything more lovely?" +And a group of faces were gathered about the tray, and one brown head +went down among the lilies and caressed them. + +"Where did you get them?" she repeated; "I asked my cousin if there +were any about here, and she said she thought not; and last night when +I was out on the pond I looked and could not find any." + +"They hide," said Jerry. "The only place on the pond where they can be +found is down behind the old mill; and most people don't go there at +all, because the channel is so narrow, and the water so shallow." + +"Well, we are so glad you brought them! Girls, aren't they too lovely +for anything? Who arranged them?" + +"My sister," said Norm, to whom Jerry promptly turned with an air which +said as plainly as words could have done: "You are the one to answer; +she belongs to you." + +"And who is that?" asked the owner of the pretty brown head, as she +made way for them to pass to the table with their burden. "I am sure +I would like to know her; for she certainly knows how to put flowers +into lovely shapes." + +Then came from behind the desk a man whom Jerry knew and whom he had +seen while he stood at the door. "Good evening, Jerry," he said, +holding out his hand in a cordial way. "What a wonderful bank of beauty +you have brought! Introduce me to your helper, please." + +"Mr. Sherrill, Mr. Norman Decker," said Jerry, exactly as though he +had been used to introducing people all his life; and Norm, his face +very red, knew that he was shaking hands with the new minister. A very +cordial hand-shake, certainly, and then the minister turning to her +of the brown head, said, "Eva, come here; let me introduce you to Mr. +Norman Decker. My sister, Mr. Decker." + +Norm, hardly knowing what he was about, contrived another bow, and then +Miss Eva said, "Decker, why, that is the name of my two little darlings +about whom I have been telling you for two Sabbaths. Are they your +little sisters, Mr. Decker? Little Sate and Susie?" And as Norm managed +to nod an answer, she continued: "They have stolen my heart utterly; +that little Sate is the dearest little thing. By the way, I wonder if +these are her flowers? She promised me she would certainly get some; +she said they had none in their garden, but God would make some grow +for her somewhere she guessed." + +"Yes'm," said Jerry, seeing that Norm would not speak, "they are her +flowers, hers and Susie's, they coaxed us to go for them." + +"Decker," said the minister, suddenly, "you are pretty tall, I wonder +if you are not just the one to help me get this wreath fastened back +of the pulpit? I have been working at it for some time, and failed for +the want of an arm long enough and strong enough to help me." And the +two disappeared behind the desk up the pulpit stairs to the immense +satisfaction of Jerry. The ladies went on with their work; Miss Eva +calling to him to help her move the table, and then to help arrange the +salver on it, and then to bring more vines from the lecture room to +cover the base of the floral cross; and indeed, before they knew it, +both Jerry and Norm were in the thick of the engagement; Jerry flitting +hither and thither at the call of the girls, and Norm following +the minister from point to point, and using his long limbs to good +advantage. + +"Well," he said, wiping his face with his coat sleeve, as, more than +an hour after their entrance, he and Jerry made their way down the +churchyard walk, "that is the greatest snarl I ever got into. How that +fellow can work! But he would never have got them things up in the +world, if I had not been there to help him." + +"No," said Jerry "I don't believe he would. How glad they were to get +the lilies! They do look prettier than anything there. I did not know +who that lady was who taught the little folks. She has only been there +a few weeks. She is pretty, isn't she?" + +"I s'pose so," said Norm, "her voice is, anyhow. They say she's a +singer. I heard the fellows down at the corner talking about her one +night; Dick Welsh says she can mimic a bird so you couldn't tell which +was which. I wouldn't mind hearing her sing. I like good singing." + +"I suppose they will have her sing in the church," said Jerry in a +significant tone. But to this, Norm made no reply. + +"What was it Mr. Sherrill wanted of you just as we were coming out?" +asked Jerry, after reflecting whether he had better ask the question or +not. + +"Wanted me to come and see how the things looked in the daytime," said +Norm with an awkward laugh that ended in a half sneer; "I'll be likely +to I think!" + +"Going up home, I s'pose?" said Jerry, trying to speak indifferently, +and slipping his hand through Norm's arm as they reached the corner, +and Norm half halted. + +"Well, I suppose I might as well," Norm said, allowing himself to be +drawn on by never so slight a pressure from Jerry's arm. "I was going +down street, and the boys were to wait for me; but they have never +waited all this while; it must be considerable after nine o'clock." + +"Yes," said Jerry, "it is." And they went home. + +Nettie, sitting on the doorstep, waiting, will never forget that night, +nor the sinking of heart with which she waited. Her father had been +kept at home, first by his employer who came to give directions about +work to be attended to the first thing on Monday morning, and then +by Job Smith getting home before he was expected and asking a little +friendly help with the load he brought; and he had at last decided +that it was too late to go out again, and had gone to bed. Mrs. Decker +in her kitchen, hovered between the door and the window, peering out +into the lovely night, saying nothing, but her heart throbbing so with +anxiety about her boy that she could not lay her tired body away. Mrs. +Job Smith in her kitchen, looked from her door and then her window, +many misgivings in her heart; if that bad boy Norm should lead her good +boy Jerry into mischief what should she say to his father? How could +she ever forgive herself for having encouraged the intimacy between him +and the Deckers? + +Presently, far down the quiet street came the sound of cheery +whistling; Nettie knew the voice: nothing so very bad could have +happened when Jerry was whistling like that; or was he perhaps doing +it to keep his courage up? The whistle turned the corner, and in the +dim starlight she could distinguish two figures; they came on briskly, +Jerry and Norm. "A nice job you set us at," began Jerry, gayly, "we +have just this minute got through; and here it is toward morning +somewhere, isn't it?" Then all that happy company went to their beds. + +After dinner the next day, Nettie studied if there were not ways in +which she might coax Norm to go to church that evening. Jerry had told +her of the minister's invitation. Norm had slept later than usual that +morning, and lounged at home until after dinner; now he was preparing +to go out. How could she keep him? How could she coax him to go with +her? + +Before she could decide what to do to try to hold him, Susie took +matters into her own hands by pitching head foremost out of the kitchen +window, hitting her head on the stones. Then there was hurry and +confusion in the Decker kitchen! Then did Mrs. Smith, and Job Smith, +and Sarah Jane fly to the rescue. Though after all, Norm was the one +who stooped over poor silent Susie and brought her limp and apparently +lifeless into the kitchen. Jerry ran with all speed for the doctor. It +was hours before they settled down again, having discovered that Susie +was not dead, but had fainted; was not even badly hurt, save for a bump +or two. But it took the little lady only a short time, after recovering +from her fright, to discover that she was a person of importance, and +to like the situation. + +It happened that Norm had, by the doctor's directions, carried her from +her mother's bed to the cooler atmosphere of the front room. Susie had +enjoyed the ride, and now announced with the air of a conqueror, "I +want Norm to carry me." So Norm, frightened into love and tenderness, +lifted the little girl in his strong arms, laid the pretty head on +his shoulder, and willingly tramped up and down the room. Was Susie a +witch, or a selfish little girl? Certain it was that during that walk +she took an unaccountable and ever increasing fancy for Norm. He must +wet the brown paper on her head as often is the vinegar with which it +was saturated dried away; he must hold the cup while she took a drink +of water; he must push the marvel of a barrel chair in which she for +a time sat in state, closer to the window; he must carry her from the +chair to the table when supper was finally ready, and carry her back +again when it was eaten. Nettie looked on amused and puzzled. Certainly +Susie had kept Norm at home all the afternoon; but was she also likely +to accomplish it for the evening? For Norm, to her great surprise, +seemed to like the new order of things. + +He blushed awkwardly when Susie gently pushed her mother aside and +demanded Norm, but he came at once, with a good-natured laugh, and held +her in his arms with as much gentleness and more strength than the +mother could have given; and seemed to like the touch of the curly head +on his shoulder. + +But while Nettie was putting away the dishes and puzzling over all the +strange events of the afternoon, Susie was undressed, partly by Norm, +according to her decree, and fell asleep in his arms and was laid on +her mother's bed, and Norm slipped away! + +Poor Nettie! She ran to the door to try to call him, but he was out of +sight. "I tried to think of something to keep him till you came in," +explained the disappointed mother, "but I couldn't do it; he laid Susie +down as quick as he could, and shot away as though he was afraid you +would get hold of him." + +So Nettie, her face sad, prepared to go with Jerry and the Smiths down +to evening meeting, and told Jerry on the way, that it did seem strange +to her, so long as Susie had kept Norm busy all the afternoon, that +they must let him slip away from them at last. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE LITTLE PICTURE MAKERS. + + +AFTER Susie Decker pitched out of the window that Sabbath afternoon +she became such an object of importance that you would hardly have +supposed anything else could have happened worth mentioning; but after +the excitement was quite over, and Susie had been cuddled and petted +and cared for more than it seemed to her she had ever been in her life +before, Mr. Decker, finding nothing better to do, went out and sat down +on the doorstep. + +Little Sate dried her eyes and slipped away very soon after she +discovered that Susie could move, and speak, and was therefore not +dead. She had wandered in search of entertainment to the yard just +around the corner, where had come but a few days before, a small boy on +a visit. + +This boy, Bobby by name, finding Sunday a hard day, had finally, after +getting into all sorts of mischief within doors, been established by +an indulgent auntie in the back yard, with her apron tied around his +chubby neck, to protect his new suit, with a few pieces of charcoal, +and permission to draw some nice Sunday pictures on the white boards of +the house. + +This business interested Sate, and in spite of her shyness, drew her +the other side of the high board fence which separated the neighbor's +back yard from Mr. Decker's side one. + +Just as that gentleman took his seat on the doorstep, he heard the +voices of the two children; first, Bobby's confident one, the words he +used conveying all assurance of unlimited power at his command-- + +"Now, what shall I make?" + +"Make," said Sate, her sweet face thrown upward in earnest thought, +"make the angel who would have come for Susie if she had died just now." + +"How do you know any angel would have come for her?" asked sturdy Bobby. + +"Why, 'cause I _know_ there would. Miss Sherrill said so to-day; she +told us about that little baby that died last night; she said an angel +came after it and took it right straight up to heaven." + +"Maybe she don't know," said skeptical Bobby. + +Then did Sate's eyes flash. + +"I guess she does know, Bobby Burns, and you will be real mean, and bad +if you say so any more. She knows all about heaven, and angels, and +everything." + +"Does angels come after all folks that dies?" + +"I dunno; I guess so; no, I guess not. Only good folks." + +"Is Susie good?" + +"Sometimes she is," said truthful Sate, in slow, thoughtful tones, a +touch of mournfulness in them that might have gone to Susie's heart had +she heard and understood; "she gave me the biggest half of a cookie the +other night. It was a _good deal_ the biggest; and she takes care of me +most always; one day she took off her shoes and put them on me, because +the stones and the rough ground hurt my feet. They hurt her feet too; +they bleeded, oh! just awful, but she wouldn't let _me_ be hurt." + +"Why didn't you wear your own shoes?" + +"I didn't have any; mine all went to holes; just great big holes that +wouldn't stay on; it was before my papa got good, and he didn't buy me +any shoes at all." + +"Has your papa got good?" + +"Yes," said Sate confidently, "I guess he has. My sister Nettie thinks +so; and Susie does too. He don't drink bad stuff any more. It was some +kind of stuff he drank that made him cross; mamma said so; and the +stuff made him feel so bad that he couldn't buy shoes, nor nothing; +why, sometimes, before Nettie came home, we didn't have any bread! He +isn't cross to-day, and he wasn't last night; and he bought me some new +shoes--real pretty ones, and he kissed me. I love my papa when he is +good. Do you love your papa when he is good?" + +"My papa is always good," said Bobby, with that air of immense +superiority. + +"Is he?" asked Sate, wonder and admiration in her tone. Happy Bobby, +to possess a father who was always good! "Doesn't he ever drink any of +that bad stuff?" + +"I guess he doesn't!" said indignant Bobby. "You wouldn't catch him +taking a drop of it for anything. If he was sick and was going to die +if he didn't, he says he wouldn't take it. I know all about that; the +name of it is whiskey, and things; it has lots of names, but that is +one of them. My father is a temperance." + +"What is that?" + +"It is a man who promises that he won't ever taste it nor touch it, nor +nothing, forever and ever. And he won't." + +"Oh my!" said Sate. "Then of course you love him all the time. I mean +to love my papa, all the time too. I'm most sure I can. What makes you +make such a big angel? Susie isn't big; a little angel could carry her." + +"This angel isn't the one who was coming for Susie; it is the one who +is going to come for my papa when he dies." + +"Oh! then will you make the one who will come for my papa? Make him +very big and strong, for my papa is a strong man, and I don't want the +angel to drop him." + +Mr. Decker arose suddenly and went round to the back part of the house, +and cleared his throat, and coughed, two or three times, and rubbed the +back of his hand across his eyes. Had he peeped through the fence and +caught a glimpse of the angel whom Bobby made, he might not have been +so strangely touched; but the words of his little girl seemed to choke +him, and his eyes, just then, were too dim to see angels. + +He was very still all the rest of the afternoon. At the tea table he +scarcely spoke, and afterwards, while Mrs. Decker and Nettie were +mourning over Norm's escape, he too put on his coat, and went away down +the street. + +Mrs. Decker came to the door when she discovered it, and looked after +him. He was still in sight, but she did not dare to call. As she +looked, she gathered up a corner of her apron and wiped her eyes. +Presently she sat down on the step where he had been sitting so short +a time before, leaned her elbows on her knees, and her cheeks on her +hands, and thought sad thoughts. + +She felt very much discouraged. On this first Sunday, after the new +room had been made, and new hopes excited, they had slipped away, both +Norm and her husband, to lounge in the saloon as usual, and to come +home, late at night, the worse for liquor. She knew all about it! +Hadn't she been through it many times? + +The little gleam of hope which had started again, under Nettie and +Jerry's encouraging words and ways, died quite out. Sitting there, +Mrs. Decker made up her mind once more, that there was no kind of use +in working, and struggling, and trying to be somebody. She was the +wife of a drunkard; and the mother of a drunkard; Norm would be that, +before long. And her little girls would grow up beggars. It was almost +a pity that Susie had not been killed when she fell. Why should she +want to live to be a drunkard's daughter, and a drunkard's sister? If +the Heaven she used to hear about when she was a little girl, was all +so, why should she not long for Susie and Sate to go there? Then if she +could go away herself and leave all this misery! + +She had hurried with her dishes, she had hoped that when she was ready +to sit down in the neat room with the new lamp burning brightly, he +would sit with her as he used to do on Sunday evenings long ago. But +here she was alone, as usual. More than once that big apron which she +had not cared to take off after she found herself deserted, was made to +do duty as a handkerchief and wipe away bitter tears. + +Meantime, Nettie sat in the pretty church and looked at the lovely +flowers, and listened to the wonderful singing. Miss Sherrill sang the +solo of something more beautiful than Nettie had ever even imagined. +"Consider the lilies how they grow." What wonderful words were these to +be sung while looking down at a great bank of lilies! It is possible +that the singing may have been more beautiful to Nettie because her own +fingers had arranged the lilies, but it was in itself enough for any +reasonable mortal's ear, and as it rolled through the church, there +was more than one listener who thought of the angels, and wondered if +their voices could be sweeter. Nettie's small handkerchief went to her +eyes several times during the anthem; she could not have told why she +cried, but the music moved her strangely. Before the anthem was fairly +concluded there was something else to take her attention. Mrs. Job +Smith in whose seat she sat, gave her arm a vigorous poke with a sharp +elbow, and whispered in a voice which seemed to Nettie must have been +heard all over the church, "For the land's sake, if there ain't your pa +sitting down there under the gallery!" + +As soon as she dared do so, Nettie turned her head for one swift look. +Mrs. Smith _must_ be mistaken, but she would take one glance to assure +herself. Certainly that was her father, sitting in almost the last +seat, leaning his head against one of the pillars, the shabbiness of +his coat showing plainly in the bright gaslight. But Nettie did not +think of his coat. Her cheeks grew red, and her eyes filled again +with tears. It was not the music, now; it was a strange thrill of +satisfaction, and of hope. How pleasant she had thought it would be +to go to church with her father. It was one of the things she had +planned at Auntie Marshall's; how she would perhaps take her father's +arm, being tall for her years, and Auntie Marshall said he was not +a tall man, and walk to church by his side, and find the hymns for +him, and receive his fatherly smile, and when she handed him his hat +after service, perhaps he would say, "Thank you, my daughter," as she +had heard Doctor Porter say to his little girl in the seat just ahead +of theirs. Nettie's hungry little heart had wanted to hear that word +applied to herself. Now all these sweet dreams of hers seemed to have +been ages ago; actually it felt like years since she had hoped for such +a thing, or dreamed of seeing her father in church, so swiftly had the +reality crowded out her pretty dreams. Yet there he sat, listening to +the reading. + +What Nettie would have done or thought had she known that Norm and +two friends were at that moment seated in the gallery just over her +father's head, I cannot say. On the whole, I am glad she did not know +it until church was out. Especially I am glad she did not know that +Norm giggled a good deal, and whispered more or less, and in various +ways so annoyed the minister that he found it difficult to keep from +speaking to the young men in the gallery. The fact is, he would have +done so, had he not recognized in one of them his helper of the evening +before, and resolved to bear his troubles patiently, in the hope that +something good would grow out of this unusual appearance at church. + +It would perhaps be hard work to explain what had brought Norm to +church. A fancy perhaps for seeing how the flowers looked by this +time. A queer feeling that he was slightly connected with the church +service for once in his life; a lingering desire to know whether in the +hanging of that tallest wreath, he or the minister had been right; they +had differed as to the distance from one arch to the other; from the +gallery he was sure he could tell which had possessed the truer eye. +All these motives pressed him a little. Then they were singing when +he reached the door, and Rick had said, "Hallo! that voice sounds as +though it lived up in the sky. Who is that, do you s'pose?" + +Then Norm proud of his knowledge in the matter, explained that she was +the minister's sister, and they said she could mimic a bird so you +couldn't tell which was which. + +"Poh!" Alf had said; he didn't believe a word of that; he should like +to see a woman who could fool him into thinking that she was a bird! +but he had added, "Let's go in and hear her." And as this was what Norm +had been half intending to do ever since he started from the house, he +agreed to do it at once. In they slipped and half-hid themselves behind +the posts in the gallery, and behaved disreputably all the evening, +more because they felt shamefaced about being there at all, and wanted +to keep each other in countenance, than because they really desired to +disturb the service. However, they heard a great deal. + +What do you think was the minister's text on that evening? "No drunkard +shall inherit the kingdom of heaven." I shall have to tell you that +when he caught sight of Mr. Decker half-hidden behind his post and +recognized him as the man who was so fast growing into a drunkard, and +as the man who had never been inside the church since he had been the +pastor, he was sorry that his text and subject were what they were +that evening. He told himself that it was very unfortunate. That if +he had dreamed of such a thing as having that man for a listener, he +would have told him the story of Jesus as simply and as earnestly as +he could; and not have preached a sermon that would seem to the man +as a fling at himself. However, there was no help for it now; he did +not recognize Mr. Decker until he had announced his text, and fairly +commenced his sermon. + +It was a sermon for young people; it was intended to warn them against +the first beginnings of this great sin which shut heaven away from the +sinner. He need not have been troubled about not telling the story of +Jesus; there was a great deal about Jesus in the sermon, as well as a +great deal about the heaven prepared for those who were willing to go. +I do not know that anywhere in the church you could have found a more +attentive listener than Mr. Decker. At least one who seemed to listen +more earnestly; from the moment that the text was repeated until the +great Bible was closed, he did not take his eyes from the minister's +face. Yet some of his words he did not hear. Some of the time Mr. +Decker was hearing a little voice, very sweet, saying: "Make a very +big strong angel to come for my papa when he dies; my papa is a strong +man and I don't want the angel to drop him." Poor papa! as he thought +of it, he had to look straight before him and wink hard and fast to +keep the tears from dropping; he had no handkerchief to wipe them away. +Think of an angel coming for him! "I love my papa when he is good!" the +sweet voice had said. Was he ever good? Then he listened awhile to the +sermon; heard the vivid description of some of the possible glories +and joys of Heaven. Would he be likely ever to go there? Little Sate +thought so; she had planned for it that very afternoon. Dear little +Sate who did not want the angel to drop him. + +Now it is possible that if the sermon had been about drunkards, Mr. +Decker would have been vexed and would not have listened. He did not +call himself a drunkard; it is a sad and at the same time a curious +fact that he did not realize how nearly he had reached the point where +the name would apply to him. That he drank beer, much, and often, +and that he was growing more and more fond of it, and that it kept +him miserably poor, was certainly true, and there were times when he +realized it; but that he was ever going to be a common drunkard and +roll in the gutter, and kick his wife, and seize his children by the +hair, he did not for a moment believe. But the sermon was by no means +addressed to people who were even so far on this road as he. It was +addressed to boys, who were just beginning to like the taste of hard +cider, and spruce beer, and hop bitters, and all those harmless (?) +drinks which so many boys were using. It was a plain story of the +rapid, certain, downward journey of those who began in these simple +ways. It was illustrated by certain facts which Mr. Sherrill had +personally known. And Mr. Decker, as he listened, owned to himself that +he knew facts which would have proved the same truth. + +Then he gave a little start and shrank farther into the shadow of the +pillar. The moment he admitted that, he also admitted that he was +himself in danger. What nonsense that was! Couldn't he stop drinking +the stuff whenever he liked? "There is a time," said the minister, +"when this matter is in your own hands. You have no very great taste +for the dangerous liquors, you are only using them because those with +whom you associate do so. You could give them up without much effort; +but I tell you, my friends, the time comes, and to many it comes very +early in life, when they are like slaves bound hand and foot in a habit +that they cannot break, and cannot control." Mr. Decker heard this, +and something, what was it? pressed the thought home to him just then, +that, if he did not belong to this last-mentioned class, neither did +he to the former. He knew it would take a good deal of effort for him +to give up his beer; of course it would; else he should not be such +a fool as to keep himself and his family in poverty for the sake of +indulging it. What if he were already a slave, bound hand and foot! +What if the "stuff" which Sate said made him "cross" had already made +him a drunkard! Perhaps the boys on the street called him so; though +they rarely saw him stagger; his staggering was nearly always done +under cover of the night. Still, now that he was dealing honestly with +himself, he must own that it was less easy to go without his beer than +it used to be. Since Nettie had come home he had drank less of it than +usual, and by that very means he had discovered how much it meant to +him. "No drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of heaven!" The minister's +earnest voice repeated his text just then. Was he a drunkard? Then what +about the strong angel? Little Sate was to be disappointed, after all! + +Oh! I am not going to try to tell you all the thoughts which passed +through Joe Decker's mind that evening. I don't think he could tell you +himself, though he remembers the evening vividly. He stood up, during +the closing hymn, and waited until the benediction was pronounced, +and then he slipped away, swiftly; Nettie tried to get to him, but +she did not succeed, and she sorrowed over it. He stumbled along +in the darkness, moving almost as unsteadily as though he had been +drinking. The sky was thick with clouds, and he jostled against a lady +and gentleman as he crossed the street; the lady shrank away. "Who is +that?" he heard her ask; and the answer came to him distinctly: "Oh! +it is old Joe Decker; he is drunk, I suppose. He generally is at this +time of night." + +Yes, there it was! he was already counted on the streets as a drunkard. +"No drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of heaven." It was not the +minister's voice this time; yet it seemed to the poor man's excited +brain that some one repeated those words in his ears. Then he heard +again the sweet soft voice: "Make him very big and strong, for I don't +want the angel to drop him." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE CONCERT. + + +WITHIN the church wonderful things were going on. Jerry had caught +sight of Norm as he slipped up the gallery stairs, and laid his plans +accordingly. He whispered to Nettie during the singing of the closing +hymn, thereby shocking her a little. Jerry did not often whisper in +church. + +This was what he said: "Don't you need those lilies to help trim the +room to-morrow night? Let's take them home." + +The moment the "amen" was spoken, he dashed out, and was at the stair +door as Norm came down. + +"Norm," he said, "won't you help me carry home that tray? We want the +flowers for something special to-morrow." + +Said Norm, "O bother! I can't help tote that heavy thing through the +streets." + +"What's that?" asked Rick; and when the explanation was briefly made, +he added the little word of advice which so often turns the scales. + +"Ho! that isn't much to do when you are going that very road. I'd do +as much as that, any day, for the little chap who gave us such a tall +row." This last was in undertone. + +"Well," said Norm, "I don't care; I'll help; but how are we going to +get the things out here?" + +"Come inside," answered Jerry; "we can wait in the back seat. They will +all be gone in a few minutes, then we can step up and get the salver." + +Once inside the church, the rest followed easily. Mr. Sherrill who had +eyes for all that was going on, came forward swiftly and held a cordial +hand to Norm. + +"Good-evening," he said; "I am glad to see you accepted my invitation. +How did our work look by gaslight?" + +"It looked," said Norm, a roguish twinkle in his eye, "it looked +just as I expected it would; crooked. That there arch at the left of +the pulpit wants to be hung as much as two inches lower to match the +other." + +"You don't say so!" said the minister, in good-humored surprise. "Does +it appear so from the gallery? Are my eyes as crooked as that? Let us +go up gallery and see if I can discover it." + +So to the gallery they went, Norm clearing the space with a few bounds, +and taking a triumphant station where he could point out the defect to +the minister. + +"That is true," Mr. Sherrill said, with hearty frankness. "You are +right and I was wrong. If I had taken your word last night the wreaths +would have looked better, wouldn't they? Well, perhaps wreaths are not +the only things which show crooked when we get higher up and look down +on them. Eh, my friend?" + +Norm laughed a good-humored, rather embarrassed laugh. It was +remarkable that he should be up here holding a chatty, almost gay, +conversation with the minister. There came over him the wish that +he had behaved himself better during the service. That he had not +whispered so much, nor nudged Rick's elbow to make him laugh, just +at the moment that the minister's eye was fixed on them. He had a +half-fancy that if the evening were to be lived over again, he would +go down below and sit up straight and show this man that he could +behave as well as anybody if he were a mind to. + +Not a word about the laughing and whispering said the minister. But he +said a thing which startled Norm. + +"My sister has a fancy for having the church adorned with wreaths or +strings of asters in contrasting colors for next Sabbath; will you make +an appointment with me to help hang them on Saturday evening? I'll +promise to follow your eye to the half-inch." + +Norm started, flushed, looked into the frank face and laughed a little, +then seeing that the answer was waited for said: "Why, I don't care if +I do, if you honestly want it." + +"I honestly want it," said the minister in great satisfaction. Then +they went downstairs. + +Job Smith and his wife were gone. + +"I will wait for my brother," said Nettie, and her heart swelled with +pride as she said it. + +How nice to have a brother to wait for, just as Miss Sherrill was +doing. At that moment the "beautiful lady" as Sate and Susie called +her, came to Nettie's side. + +"Good-evening," she said pleasantly. "I hope the little girls are +well; I met your brother last night; he helped my brother to hang the +flowers. I see they are upstairs together now, admiring their work. My +brother said he was a very intelligent helper. You do not know how much +I thank you for those flowers. They helped me to sing to-night." + +"I thought," said Nettie, raising her great truthful eyes to the lady's +face and speaking with an earnestness that showed she felt what she +said, "I thought you sang as though the angels were helping you. I +don't think they can sing any sweeter." + +"Thank you," said Miss Sherrill; she smiled as she spoke, yet there +were tears in her eyes; the honest, earnest tribute seemed very unlike +a little girl, and very unlike the usual way of complimenting her +wonderful voice. "I saw that you liked music," she said, "I noticed you +while I was singing. Will you let me give you a couple of tickets for +the concert to-morrow evening; and will you and your brother come to +hear me sing? I am going to sing something that I think you will like." + +Nettie went home behind the lilies and the boys, her heart all in +a flutter of delight. What a wonderful thing had come to her! The +concert for which the best singers in town had been so long practising, +and for which the tickets were fifty cents apiece, and which she had no +more expected to attend than she had expected to hear the real angels +sing that week, was to take place to-morrow evening, and she had two +tickets in her pocket! + +Mrs. Decker was waiting for them, her nose pressed against the glass; +she started forward to open the door for the boys, before Nettie could +reach it. There was such a look of relief on her face when she saw Norm +as ought to have gone to his very heart; but he did not see it; he was +busy settling the salver in a safe place. + +"Has father come in?" Nettie asked, as she followed her mother to the +back step, where she went for the dipper at Norm's call. + +"Yes, child, he has, and went straight to bed. He didn't say two words; +but he wasn't cross; and he hadn't drank a drop, I believe." + +"Mother," said Nettie, standing on tiptoe to reach the tall woman's +ear, and speaking in an awe-stricken whisper, "father was in church!" + +"For the land of pity!" said Mrs. Decker, speaking low and solemnly. + +And all through the next morning's meal, which was an unusually quiet +one, she waited on her husband with a kind of respectful reverence, +which if he had noticed, might have bewildered him. It seemed to her +that the event of the evening before had lifted him into a higher world +than hers, and that she could not tell now, what might happen. + +The event of the day was the concert; all other plans were set aside +for that. At first Norm scoffed and declared that his ticket might be +used to light the fire with, for all he cared; he didn't want to go +to one of their "swell" concerts. But this talk Nettie laughed over +good-naturedly, as though it were intended for a joke, and continued +her planning as to when to have supper, and just when she and Norm must +start. + +In the course of the day, that young man discovered it to be a fine +thing to own tickets for this special concert. Before noon tickets were +at a premium, and several of Norm's fellow-workmen gayly advised him to +make an honest penny by selling his. During the early morning it had +been delicately hinted by one young fellow that Norm Decker's tickets +were made of tissue paper, which was his way of saying, that he did +not believe that Norm had any; but, thanks to Nettie's thoughtful tact, +the tickets were at that very moment reposing in her brother's pocket, +and he drew them forth in triumph, wanting to know if anybody saw any +tissue paper about those. Good stiff green pasteboard with the magic +words on them which would admit two people to what was considered +on all sides the finest entertainment of the sort the town had ever +enjoyed. + +"Where did you get 'em, Norm? Come, tell us, that's a good fellow. +You was never so green as to go and pay a dollar for two pieces of +pasteboard." + +"They are complimentaries," said Norm, tossing off a shaving with a +careless air, as though complimentary tickets to first-class concerts +were every-day affairs with him. + +"Complimentary? My eyes, aren't we big!" (I am very sorry that the boys +in Norm's shop used these slang phrases; but I want to say this for +them: it was because they had never been taught better. Not one of them +had mother or father who were grieved by such words; some of them were +so truly good-hearted that I believe if such had been the case, they +would never have used them again; and I wish the same might be said of +all boys with cultured and careful mothers.) + +"How did you get 'em? Been selling tickets for the show, or piling +chairs, or what?" + +"I haven't done a living thing for one of them," said Norm composedly; +and Ben Halleck came to his rescue. + +"That's so, boys; or, at least if he had, it wouldn't done him no good. +They don't pay for this show in any such way. The fellows that carried +around bills were paid in money because they said they expected seats +would be scarce; and they didn't sell no tickets around the streets. +Them that wanted them had to go to the book-store and buy them. Oh, I +tell you, it's a big thing. I wouldn't mind going myself if I could be +complimented through. You see that Sherrill girl who lives at the new +minister's is a most amazing singer, and they say everybody wants to +hear her." + +By this time Norm's mind was fully made up that he would go to the +concert. It is a pity Nettie could not have known it. For despite +the cheerful courage with which she received Norm's disagreeable +statements in the morning, she was secretly very much afraid that he +would not go. This would have been a great trial to her, for her little +soul was as full of music as possible; and the thought of hearing that +wonderful voice so soon again filled her with delight; but she was a +timid little girl so far as appearing among strangers was concerned, +and the idea of going alone to a concert was not to be thought of. Her +mother proposed Jerry for company, but he had gone with Job Smith into +the country and was not likely to return until too late. So Nettie made +her little preparations with a troubled heart. There was something more +to it than simply hearing fine music; it would be so like other girls +whom she knew, so like the dreams of home she had indulged in while at +Auntie Marshall's--this going out in the evening attended and cared for +by her brother. + +Norm ate his dinner in haste, and was silent and almost gruff; nobody +knows why. I have often wondered why even well brought up boys, seem +sometimes to like to appear more disagreeable than at heart they are. + +But by six o'clock the much-thought-about brother appeared, his face +pleasant enough. + +"Well, Nannie," he said, "got your fusses and fixings all ready?" + +And Nettie with beating heart and laughing eyes assured him that she +would be all ready in good time, and that she had laid his clean shirt +on his bed, and a clean handkerchief, and brushed his coat. + +"Yes; and she ironed your shirt with her own hands," explained his +mother, "and the bosom shines like a glass bottle." + +"O bother!" said Norm. "I don't want a clean shirt." + +But he went to his attic directly after supper and put on the shirt, +and combed his hair, and rubbed his boots with Jerry's brush which he +went around the back way and borrowed of Mrs. Job Smith before he came +in to supper. + +He had noticed how very neat and pretty Nettie looked as she walked +down the church isle beside him the night before; and he had also +noticed Jerry's shining boots. + +His mother noticed his the moment he came down stairs. "How nice you +two do look!" she said admiringly; and then the two walked away well +pleased. It was a wonderful concert. Norm had not known that he was +particularly fond of music, but he owned to Rick the next day, that +there was something in that Sherrill girl's voice which almost lifted a +fellow out of his boots. + +They had excellent seats! Nettie learned to her intense surprise that +their tickets called for reserved seats. She had studied over certain +mysterious numbers on the tickets, but had not understood them. It +appeared also that the usher was surprised. + +"Can't give you any seats," was his greeting as they presented their +tickets. "Everything is full now except the reserves; you'll have to +stand in the aisle; there's a good place under the gallery. Halloo! +What's this? Reserved! Why, bless us, I didn't see these numbers. Come +down this way; you have as nice seats as there are in the hall." + +It was all delightful. Lorena Barstow and two others of the +Sabbath-school class were a few seats behind them; Nettie could +hear them whispering and giggling, and for a few minutes she had an +uncomfortable feeling that they were laughing at her; as I am sorry to +say they were. + +But neither this nor anything else troubled her long, for Norm's +unusual toilet having taken much longer than was planned for, they were +really among the late comers; and in a very little while the music +began. Oh! how wonderful it was. Neither Nettie nor Norm had ever heard +really fine concert music before, and even Norm who did not know that +he cared for music, felt his nerves thrill to his fingers' ends. Then, +when after the first two or three pieces Miss Sherrill appeared, she +was so beautiful and her voice was so wonderful that Nettie, try as +hard as she did, could not keep the tears from her foolish happy eyes. +I will not venture to say how much the beautiful silk dress with its +long train, and the mass of soft white lace at her throat had to do +with Miss Sherrill's loveliness, though I daresay if she had appeared +in a twelve-cent gingham like Nettie's, she might have sang just as +sweetly. Norm, however, did not believe that. + +"Half of it is the fuss and feathers," he declared to Rick, next day, +looking wise. And Rick made a wise answer. + +"Well, when you add the handsome voice to the fuss and feathers, I +s'pose they help, but I don't believe folks would go and rave so much +just over a blue silk dress, and some gloves, and things. They all had +to match, you see." So Rick, without knowing it, became a philosopher. + +As for Nettie, she told her mother that the dress was just lovely, and +her voice was as sweet as any angel's could possibly be; but there was +a look in her eyes which was better than all the rest; and that when +she sang, "Oh that I had wings, had wings like a dove!" she, Nettie, +could not help feeling that they were hidden about her somewhere, and +that before the song was over, she might unfold them and soar away. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +A WILL AND A WAY. + + +"THE next thing we want to do is to earn some money." + +This, Jerry said, as he sat on the side step with Nettie, after sunset. +They had been having a long talk, planning the campaign against the +enemy, which they had made up their minds should be carried on with +vigor. At least, they had been trying to plan; but that obstacle which +seems to delight to step into the midst of so many plans and overturn +them, viz. money, met them at every point. So when Jerry made that +emphatic announcement, Nettie was prepared to agree with him fully; but +none the less did she turn anxious eyes on him as she said: + +"How can we?" + +"I don't know yet," Jerry said, whistling a few bars of + + Oh, do not be discouraged, + +and stopping in the middle of the line to answer, "But of course there +is a way. There was an old man who worked for my father, who used to +say so often: 'Where there's a will there's a way,' that after awhile +we boys got to calling him 'Will and Way' for short, you know; his name +was John," and here Jerry stopped to laugh a little over that method +of shortening a name; "but it was wonderful to see how true it proved; +he would make out to do the most surprising things that even my father +thought sometimes could not be done. We must _make_ a way to earn some +money." + +Nettie laughed a little. "Well, I am sure," she said, "there is a will +in this case; in fact, there are two wills; for you seem to have a +large one, and I know if ever I was determined to do a thing I am now; +but for all that I can't think of a possible way to earn a cent." + +Now Sarah Ann Smith was at this moment standing by the kitchen window, +looking out on the two schemers. Her sleeves were rolled above her +elbow, for she was about to set the sponge for bread; she had her large +neat work apron tied over her neat dress-up calico; and on her head was +perched the frame out of which, with Nettie's skilful help, and some +pieces of lace from her mother's old treasure bag, she meant to make +herself a bonnet every bit as pretty as the one worn by Miss Sherrill +the Sabbath before. + +"Talk of keeping things seven years and they'll come good," said +Mrs. Smith, watching with satisfaction while Nettie tumbled over the +contents of the bag in eager haste and exclaimed over this and that +piece which would be "just lovely." "I've kept the rubbish in that bag +going on to twenty years, just because the pretty girls where I used +to do clear-starching, gave them to me. I had no kind of notion what +I should ever do with them; but they looked bright and pretty, and I +always was a master hand for bright colors, and so whenever they would +hand out a bit of ribbon or lace, and say, 'Cerinthy, do you want +that?' I was sure to say I did; and chuck it into this bag; and now to +think after keeping of them for more than twenty years, my girl should +be planning to make a bonnet out of them! Things is queer! I don't ever +mean to throw away _anything_. I never was much at throwing away; now +that's a fact." + +Now the truth was that Sarah Ann, left to herself, would as soon +have thought of making a _house_ out of the contents of that bag, as +a bonnet; but Nettie Decker's deft fingers had a natural tact for +all cunning contrivances in lace and silk, and her skill in copying +what she saw, was something before which Sarah Ann stood in silent +admiration; when, therefore, she offered to construct for Sarah Ann, +out of the treasures of that bag, a bonnet which should be both +becoming and economical, Sarah Ann's gratitude knew no bounds. She went +that very afternoon to the milliner's to select her frame, and had it +perched at that moment as I said, on her head, while she listened to +the clear young voices under the window. She had a great desire to be +helpful; but money was far from plenty at Job Smith's. + +What was it which made her at that moment think of a bit of news which +she had heard while at the milliner's? Why, nothing more remarkable +than that the color of Nettie Decker's hair in the fading light was +just the same as Mantie Horton's. But what made her suddenly speak her +bit of news, interrupting the young planners? Ah, that Sarah Ann does +not know; she only knows she felt just like saying it, so she said it. + +"Mantie Horton's folks are all going to move to the city; they are +selling off lots of things; I saw her this afternoon when I was at the +milliner's, and she says about the only thing now that they don't know +what to do with is her old hen and chickens; a nice lot of chicks as +ever she saw, but of course they can't take them to the city. My! I +should think they would feel dreadful lonesome without chickens, nor +pigs, nor nothing! _We_ might have some chickens as well as not, if +we only had a place to keep 'em; enough scrapings come from the table +every day, to feed 'em, most." + +Before this sentence was concluded, Jerry had turned and given Nettie +a sudden look as if to ask if she saw what he did; then he whistled a +low strain which had in it a note of triumph; and the moment Sarah Ann +paused for breath he asked: "Where do the Hortons live?" + +"Why, out on the pike about a mile; that nice white house set back from +the road a piece; don't you know? It is just a pleasant walk out there." + +Then Sarah Ann turned away to attend to her bread, and as she did so +her somewhat homely face was lighted by a smile; for an idea had just +dawned upon her, and she chuckled over it: "I shouldn't wonder if those +young things would go into business; he's got contrivance enough to +make a coop, any day, and mother would let them have the scrapings, and +welcome." + +Sarah Ann was right; though Nettie, unused to country ways and plans, +did not think of such a thing, Jerry did. The next morning he was up, +even before the sun; in fact that luminary peeped at him just as he was +turning into the long carriage drive which led finally to the Horton +barnyard. There a beautiful sight met his eyes; a white and yellow +topknot mother, and eight or ten fluffy chickens scampering about her. +"They are nice and plump," said Jerry to himself; "I'm afraid I haven't +money enough to buy them; but then, there is a great deal of risk in +raising a brood of chickens like these; perhaps he will sell them +cheap." + +Farmer Horton was an early riser, and was busy about his stables when +Jerry reached there. He was anxious to get rid of all his live stock, +and be away as soon as possible, and here was a customer anxious to +buy; so in much less time than Jerry had supposed it would take, the +hen and chickens changed owners and much whistling was done by the new +owner as he walked rapidly back to town to build a house for his family. + +Mrs. Smith had been taken into confidence; so indeed had Job, before +the purchase was made; but the whole thing was to be a profound +surprise to Nettie. Therefore, she saw little of him that day, and I +will not deny was a trifle hurt because he kept himself so busy about +something which he did not share with her. But I want you to imagine, +if you can, her surprise the next morning when just as she was ready to +set the potatoes to frying, she heard Jerry's eager voice calling her +to come and see his house. + +"See what?" asked Nettie, appearing in the doorway, coffee pot in hand. + +"A new house. I built it yesterday, and rented it; the family moved in +last night. That is the reason I was so busy. I had to go out and help +move them; and I must say they were as ill-behaved a set as I ever had +anything to do with. The mother is the crossest party I ever saw; and +she has no government whatever; her children scurry around just where +they please." + +"What are you talking about?" said astonished Nettie, her face growing +more and more bewildered as he continued his merry description. + +"Come out and see. It is a new house, I tell you; I built it yesterday; +that is the reason I did not come to help you about the bonnet. Didn't +you miss me? Sarah Ann thinks it is actually nicer than the one Miss +Sherrill wore." And he broke into a merry laugh, checking himself to +urge Nettie once more to come out and see his treasures. + +"Well," said Nettie, "wait until I cover the potatoes, and set the +teakettle off." This done she went in haste and eagerness to discover +what was taking place behind Job Smith's barn. A hen and chickens! +Beautiful little yellow darlings, racing about as though they were +crazy; and a speckled mother clucking after them in a dignified way, +pretending to have authority over them, when one could see at a glance +that they did exactly as they pleased. + +Then came a storm of questions. "Where? and When? and Why?" + +"It is a stock company concern," exclaimed Jerry, his merry eyes +dancing with pleasure. Nettie was fully as astonished and pleased as +he had hoped. "Don't you know I told you yesterday we must plan a way +to earn money? This is one way, planned for us. _We_ own Mrs. Biddy; +every feather on her knot, of which she is so proud, belongs to us, and +she must not only earn her own living and that of her children, but +bring us in a nice profit besides. Those are plump little fellows; I +can imagine them making lovely pot pies for some one who is willing to +pay a good price for them. Cannot you?" + +"Poor little chickens," said Nettie in such a mournful tone that Jerry +went off into shouts of laughter. He was a humane boy, but he could not +help thinking it very funny that anybody should sigh over the thought +of a chicken pot pie. + +"Oh, I know they are to eat," Nettie said, smiling in answer to his +laughter, "and I know how to make nice crust for pot pie; but for +all that, I cannot help feeling sort of sorry for the pretty fluffy +chickens. Are you going to fat them all, to eat; or raise some of them +to lay eggs?" + +"I don't know what _we_ are going to do, yet," Jerry said with pointed +emphasis on the we. "You see, we have not had time to consult; this is +a company concern, I told you. What do you think about it?" + +Nettie's cheeks began to grow a deep pink; she looked down at the +hurrying chickens with a grave face for a moment, then said gently: +"You know, Jerry, I haven't any money to help buy the chickens, and I +cannot help own what I do not help buy; they are your chickens, but I +shall like to watch them and help you plan about them." + +Jerry sat down on an old nail keg, crossed one foot over the other, and +clasped his hands over his knees, as Job Smith was fond of doing, and +prepared for argument: + +"Now, see here, Nettie Decker, let us understand each other once for +all; I thought we had gone into partnership in this whole business; +that we were to fight that old fiend Rum, in every possible way we +could; and were to help each other plan, and work all the time, and in +all ways we possibly could. Now if you are tired of me and want to work +alone, why, I mustn't force myself upon you." + +"O, Jerry!" came in a reproachful murmur from Nettie, whose cheeks were +now flaming. + +"Well, what is a fellow to do? You see you hurt my feelings worse +than old Mother Topknot did this morning when she pecked me; I want to +belong, and I mean to; but all that kind of talk about helping to buy +these half-dozen little puff-balls is all nonsense, and a girl of your +sense ought to be ashamed of it." + +Said Nettie, "O, Jerry, I smell the potatoes; they are scorching!" and +she ran away. Jerry looked after her a moment, as though astonished at +the sudden change of subject, then laughed, and rising slowly from the +nail-keg addressed himself to the hen. + +"Now, Mother Topknot, I want you to understand that you belong to the +firm; that little woman who was just here is your mistress, and if you +peck her and scratch her as you did me, this morning, it will be the +worse for you. You are just like some people I have seen; haven't sense +enough to know who is your best friend; why, there is no end to the +nice little bits she will contrive for you and your children, if you +behave yourself; for that matter, I suspect she would do it whether you +behaved yourself or not; but that part it is quite as well you should +not understand. I want you to bring these children up to take care of +themselves, just as soon as you can; and then you are to give your +attention to laying a nice fresh egg every morning; and the sooner you +begin, the better we shall like it." Then he went in to breakfast. + +There was no need to say anything more about the partnership. +Nettie seemed to come to the conclusion that she must be ashamed of +herself or her pride in the matter; and after a very short time grew +accustomed to hearing Jerry talk about "Our chicks," and dropped into +the fashion of caring for and planning about them. None the less was +she resolved to find some way of earning a little money for her share +of the stock company. Curiously enough it was Susie and little Sate +who helped again. They came in one morning, with their hands full of +the lovely field daisies. The moment Nettie looked at the two little +faces, she knew that a dispute of some sort was in progress. Susie's +lips were curved with that air of superior wisdom, not to say scorn, +which she knew how to assume; and little Sate's eyes were full of the +half-grieved but wholly positive look which they could wear on occasion. + +"What is it?" Nettie asked, stopping on her way to the cellar with +a nice little pat of batter which she was saving for her father's +supper. Butter was a luxury which she had decided the children at +least, herself included, must not expect every day. + +"Why," said Susie, her eyes flashing her contempt of the whole thing, +"she says these are folks; old women with caps, and eyes, and noses, +and everything; she says they look at her, and some of them are +pleasant, and some are cross. She is too silly for anything. They +don't look the least bit in the word like old women. I told her so, +fifty-eleven times, and she keeps saying it!" + +Nettie held out her hand for the bunch of daisies, looked at them +carefully, and laughed. + +"Can't you see them?" was little Sate's eager question. "They are just +as plain! Don't you see them a little bit of a speck, Nannie?" + +"Of course she doesn't!" said scornful Susie. "Nobody but a silly baby +like you would think of such a thing." + +"I don't know," said Nettie, still smiling, "I don't think I see them +as plain as Sate does, but maybe we can, after awhile; wait till I get +my butter put away, and I'll put on my spectacles and see what I can +find." + +So the two waited, Susie incredulous and disgusted, Sate with a hopeful +light in her eyes, which made Nettie very anxious to find the old +ladies. On her way up stairs she felt in her pocket for the pencil +Jerry had sharpened with such care the evening before; yes, it was +there, and the point was safe. Jerry had made a neat little tube of +soft wood for it to slip into, and so protect itself. + +"Now, let us look for the old lady," she said, taking a daisy in hand +and retiring to the closet window for inspection; it was the work of +a moment for her fingers which often ached for such work, to fashion +a pair of eyes, a nose, and a mouth; and then to turn down the white +petals for a cap border, leaving two under the chin for strings! + +"Does your old lady look anything like that?" she questioned, as she +came out from her hiding place. Little Sate looked, and clasped her +hands in an ecstacy of delight: "Look, Susie, look, quick! there she +is, just as plain! O Nannie! I'm _so_ glad you found her." + +"Humph!" said Susie, "she made her with a pencil; she wasn't there at +all; and there couldn't nobody have found her. So!" + +And to this day, I suppose it would not be possible to make Susie +Decker believe that the spirits of beautiful old ladies hid in the +daisies! Some people cannot see things, you know, show them as much as +you may. + +But Nettie was charmed with the little old woman. She left the potatoes +waiting to be washed, and sat down on the steps with eager little +Sate, and made old lady after old lady. Some with spectacles, and some +without. Some with smooth hair drawn quietly back from quiet foreheads, +some with the old-fashioned puffs and curls which she had seen in old, +old pictures of "truly" grandmothers. What fun they had! The potatoes +came near being forgotten entirely. It was the faithful old clock in +Mrs. Smith's kitchen which finally clanged out the hour and made Nettie +rise in haste, scattering old ladies right and left. But little Sate +gathered them, every one, holding them with as careful hand as though +she feared a rough touch would really hurt their feelings, and went out +to hunt Susie and soothe her ruffled dignity. She did not find Susie; +that young woman was helping Jerry nail laths on the chicken coop; +but she found her sweet-faced Sabbath-school teacher, who was sure +to stop and kiss the child, whenever she passed. To her, Sate at once +showed the sweet old women. "Nannie found them," she explained; "Susie +could not see them at all, and she kept saying they were not there; but +Nannie said she would make them look plainer so Susie could see, and +now Susie thinks she made them out of a pencil; but they were there, +before, I saw them." + +"Oh, you quaint little darling!" said Miss Sherrill, kissing her again. +"And so your sister Nettie made them plainer for you. I must say she +has done it with a skilful hand. Sate dear, would you give one little +old woman to me? Just one; this dear old face with puffs, I want her +very much." + +So Sate gazed at her with wistful, tender eyes, kissed her tenderly, +and let Miss Sherrill carry her away. + +She carried her straight to the minister's study, and laid her on the +open page of a great black commentary which he was studying. "Did +you ever see anything so cunning? That little darling of a Sate says +Nannie 'found' her; she doesn't seem to think it was made, but simply +developed, you know, so that commoner eyes than hers could see it; +that child was born for a poet, or an artist, I don't know which. +Tremayne, I'm going to take this down to the flower committee, and get +them to invite Nettie to make some bouquets of dear old grandmothers, +and let little Sate come to the flower party and sell them. Won't that +be lovely? Every gentleman there will want a bouquet of the nice old +ladies in caps, and spectacles; we will make it the fashion; then they +will sell beautifully, and the little merchant shall go shares on the +proceeds, for the sake of her artist sister." + +"It is a good idea," said the minister. "I infer from what that +handsome boy Jerry has told me, that they have some scheme on hand +which requires money. I am very much interested in those young people, +my dear. I wish you would keep a watch on them, and lend a helping hand +when you can." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +AN ORDEAL. + + +THAT was the way it came about that little Sate not only, but Susie and +Nettie, went to the flower party. + +They had not expected to do any such thing. The little girls, who were +not used to going any where, had paid no attention to the announcements +on Sunday, and Nettie had heard as one with whom such things had +nothing in common. Her treatment in the Sabbath-school was not such as +to make her long for the companionship of the girls of her age, and by +this time she knew that her dress at the flower party would be sure +to command more attention than was pleasant; so she had planned as a +matter of course to stay away. + +But the little old ladies in their caps and spectacles springing +into active life, put a new face on the matter. Certainly no more +astonished young person can be imagined than Nettie Decker was, the +morning Miss Sherrill called on her, the one daisy she had begged still +carefully preserved, and proposed her plan of partnership in the flower +party. + +"It will add ever so much to the fun," she explained, "besides bringing +you a nice little sum for your spending money." + +Did Miss Sherrill have any idea how far that argument would reach just +now, Nettie wondered. + +"We can dress the little girls in daisies," continued their teacher. +"Little Sate will look like a flower herself, with daisies wreathed +about her dress and hair." + +"Little Sate will be afraid, I think," Nettie objected. "She is very +timid, and not used to seeing many people." + +"But with Susie she will not mind, will she? Susie has assurance enough +to take her through anything. Oh, I wonder if little Sate would not +recite a verse about the daisy grandmothers? I have such a cunning one +for her. May I teach her, Mrs. Decker, and see if I can get her to +learn it?" + +Mrs. Decker's consent was very easy to gain; indeed it had been freely +given in Mrs. Decker's heart before it was asked. For Miss Sherrill +had not been in the room five minutes before she had said: "Your son, +Norman, I believe his name is, has promised to help my brother with +the church flowers this evening. My brother says he is an excellent +helper; his eye is so true; they had quite a laugh together, last week. +It seems one of the wreaths was not hung plumb; your son and my brother +had an argument about it, and it was finally left as my brother had +placed it, but was out of line several inches. He was obliged to admit +that if he had followed Norman's direction it would have looked much +better." After that, it would have been hard for Miss Sherrill to have +asked a favor which Mrs. Decker would not grant if she could. _She_ saw +through it all; these people were in league with Nettie, to try to save +her boy. What wasn't she ready to do at their bidding! + +There was but one thing about which she was positive. The little girls +could not go without Nettie; they talked it over in the evening, after +Miss Sherrill was gone. Nettie looked distressed. She liked to please +Miss Sherrill; she was willing to make many grandmothers; she would +help to put the little girls in as dainty attire as possible, but she +did _not_ want to go to the flower festival. She planned various ways; +Jerry would take them down, or Norm; perhaps even _he_ would go with +them; surely mother would be willing to have them go with Norm. Miss +Sherrill would look after them carefully, and they would come home at +eight o'clock; before they began to grow very sleepy. + +But no, Mrs. Decker was resolved; she could not let them go unless +Nettie would go with them and bring them home. "I let one child run the +streets," she said with a heavy sigh, "and I have lived to most wish he +had died when he was a baby, before I did it; and I said then I would +never let another one go out of my sight as long as I had control; I +can't go; but I would just as soon they would be with you as with me; +and unless you go, they can't stir a step, and that's the whole of it." +Mrs. Decker was a very determined woman when she set out to be; and +Nettie looked the picture of dismay. It did not seem possible to her to +go to a flower party; and on the other hand it seemed really dreadful +to thwart Miss Sherrill. Jerry sat listening, saying little, but the +word he put in now and then, was on Mrs. Decker's side; he owned to +himself that he never so entirely approved of her as at that moment. He +wanted Nettie to go to the flower party. + +"But I have nothing to wear?" said Nettie, blushing, and almost weeping. + +"Nothing to wear!" repeated Mrs. Decker in honest astonishment. "Why, +what do you wear on Sundays, I should like to know? I'm sure you +look as neat and nice as any girl I ever saw, in your gingham. I was +watching you last Sunday and thinking how pretty it was." + +"Yes; but, mother, they all wear white at such places; and I cut up my +white dress, you know, for the little girls; it was rather short for me +anyway; but I should feel queer in any other color." + +"O, well," said Mrs. Decker in some irritation, "if they go to such +places to show their clothes, why, I suppose you must stay at home, if +you have none that you want to show. I thought, being it was a church, +it didn't matter, so you were neat and clean; but churches are like +everything else, it seems, places for show." + +Jerry looked grave disapproval at Nettie, but she felt injured and +could have cried. Was it fair to accuse her of going to church to show +her clothes, or of being over-particular, when she went every Sunday in +a blue and white gingham such as no other girl in her class would wear +even to school? This was not church, it was a party. It was hard that +she must be blamed for pride, when she was only too glad to stay at +home from it. + +"I can't go in my blue dress, and that is the whole of it," she said at +last, a good deal of decision in her voice. + +"Very well," said Mrs Decker. "Then we'll say no more about it; as for +the little girls going without you, they sha'n't do it. When I set my +foot down, it's _down_." + +Jerry instinctively looked down at her foot as she spoke. It was +a good-sized one, and looked as though it could set firmly on any +question on which it was put. His heart began to fail him; the flower +party and certain things which he hoped to accomplish thereby, were +fading. He took refuge with Mrs. Smith to hide his disappointment, and +also to learn wisdom about this matter of dress. + +"Do clothes make such a very great difference to girls?" was his first +question. + +"Difference?" said Mrs. Smith rubbing a little more flour on her hands, +and plunging them again into the sticky mass she was kneading. + +"Yes'm. They seem to think of clothes the first thing, when there is +any place to go to; boys aren't that way. I don't believe a boy knows +whether his coat ought to be brown or green. What makes the difference?" + +Mrs. Smith laughed a little. "Well," she said reflectively, "there is a +difference, now that's a fact. I noticed it time and again when I was +living with Mrs. Jennison. Dick would go off with whatever he happened +to have on; and Florence was always in a flutter as to whether she +looked as well as the rest. I've heard folks say that it is the fault +of the mothers, because they make such a fuss over the girls' clothes, +and keep rigging them up in something bright, just to make 'em look +pretty, till they succeed in making them think there isn't anything +quite so important in life as what they wear on their backs. It's all +wrong, I believe. But then, Nettie ain't one of that kind. She hasn't +had any mother to perk her up and make her vain. I shouldn't think she +would be one to care about clothes much." + +"She doesn't," said Jerry firmly. "I don't think she would care if +other folks didn't. The girls in her class act hatefully to her; they +don't speak, if they can help it. I suppose it's clothes; I don't know +what else; they are always rigged out like hollyhocks or tulips; they +make fun of her, I guess; and that isn't very pleasant." + +"Is that the reason she won't go to the flower show next week?" + +"Yes'm, that's the reason. All the girls are going to dress in white; +I suppose she thinks she will look queerly, and be talked about. But +I don't understand it. Seems to me if all the boys were going to wear +blue coats, and I knew it, I'd just as soon wear my gray one if gray +was respectable." + +"She ought to have a white dress, now that's a fact," said Mrs. Smith +with energy, patting her brown loaf, and tucking it down into the tin +in a skilful way. "It isn't much for a girl like her to want; if her +father was the kind of man he ought to be, she might have a white dress +for best, as well as not; I've no patience with him." + +"Her father hasn't drank a drop this week," said Jerry. + +"Hasn't; well, I'm glad of it; but I'm thinking of what he has done, +and what he will go and do, as likely as not, next week; they might be +as forehanded as any folks I know of, if he was what he ought to be; +there isn't a better workman in the town. Well, you don't care much +about the flower party, I suppose?" + +"I don't now," said Jerry, wearily. "When I thought the little girls +were going, I had a plan. Sate is such a little thing, she would be +sure to be half-asleep by eight o'clock; and I was going to coax Norm +to come for her, and we carry her home between us. Norm won't go to a +flower party, out and out; but he is good-natured, and was beginning +to think a great deal of Sate; then I thought Mr. Sherrill would speak +to him. The more we can get Norm to feeling he belongs in such places, +the less he will feel like belonging to the corner groceries, and the +streets." + +"I see," said Mrs. Smith admiringly. "Well, I do say I didn't think +Nettie was the kind of girl to put a white dress between her chances of +helping folks. Sarah Ann thinks she's a real true Christian; but Satan +does seem to be into the clothes business from beginning to end." + +"I don't suppose it is any easier for a Christian to be laughed at and +slighted, than it is for other people," said Jerry, inclined to resent +the idea that Nettie was not showing the right spirit; although in his +heart he was disappointed in her for caring so much about the color of +her dress. + +"Well, I don't know about that," said Mrs. Smith, stopping in the act +of tucking her bread under the blankets, to look full at Jerry, "why, +they even made fun of the Lord Jesus Christ; dressed him up in purple, +like a king, and mocked at him! When it comes to remembering that, it +would seem as if any common Christian might be almost glad of a chance +to be made fun of, just to stand in the same lot with him." + +This was a new thought to Jerry. He studied it for awhile in silence. +Now it so happened that neither Mrs. Smith nor Jerry remembered certain +facts; one was that Mrs. Smith's kitchen window was in a line with +Mrs. Decker's bedroom window, where Nettie had gone to sit while she +mended Norm's shirt; the other was that a gentle breeze was blowing, +which brought their words distinctly to Nettie's ears. At first she had +not noticed the talk, busy with her own thoughts, then she heard her +name, and paused needle in hand, to wonder what was being said about +her. Then, coming to her senses, she determined to leave the room; but +her mother, for convenience, had pushed her ironing table against the +bedroom door, and then had gone to the yard in search of chips; Nettie +was a prisoner; she tried to push the table by pushing against the +door, but the floor was uneven, and the table would not move; meantime +the conversation going on across the alleyway, came distinctly to her. +No use to cough, they were too much interested to hear her. By and by +she grew so interested as to forget that the words were not intended +for her to hear. There were more questions involved in this matter of +dress than she had thought about. Her cheeks began to burn a little +with the thought that her neighbor had been planning help for Norm, +which she was blocking because she had no white dress! This was an +astonishment! She had not known she was proud. In fact, she had thought +herself very humble, and worthy of commendation because she went +Sabbath after Sabbath to the school in the same blue and white dress, +not so fresh now by a great deal as when she first came home. + +When Mrs. Smith reached the sentence which told of the Lord Jesus being +robed in purple, and crowned with thorns, and mocked, two great tears +fell on Norm's shirt sleeve. + +It was a very gentle little girl who moved about the kitchen getting +early tea; Mrs. Decker glanced at her from time to time in a bewildered +way. The sort of girl with whom she was best acquainted would have +slammed things about a little; both because she had not clothes to wear +like other children, and because she had been blamed for not wanting to +do what was expected of her. But Nettie's face had no trace of anger, +her movements were gentleness itself; her voice when she spoke was low +and sweet: "Mother, I will take the little girls, if you will let them +go." + +Mrs. Decker drew a relieved sigh. "I'd like them to go because _she_ +asked to have them; and I can see plain enough she is trying to get +hold of Norm; so is _he_; that's what helping with the flowers means; +and there ain't anything I ain't willing to do to help, only I couldn't +let the little girls go without you; they'd be scared to death, and it +wouldn't look right. I'm sorry enough you ain't got suitable clothes; +if I could help it, you should have as good as the best of them." + +"Never mind," said Nettie, "I don't think I care anything about the +dress now." She was thinking of that crown of thorns. So when Miss +Sherrill called the way was plain and little Sate ready to be taught +anything she would teach her. + +They went away down to the pond under the clump of trees which formed +such a pretty shade; and there Sate's slow sweet voice said over +the lines as they were told to her, putting in many questions which +the words suggested. "He makes the flowers blow," she repeated with +thoughtful face, then: "What did He make them for?" + +"I think it was because He loved them; and He likes to give you and me +sweet and pleasant things to look at." + +"Does He love flowers?" + +"I think so, darling." + +"And birds? See the birds!" For at that moment two beauties standing on +the edge of their nest, looked down into the clear water, and seeing +themselves reflected in its smoothness began to talk in low sweet +chirps to their shadows. + +"Oh, yes, He loves the birds, I am sure; think how many different kinds +He has made, and how beautiful they are. Then He has given them sweet +voices, and they are thanking Him as well as they know how, for all his +goodness. Listen." + +Sure enough, one of the little birds hopped back a trifle, balanced +himself well on the nest, and, putting up his little throat, trilled a +lovely song. + +"What does he say?" asked Sate, watching him intently. + +"Oh, I don't know," said Miss Sherrill, with a little laugh. Sate was +taxing her powers rather too much. "But God understands, you know; and +I am sure the words are very sweet to him." + +Sate reflected over this for a minute, then went back to the flowers. + +"What made Him put the colors on them? Does He like to see pretty +colors, do you sink? Which color does He like just the very bestest of +all?" + +"O you darling! I don't know that, either. Perhaps, crimson; or, no, +I think He must like pure white ones a little the best. But He likes +little human flowers the best of all. Little white flowers with souls. +Do you know what I mean, darling? White hearts are given to the little +children who try all the time to do right, because they love Jesus, and +want to please him." + +"Sate wants to," said the little girl earnestly. "Sate loves Jesus; +and she would like to kiss him." + +"I do not know but you shall, some day. Now shall we take another line +of the hymn?" continued her teacher. + +"I tried to teach her," explained Miss Sherrill to her brother. "But +I think, after all, she taught me the most. She is the dearest little +thing, and asks the strangest questions! When I look at her grave, +sweet face, and hear her slow, sweet voice making wise answers, and +asking wise questions, a sort of baby wisdom, you know, I can only +repeat over and over the words: + +"'Of such is the kingdom of heaven.' + +"To-day I told her the story of Jesus taking the little children up in +his arms and blessing them. She listened with that thoughtful look in +her eyes which is so wonderful, then suddenly she held up her pretty +arms and said in the most coaxing tones: + +"'Take little Sate to Him, and let Him bless her, yight away.' + +"Tremaine, I could hardly keep back the tears. Do you think He can be +going to call her soon?" + +"Not necessarily at all. There is no reason why a little child should +not live very close to Him on earth. I hope that little girl has a +great work to do for Christ in this world. She has a very sweet face." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE FLOWER PARTY. + + +I DARE say some of you think Nettie Decker was a very silly girl to +care so much because her dress was a blue and white gingham instead of +being all white. + +You have told your friend Katie about the story and asked her if she +didn't think it was real silly to make such an ado over _clothes_; you +have said you were sure you would just as soon wear a blue gingham +as not if it was clean and neat. But now let me venture a hint. I +shouldn't be surprised if that was because you never do have to go to +places differently dressed from all the others. Because if you did, +you would know that it was something of a trial. Oh! I don't say it +is the hardest thing in the world; or that one is all ready to die as +a martyr who does it; but what I _do_ say is, that it takes a little +moral courage; and, for one, I am not surprised that Nettie looked +very sober about it when the afternoon came. + +It took her a good while to dress; not that there was so much to be +done, but she stopped to think. With her hair in her neck, still +unbraided, she pinned a lovely pink rose at her breast just to see how +pretty it would look for a minute. Miss Sherrill had left it for her to +wear; but she did not intend to wear it, because she thought it would +not match well with her gingham dress. Just here, I don't mind owning +that I think her silly; because I believe that sweet flowers go with +sweet pure young faces, whether the dress is of gingham or silk. + +But Nettie looked grave, as I said, and wished it was over; and tried +to plan for the hundredth time, how it would all be. The girls, Cecelia +Lester and Lorena Barstow and the rest of them, would be out in their +elegant toilets, and would look at her so! That Ermina Farley would be +there; she had seen her but once, on the first Sunday, and liked her +face and her ways a little better than the others; but she had been +away since then. Jerry said she was back, however, and Mrs. Smith said +they were the richest folks in town; and of course Ermina would be +elegantly dressed at the flower party. + +Well, she did not care. She was willing to have them all dressed +beautifully; she was not mean enough to want them to wear gingham +dresses, if only they would not make fun of hers. Oh! if she could +_only_ stay at home, and help iron, and get supper, and fry some +potatoes nicely for father, how happy she would be. Then she sighed +again, and set about braiding her hair. She meant to go, but she could +not help being sorry for herself to think it must be done; and she +spent a great deal of trouble in trying to plan just how hateful it +would all be; how the girls would look, and whisper, and giggle; and +how her cheeks would burn. Oh dear! + +Then she found it was late, and had to make her fingers fly, and to +rush about the little woodhouse chamber which was still her room, in a +way which made Sarah Ann say to her mother with a significant nod, "I +guess she's woke up and gone at it, poor thing!" Yes, she had; and was +down in fifteen minutes more. + +Oh! but didn't the little girls look pretty! Nettie forgot her trouble +for a few minutes, in admiring them when she had put the last touches +to their toilet. Susie was to be in a tableau where she would need a +dolly, and Miss Sherrill had furnished one for the occasion. A lovely +dolly with real hair, and blue eyes, and a bright blue sash to match +them; and when Susie got it in her arms, there came such a sweet, +softened look over her face that Nettie hardly knew her. The sturdy +voice, too, which was so apt to be fierce, softened and took a motherly +tone; the dolly was certainly educating Susie. Little Sate looked +on, interested, pleased, but without the slightest shade of envy. +She wanted no dolly; or, if she did, there was a little black-faced, +worn, rag one reposing at this moment in the trundle bed where little +Sate's own head would rest at night; kissed, and caressed, and petted, +and told to be good until mamma came back; this dolly had all of +Sate's warm heart. For the rest, the grave little old women in caps +and spectacles, which wound about her dress, crept up in bunches on +her shoulders, lay in nestling heaps at her breast, filled all Sate's +thoughts. She seemed to have become a little old woman herself, so +serious and womanly was her face. + +Nettie took a hand of each, and they went to the flower festival. There +was to be a five o'clock tea for all the elderly people of the church, +and the tables, some of them, were set in Mr. Eastman's grounds, which +adjoined the church. When Nettie entered these grounds she found +a company of girls several years younger than herself, helping to +decorate the tables with flowers; at least that was their work, but as +Nettie appeared at the south gate, a queer little object pushed in at +the west side. A child not more than six years old, with a clean face, +and carefully combed hair, but dressed in a plain dark calico; and her +pretty pink toes were without shoes or stockings. + +[Illustration: AT THE FLOWER PARTY.] + +I am not sure that if a little wolf had suddenly appeared before them, +it could have caused more exclamations of astonishment and dismay. + +"Only look at that child!" "The idea!" "Just to think of such a thing!" +were a few of the exclamations with which the air was thick. At last, +one bolder than the rest, stepped towards her: "Little girl, where did +you come from? What in the world do you want here?" + +Startled by the many eyes and the sharp tones, the small new-comer hid +her face behind an immense bunch of glowing hollyhocks, which she held +in her hand, and said not a word. Then the chorus of voices became +more eager: + +"Do look at her hollyhocks! Did ever anybody see such a queer little +fright! Girls, I do believe she has come to the party." Then the one +who had spoken before, tried again: "See here, child, whoever you are, +you must go right straight home; this is no place for you. I wonder +what your mother was about--if you have one--to let you run away +barefooted, and looking like a fright." + +Now the barefooted maiden was thoroughly frightened, and sobbed +outright. It was precisely what Nettie Decker needed to give her +courage. When she came in at the gate, she had felt like shrinking away +from all eyes; now she darted an indignant glance at the speaker, and +moved quickly toward the crying child, Susie and Sate following close +behind. + +"Don't cry, little girl," she said in the gentlest tones, stooping and +putting an arm tenderly around the trembling form; "you haven't done +anything wrong; Miss Sherrill will be here soon, and she will make it +all right." + +Thus comforted, the tears ceased, and the small new-comer allowed her +hand to be taken; while Susie came around to her other side, and +scowled fiercely, as though to say: "I'll protect this girl myself; +let's see you touch her now!" + +A burst of laughter greeted Nettie as soon as she had time to give heed +to it. Others had joined the groups, among them Lorena Barstow and +Irene Lewis. "What's all this?" asked Irene. + +"O, nothing," said one; "only that Decker girl's sister, or cousin, or +something has just arrived from Cork, and come in search of her. Lorena +Barstow, did you ever see such a queer-looking fright?" + +"I don't see but they look a good deal alike," said Lorena, tossing her +curls; "I'm sure their dresses correspond; is she a sister?" + +"Why, no," answered one of the smaller girls; "those two cunning little +things in white are Nettie Decker's sisters; I think they are real +sweet." + +"Oh!" said Lorena, giving them a disagreeable stare, "in white, are +they? The unselfish older sister has evidently cut up her nightgowns to +make them white dresses for this occasion." + +"Lorena," said the younger girl, "if I were you I would be ashamed; +mother would not like you to talk in that way." + +"Well, you see Miss Nanie, you are not me, therefore you cannot tell +what you would be, or do; and I want to inform you it is not your +business to tell me what mother would like." + +Imagine Nettie Decker standing quietly, with the barefooted child's +small hand closely clasped in hers, listening to all this! There was a +pretense of lowered voices, yet every word was distinct to her ears. +Her heart beat fast and she began to feel as though she really was +paying quite a high price for the possibility of getting Norm into the +church parlor for a few minutes that evening. + +At that moment, through the main gateway, came Ermina Parley, a colored +man with her, bearing a basket full of such wonderful roses, that for a +minute the group could only exclaim over them. Ermina was in white, but +her dress was simply made, and looked as though she might not be afraid +to tumble about on the grass in it; her shoes were thick, and the blue +sash she wore, though broad and handsome, had some way a quiet air of +fitness for the occasion, which did not seem to belong to most of the +others. She watched the disposal of her roses, then gave an inquiring +glance about the grounds as she said, "What are you all doing here?" + +"We are having a tableau," said Lorena Barstow. "Look behind you, and +you will see the Misses Bridget and Margaret Mulrooney, who have just +arrived from ould Ireland shure." + +Most of the thoughtless girls laughed, mistaking this rudeness for wit, +but Ermina turned quickly and caught her first glimpse of Nettie's +burning face; then she hastened toward her. + +"Why, here is little Prudy, after all," she said eagerly; "I coaxed her +mother to let her come, but I didn't think she would. Has Miss Sherrill +seen her? I think she will make such a cunning Roman flower-girl, in +that tableau, you know. Her face is precisely the shape and style of +the little girls we saw in Rome last winter. Poor little girlie, was +she frightened? How kind you were to take care of her. She is a real +bright little thing. I want to coax her into Sunday-school if I can. +Let us go and ask Miss Sherrill what she thinks about the flower-girl." + +How fast Ermina Farley could talk! She did not wait for replies. The +truth was, Nettie's glowing cheeks, and Susie's fierce looks, told her +the story of trial for somebody else besides the Roman flower-girl; she +could guess at things which might have been said before she came. She +wound her arm familiarly about Nettie's waist as she spoke, and drew +her, almost against her will, across the lawn. "My!" said Irene Lewis. +"How good we are!" + +"Birds of a feather flock together," quoted Lorena Barstow. "I think +that barefooted child and her protector look alike." + +"Still," said Irene, "you must remember that Ermina Farley has joined +that flock; and her feathers are very different." + +"Oh! that is only for effect," was the naughty reply, with another toss +of the rich curls. + +Now what was the matter with all these disagreeable young people? Did +they really attach so much importance to the clothes they wore as to +think no one was respectable who was not dressed like them? Had they +really no hearts, so that it made no difference to them how deeply they +wounded poor Nettie Decker? + +I do not think it was quite either of these things. They had been, so +far in their lives, unfortunate, in that they had heard a great deal +about dress, and style, until they had done what young people and a +few older ones are apt to do, attached too much importance to these +things. They were neither old enough, nor wise enough, to know that +it is a mark of a shallow nature to judge of people by the clothes +they wear; then, in regard to the ill-natured things said, I tell +you truly, that even Lorena Barstow was ashamed of herself. When her +younger sister reproved her, the flush which came on her cheek was not +all anger, much of it was shame. But she had taught her tongue to say +so many disagreeable words, and to pride itself on its independence in +saying what she pleased, that the habit asserted itself, and she could +not seem to control it. The contrast between her own conduct and Ermina +Farley's struck her so sharply and disagreeably it served only to make +her worse than before; precisely the effect which follows when people +of uncontrolled tempers find themselves rebuked. + +Half-way down the lawn the party in search of Miss Sherrill met her +face to face. Her greeting was warm. "Oh! here is my dear little +grandmother. Thank you, Nettie, for coming; I look to you for a great +deal of help. Why, Ermina, what wee mousie have you here?" + +"She is a little Roman flower-girl, Miss Sherrill; they live on +Parker street. Her mother is a nice woman; my mother has her to +run the machine. I coaxed her to let Trudie wear her red dress and +come barefoot, until you would see if she would do for the Roman +flower-girl. Papa says her face is very Roman in style, and she always +makes us think of the flower-girls we saw there. I brought my Roman +sash to dress her in, if you thought well of it; she is real bright, +and will do just as she is told." + +"It is the very thing," said Miss Sherrill with a pleased face; "I am +so glad you thought of it. And the hollyhocks are just red enough to go +in the basket. Did you think of them too?" + +"No, ma'am; mamma did. She said the more red flowers we could mass +about her, the better for a Roman peasant." + +"It will be a lovely thing," said Miss Sherrill. Then she stooped and +kissed the small brown face, which was now smiling through its tears. +"You have found good friends, little one. She is very small to be here +alone. Ermina, will you and Nettie take care of her this afternoon, and +see that she is happy?" + +"Yes'm," said Ermina promptly. "Nettie was taking care of her when I +came. She was afraid at first, I think." + +"They were ugly to her," volunteered Susie, "they were just as ugly to +her as they could be; they made her cry. If they'd done it to Sate I +would have scratched them and bit them." + +"Oh," said Miss Sherrill sorrowfully. "How sorry I am to hear it; then +Susie would have been naughty too, and it wouldn't have made the others +any better; in fact, it would have made them worse." + +"I don't care," said Susie, but she did care. She said that, just +as you do sometimes, when you mean you care a great deal, and don't +want to let anybody know it. For the first time, Susie reflected +whether it was a good plan to scratch and bite people who did not, in +her judgment, behave well. It had not been a perfect success in her +experience, she was willing to admit that; and if it made Miss Sherrill +sorry, it was worth thinking about. + +Well, that afternoon which began so dismally, blossomed out into a +better time than Nettie had imagined it possible for her to have. To +be sure those particular girls who had been the cause of her sorrow, +would have nothing to do with her; and whispered, and sent disdainful +glances her way when they had an opportunity; but Nettie went in their +direction as little as possible, and when she did was in such a hurry +that she sometimes forgot all about them. Miss Sherrill, who was +chairman of the committee of entertainment, kept her as busy as a bee +the entire afternoon; running hither and thither, carrying messages to +this one, and pins to that one, setting this vase of flowers at one +end, and that lovely basket at another, and, a great deal of the time, +standing right beside Miss Sherrill herself, handing her, at call, +just what she needed when she dressed the girls with their special +flowers. She could hear the bright pleasant talk which passed between +Miss Sherrill and the other young ladies. She was often appealed too +with a pleasant word. Her own teacher smiled on her more than once, and +said she was the handiest little body who had ever helped them; and +all the time that lovely Ermina Farley with her beautiful hair, and +her pretty ways, and her sweet low voice, was near at hand, joining +in everything which she had to do. To be sure she heard, in one of +her rapid scampers across the lawn, this question asked in a loud +tone by Lorena Barstow: "I wonder how much they pay that girl for +running errands? Maybe she will earn enough to get herself a new white +nightgown to wear to parties;" but at that particular minute, Ermina +Farley running from another direction on an errand precisely like her +own, bumped up against her with such force that their noses ached; then +both stopped to laugh merrily, and some way, what with the bump, and +the laughter, Nettie forgot to cry, when she had a chance, over the +unkind words. Then, later in the afternoon, came Jerry; and in less +than five minutes he joined their group, and made himself so useful +that when Mr. Sherrill came presently for boys to go with him to the +chapel to arrange the tables, Miss Sherrill said in low tones, "Don't +take Jerry please, we need him here." Nettie heard it, and beamed her +satisfaction. Also she heard Irene Lewis say, "Now they've taken that +Irish boy into their crowd--shouldn't you think Ermina Farley would be +ashamed!" + +Then Nettie's face fairly paled. It is one thing to be insulted +yourself; it is another to stand quietly by and see your friends +insulted. She was almost ready to appeal to Miss Sherrill for +protection from tongues. But Jerry heard the same remark, and laughed; +not in a forced way, but actually as though it was very amusing to him. +And almost immediately he called out something to Ermina, using an +unmistakable Irish brogue. What was the use in trying to protect a boy +who was so indifferent as that? + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +A SATISFACTORY EVENING. + + +THE little old grandmothers with their queer caps were perhaps the +feature of the evening. Everybody wanted a bouquet of them. In fact, +long before eight o'clock, Jerry had been hurried away for a fresh +supply, and Nettie had been established behind a curtain to "make more +grandmothers." In her excitement she made them even prettier than +before; and sweet, grave little Sate had no trouble in selling every +one. The pretty Roman flower girl was so much admired, that her father, +a fine-looking young mechanic who came after her bringing red stockings +and neat shoes, carried her off at last in triumph on his shoulder, +saying he was afraid her head would be turned with so much praise, but +thanking everybody with bright smiling eyes for giving his little girl +such a pleasant afternoon. + +"She isn't Irish, after all," said Irene Lewis, watching them. "And +Mr. Sherrill shook hands with him as familiarly as though he was an +old friend; I wish we hadn't made such simpletons of ourselves. Lorena +Barstow, what did you want to go and say she was an Irish girl for?" + +"I didn't say any such thing," said Lorena in a shrill voice; and +then these two who had been friends in ill humor all the afternoon +quarreled, and went home more unhappy than before. And still I tell you +they were not the worst girls in the world; and were very much ashamed +of themselves. + +Before eight o'clock, Norm came. To be sure he stoutly refused, at +first, to step beyond the doorway, and ordered Nettie in a somewhat +surly tone to "bring that young one out," if she wanted her carried +home. That, of course, was the little grandmother; but her eyes looked +as though they had not thought of being sleepy, and the ladies were not +ready to let her go. Then the minister, who seemed to understand things +without having them explained, said, "Where is Decker? we'll make it +all right; come, little grandmother, let us go and see about it." So +he took Sate on his shoulder and made his way through the crowd; and +Nettie who watched anxiously, presently saw Norm coming back with +them, not looking surly at all; his clothes had been brushed, and he +had on a clean collar, and his hair was combed, quite as though he had +meant to come in, after all. + +Soon after Norm's coming, something happened which gave Nettie a +glimpse of her brother in a new light. Young Ernest Belmont was there +with his violin. During the afternoon, Nettie had heard whispers of +what a lovely player he was, and at last saw with delight that a space +was being cleared for him to play. Crowds of people gathered about the +platform to listen, but among them all Norm's face was marked; at least +it was to Nettie. She had never seen him look like that. He seemed to +forget the crowds, and the lights, and everything but the sounds which +came from that violin. He stood perfectly still, his eyes never once +turning from their earnest gaze of the fingers which were producing +such wonderful tones. Nettie, looking, and wondering, almost forgot the +music in her astonishment that her brother should be so absorbed. Jerry +with some difficulty elbowed his way towards her, his face beaming, and +said, "Isn't it splendid?" + +For answer she said, "Look at Norm." And Jerry looked. + +"That's so," he said at last, heartily, speaking as though he was +answering a remark from somebody; "Norm is a musician. Did you know he +liked it so much?" + +"I didn't know anything about it," Nettie said, hardly able to keep +back the tears, though she did not understand why her eyes should fill; +but there was such a look of intense enjoyment in Norm's face, mingled +with such a wistful longing for something, as made the tears start in +spite of her. "I didn't know he liked _anything_ so much as that." + +"He likes _that_," said Jerry heartily, "and I am glad." + +"I don't know. What makes you glad? I am almost sorry; because he may +never have a chance to hear it again." + +"He must make his chances; he is going to be a man. I'm glad, because +it gives us a hint as to what his tastes are; don't you see?" + +"Why, yes," said Nettie, "I see he likes it; but what is the use in +knowing people's tastes if you cannot possibly do anything for them?" + +"There's no such thing as it not being possible to do most anything," +Jerry said good humoredly. "Maybe we will some of us own a violin some +day, and Norm will play it for us. Who knows? Stranger things than that +have happened." + +But this thing looked to Nettie so improbable that she merely laughed. +The music suddenly ceased, and Norm came back from dreamland and looked +about him, and blushed, and felt awkward. He saw the people now, and +the lights, and the flowers; he remembered his hands and did not know +what to do with them; and his feet felt too large for the space they +must occupy. + +Jerry plunged through the crowd and stood beside him. + +"How did you like it?" he asked, and Norm cleared his voice before +replying; he could not understand why his throat should feel so husky. + +"I like a fiddle," he said. "There is a fellow comes into the corner +grocery down there by Crossman's and plays, sometimes; I always go down +there, when I hear of it." + +If Jerry could have caught Nettie's eye just then he would have made a +significant gesture; the store by Crossman's made tobacco and liquor +its chief trade. So a fiddle was one of the things used to draw the +boys into it! + +"Is a fiddle the only kind of music you like?" Jerry had been +accustomed to calling it a violin, but the instinct of true politeness +which was marked in him, made him say fiddle just now as Norm had done. + +"Oh! I like anything that whistles a tune!" said Norm. "I've gone +a rod out of my way to hear a jew's-harp many a time; even an old +hand-organ sounds nice to me. I don't know why, but I never hear one +without stopping and listening as long as I can." He laughed a little, +as though ashamed of the taste, and looked at Jerry suspiciously. But +there was not the slightest hint of a smile on the boy's face, only +hearty interest and approval. + +"I like music, too, almost any sort; but I don't believe I like it as +well as you. Your face looked while you were listening as though you +could make some yourself if you tried." + +The smile went out quickly from Norm's face, and Jerry thought he heard +a little sigh with the reply: + +"I never had a chance to try; and never expect to have." + +"Well, now, I should like to know why not? I never could understand why +a boy with brains, and hands, and feet, shouldn't have a try at almost +anything which was worth trying, sometime in his life." It was not +Jerry who said this, but the minister who had come up in time to hear +the last words from both sides. He stopped before Norm, smiling as he +spoke. "Try the music, my friend, by all means, if you like it. It is a +noble taste, worth cultivating." + +Norm looked sullen. "It's easy to talk," he said severely, "but when a +fellow has to work like a dog to get enough to eat and wear, to keep +him from starving or freezing, I'd like to see him get a chance to try +at music, or anything else of that kind!" + +"So should I. He is the very fellow who ought to have the chance; and +more than that, in nine cases out of ten he is the fellow who gets it. +A boy who is willing and able to work, is pretty sure, in this country, +to have opportunity to gratify his tastes in the end. He may have to +wait awhile, but that only sharpens the appetite of a genuine taste; +if it is a worthy taste, as music certainly is, it will grow with his +growth, and will help him to plan, and save, and contrive, until one +of these days he will show you! By the way, you would like organ music, +I fancy; the sort which is sometimes played on parlor organs. If you +will come to the parsonage to-morrow night at eight o'clock, I think I +can promise you something which you will enjoy. My sister is going to +try some new music for a few friends, at that time; suppose you come +and pick out your favorite?" + +All Jerry's satisfaction and interest shone in his face; to-morrow +night at eight o'clock! All day he had been trying to arrange something +which would keep Norm at that hour away from the aforesaid corner +grocery, where he happened to know some doubtful plans were to be +arranged for future mischief, by the set who gathered there. If only +Norm would go to the parsonage it would be the very thing. But Norm +flushed and hesitated. "Bring a friend with you," said the minister. +"Bring Jerry, here; you like music, don't you, Jerry?" + +"Yes, sir," said Jerry promptly; "I like music very much, and I would +like to go if Norm is willing." + +"Bring Jerry with you." That sentence had a pleasant sound. Up to this +moment it was the younger boy who had patronized the elder. Norm +called him the "little chap," but for all that looked up to him with +a curious sort of respect such as he felt for none of the "fellows" +who were his daily companions; the idea of bringing him to a place of +entertainment had its charms. + +"May I expect you?" asked the minister, reading his thoughts almost as +plainly as though they had been printed on his face, and judging that +this was the time to press an acceptance. + +"Why, yes," said Norm, "I suppose so." + +One of these days Norman Decker will not think of accepting an +invitation with such words, but his intentions are good, now, and the +minister thanks him as though he had received a favor, and departs well +pleased. + +And now it is really growing late and little Sate must be carried home. +It was an evening to remember. + +They talked it over by inches the next morning. Nettie finishing the +breakfast dishes, and Jerry sitting on the doorstep fashioning a +bracket for the kitchen lamp. + +Nettie talked much about Ermina Farley. "She is just as lovely and +sweet as she can be. It was beautiful in her to come over to me as she +did when she came into that yard; part of it was for little Trudie's +sake, and a great deal of it was for my sake. I saw that at the time; +and I saw it plainer all the afternoon. She didn't give me a chance to +feel alone once; and she didn't stay near me as though she felt she +ought to, but didn't want to, either; she just took hold and helped do +everything Miss Sherrill gave me to do, and was as bright and sweet as +she could be. I shall never forget it of her. But for all that," she +added as she wrung out her dishcloth with an energy which the small +white rag hardly needed, "I know it was pretty hard for her to do it, +and I shall not give her a chance to do it again." + +"I want to know what there was hard about it?" said Jerry, looking up +in astonishment. "I thought Ermina Farley seemed to be having as good a +time as anybody there." + +"Oh, well now, I know, you are not a girl; boys are different from +girls. They are not so kind-of-mean! At least, some of them are not," +she added quickly, having at that moment a vivid recollection of some +mean things which she had endured from boys. "Really I don't think +they are," she said, after a moment's thoughtful pause, and replying +to the quizzical look on his face. "They don't think about dresses, +and hats, and gloves, and all those sorts of things as girls do, and +they don't say such hateful things. Oh! I _know_ there is a great +difference; and I know just how Ermina Farley will be talked about +because she went with me, and stood up for me so; and I think it will +be very hard for her. I used to think so about you, but you--are real +different from girls!" + +"It amounts to about this," said Jerry, whittling gravely. "Good boys +are different from bad girls, and bad boys are different from good +girls." + +Nettie laughed merrily. "No," she said, "I do know what I am talking +about, though you don't think so; I know real splendid girls who +couldn't have done as Ermina Farley did yesterday, and as you do all +the time; and what I say is, I don't mean to put myself where she will +_have_ to do it, much. I don't want to go to their parties; I don't +expect a chance to go, but if I had it, I wouldn't go; and just for her +sake, I don't mean to be always around for her to have to take care +of me as she did yesterday. I have something else to do." Said Jerry, +"Where do you think Norm is to take me this evening?" + +"Norm going to take you!" great wonderment in the tone. "Why, where +could he take you? I don't know, I am sure." + +"He is to take me to the parsonage at eight o'clock to hear some +wonderful music on the organ. He has been invited, and has had +permission to bring me with him if he wants to. Don't you talk about +not putting yourself where other people will have to take care of you! +I advise you to cultivate the acquaintance of your brother. It isn't +everybody who gets invited to the parsonage to hear such music as Miss +Sherrill can make." + +The dishcloth was hung away now, and every bit of work was done. Nettie +stood looking at the whittling boy in the doorway for a minute in blank +astonishment, then she clasped her hands and said: "O Jerry! Did they +do it? Aren't they the very splendidest people you ever knew in your +life?" + +"They are pretty good," said Jerry, "that's a fact; they are most as +good as my father. I'll tell you what it is, if you knew my father you +would know a man who would be worth remembering. I had a letter from +him last night, and he sent a message to my friend Nettie." + +"What?" asked Nettie, her eyes very bright. + +"It was that you were to take good care of his boy; for in his opinion +the boy was worth taking care of. On the strength of that I want you to +come out and look at Mother Speckle; she is in a very important frame +of mind, and has been scolding her children all the morning. I don't +know what is the trouble; there are two of her daughters who seem to +have gone astray in some way; at least she is very much displeased with +them. Twice she has boxed Fluffie's ears, and once she pulled a feather +out of poor Buff. See how forlorn she seems!" + +By this time they were making their way to the little house where the +hen lived, Nettie agreeing to go for a very few minutes, declaring that +if Norm was going out every evening there was work to do. He would +need a clean collar and she must do it up; for mother had gone out to +iron for the day. "Mother is so grateful to Mrs. Smith for getting her +a chance to work," she said, as they paused before the two disgraced +chickens; "she says she would never have thought of it if it had not +been for her; you know she always used to sew. Why, how funny those +chickens look! Only see, Jerry, they are studying that eggshell as +though they thought they could make one. Now don't they look exactly as +though they were planning something?" + +"They are," said Jerry. "They are planning going to housekeeping, I +believe; you see they have quarreled with their mother. They consider +that they have been unjustly punished, and I am in sympathy with +them; and they believe they could make a house to live in out of that +eggshell if they could only think of a way to stick it together again. +I wish _we_ could build a house out of eggshells; or even one room, and +we'd have one before the month was over." + +"Why?" said Nettie, stooping down to see why Buff kept her foot under +her. "Do you want a room, Jerry?" + +"Somewhat," said Jerry. "At least I see a number of things we could do +if we had a room, that I don't know how to do without one. Come over +here, Nettie, and sit down; leave those chickens to sulk it out, and +let us talk a little. I have a plan so large that there is no place to +put it." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +READY TO TRY. + + +"YOU see," said Jerry, as Nettie came, protesting as she walked that +she could stay but a few minutes, because there was Norm's collar, +and she had four nice apples out of which she was going to make +some splendid apple dumplings for dinner, "you see we must contrive +something to keep a young fellow like Norm busy, if we are going to +hold him after he is caught. It doesn't do to catch a fish and leave +him on the edge of the bank near enough to flounce back into the water. +Norm ought to be set to work to help along the plans, and kept so busy +he wouldn't have time to get tired of them." + +"But how could that be done?" Nettie said in wondering tones, which +nevertheless had a note of admiration in them. Jerry went so deeply +into things, it almost took her breath away to follow him. + +"Just so; that's the problem which ought to be thought out. I can think +of things enough; but the room, and the tools to begin with, are the +trouble." + +"What have you thought of? What would you do if you could?" + +"O my!" said Jerry, with a little laugh; "don't ask me that question, +or your folks will have no apple dumplings to-day. I don't believe +there is any end to the things which I would do if I could. But the +first beginnings of them are like this: suppose we had a few dollars +capital, and a room." + +"You might as well suppose we had a palace, and a million dollars," +said Nettie, with a long-drawn sigh. + +"No, because I don't expect either of those things; but I do mean to +have a room and a few dollars in capital for this thing some day; only, +you see, I don't want to wait for them." + +"Well, go on; what then?" + +"Why, then we would start an eating-house, you and I, on a little +bit of a scale, you know. We would have bread with some kind of +meat between, and coffee, in cold weather, and lemonade in hot, +and a few apples, and now and then some nuts, and a good deal of +gingerbread--soft, like what auntie Smith makes--and some ginger-snaps +like those Mrs. Dix sent us from the country, and, well, you know the +names of things better than I do. Real good things, I mean, but which +don't cost much. Such as you, and Sarah Ann, and a good many bright +girls learn how to make, without using a great deal of money. Those +things are all rather cheap, which I have mentioned, because we have +them at our house quite often, and the Smiths are poor, you know. But +they are made so nice that they are just capital. Well, I would have +them for sale, just as cheap as could possibly be afforded; a great +deal cheaper than beer, or cigars, and I would have the room bright and +cheery; warm in winter, and as cool as I could make it in summer; then +I would have slips of paper scattered about the town, inviting young +folks to come in and get a lunch; then when they came, I would have +picture papers if I could, for them to look at, and games to play, real +nice jolly games, and some kind of music going on now and then. I'd +run opposition to that old grocery around the corner from Crossman's, +with its fiddle and its whiskey. That's the beginning of what I would +do. Just what I told you about, that first night we talked it over. +The fellows, lots of them, have nowhere to go; it keeps growing in my +mind, the need for doing something of the sort. I never pass that mean +grocery without thinking of it." + +You should have seen Nettie's eyes! The little touch of discouragement +was gone out of them, and they were full of intense thought. + +"I can see," she said at last, "just how splendid it might grow to be. +But what did you mean about Norm? there isn't any work for him in such +a plan. At least, I mean, not until he was interested to help for the +sake of others." + +"Yes, there is, plenty of business for him. Don't you see? I would have +this room, open evenings, after the work was done, and I would have +Norm head manager. He should wait on customers, and keep accounts. +When the thing got going he would be as busy as a bee; and he is just +the sort of fellow to do that kind of thing well, and like it too," he +added. + +"O Jerry," said Nettie, and her hands were clasped so closely that the +blood flowed back into her wrists, "was there ever a nicer thought than +that in the world! I know it would succeed; and Norm would like it so +much. Norm likes to do things for others, if he only had the chance." + +"I know it; and he likes to do things in a business way, and keep +everything straight. Oh! he would be just the one. If we only had a +room, there is nothing to hinder our beginning in a very small way. +Those chickens are growing as fast as they can, and by Thanksgiving +there will be a couple of them ready to broil; then the little old +grandmothers did so well." + +"I know it; who would have supposed that almost four dollars could be +made out of some daisy grandmothers! Miss Sherrill gave me one dollar +and ninety-five cents which she said was just half of what they had +earned. I do think it was so nice in her to give us that chance! She +couldn't have known how much we wanted the money. Jerry, why couldn't +we begin, just with that? It would start us, and then if the things +sold, why, the money from them would keep us started until we found a +way to earn more. Why can't we?" + +"Room," said Jerry, with commendable brevity. "Why, we have a room; +there's the front one that we just put in such nice order. Why not? It +is large enough for now, and maybe when our business grew we could get +another one somehow." + +Jerry stopped fitting the toe of his boot to a hole which he had made +in the ground, and looked at the eager young woman of business before +him. "Do you mean your mother would let us have the room, and the +chance in the kitchen, to go into such business?" + +"Mother would do _anything_," said Nettie emphatically, "anything in +the world which might possibly keep Norm in the house evenings; you +don't know how dreadfully she feels about Norm. She thinks father," and +there Nettie stopped. How could a daughter put it into words that her +mother was afraid her father would lead his son astray? + +"I know," said Jerry. "See here, Nettie, what is the matter with your +father? I never saw him look so still, and--well, queer, in some way. +Mr. Smith says he doesn't think he is drinking a drop; but he looks +unlike himself, somehow, and I can't decide how." + +"I don't know," said Nettie, in a low voice. "We don't know what to +think of him. He hasn't been so long without drinking, mother says, +in four years. But he doesn't act right; or, I mean, natural. He isn't +cross, as drinking beer makes him, but he isn't pleasant, as he was +for a day or two. He is real sober; hardly speaks at all, nor notices +the things I make; and I try just as hard to please him! He eats +everything, but he does it as though he didn't know he was eating. +Mother thinks he is in some trouble, but she can't tell what. He can't +be afraid of losing his place--because mother says he was threatened +that two or three times when he was drinking so hard, and he didn't +seem to mind it at all; and why should he be discharged now, when he +works hard every day? Last Saturday night he brought home more money +than he has in years. Mother cried when she saw what there was, but +she had debts to pay, so we didn't get much start out of it after all. +Then we spend a good deal in coffee; we have it three times a day, hot +and strong; I can see father seems to need it; and I have heard that +it helped men who were trying not to drink. When I told mother that, +she said he should have it if she had to beg for it on her knees. But +I don't know what is the matter with father now. Sometimes mother is +afraid there is a disease coming on him such as men have who drink; +she says he doesn't sleep very well nights, and he groans some, when +he is asleep. Mother tries hard," said Nettie, in a closing burst of +confidence, "and she _does_ have such a hard time! If we could only +save Norm for her." + +"I'll tell you who your mother looks like, or would look like if she +were dressed up, you know. Did you ever see Mrs. Burt?" + +"The woman who lives in the cottage where the vines climb all around +the front, and who has birds, and a baby? I saw her yesterday. You +don't think mother looks like her!" + +"She would," said Jerry, positively, "if she had on a pink and white +dress and a white fold about her neck. I passed there last night, while +Mrs. Burt was sitting out by that window garden of hers, with her baby +in her arms; Mr. Burt sat on one of the steps, and they were talking +and laughing together. I could not help noticing how much like your +mother she looked when she turned her side face. Oh! she is younger, of +course; she looks almost as though she might be your mother's daughter. +I was thinking what fun it would be if she were, and we could go and +visit her, and get her to help us about all sorts of things. Mr. Burt +knows how to do every kind of work about building a house, or fixing up +a room." + +"He is a nice man, isn't he?" + +"Why, yes, nice enough; he is steady and works hard. Mr. Smith thinks +he is quite a pattern; he has bought that little house where he lives, +and fixed it all up with vines and things; but I should like him better +if he didn't puff tobacco smoke into his wife's face when he talked +with her. He doesn't begin to be so good a workman as your father, +nor to know so much in a hundred ways. I think your father is a very +nice-looking man when he is dressed up. He looks smart, and he is +smart. Mr. Smith says there isn't a man in town who can do the sort of +work that he can at the shop, and that he could get very high wages and +be promoted and all that, if"-- + +Jerry stopped suddenly, and Nettie finished the sentence with a +sigh. She too had passed the Burt cottage and admired its beauty and +neatness. To think that Mr. Burt owned it, and was a younger man by +fifteen years at least than her father--and was not so good a workman! +then see how well he dressed his wife; and little Bobby Burt looked as +neat and pretty in Sunday-school as the best of them. It was very hard +that there must be such a difference in homes. If she could only live +in a house like the Burt cottage, and have things nice about her as +they did, and have her father and mother sit together and talk, as Mr. +and Mrs. Burt did, she should be perfectly happy, Nettie told herself. +Then she sprang up from the log and declared that she must not waste +another minute of time; but that Jerry's plan was the best one she had +ever heard, and she believed they could begin it. + +With this thought still in mind, after the dinner dishes were carefully +cleared away, and her mother, returned from the day's ironing, had +been treated to a piece of the apple dumpling warmed over for her, and +had said it was as nice a bit as she ever tasted, Nettie began on the +subject which had been in her thoughts all day: + +"What would you think of us young folks going into business?" + +"Going into business!" + +"Yes'm. Jerry and Norm and me. Jerry has a plan; he has been telling me +about it this morning. It is nice if we can only carry it out; and I +shouldn't wonder if we could. That is, if you think well of it." + +"I begin to think there isn't much that you and Jerry can't do, with +Norm, or with anybody else, if you try; and you both appear to be ready +to try to do all you can for everybody." + +Mrs. Decker's tone was so hearty and pleased, that you would not have +known her for the same woman who looked forward dismally but a few +weeks ago to Nettie's home-coming. Her heart had so warmed to the girl +in her efforts for father and brother, that she was almost ready to +agree to anything which she could have to propose. So Nettie, well +pleased with this beginning, unfolded with great clearness and detail, +Jerry's wonderful plan for not only catching Norm, but setting him up +in business. + +Mrs. Decker listened, and questioned and cross-questioned, sewing +swiftly the while on Norm's jacket which had been torn, and which +was being skilfully darned in view of the evening to be spent at the +parsonage. + +"Well," she said at last, "it looks wild to me, I own; I should as soon +try to fly as of making anything like that work in this town; but then, +you've made things work, you two, that I'd no notion could be done, +and between you, you seem to kind of bewitch Norm. He's done things +for you that I would no sooner have thought of asking of him than I +would have asked him to fly up to the moon; and this may be another of +them. Anyhow, if you've a mind to try it, I won't be the one to stop +you. I've been that scared for Norm, that I'm ready for anything. Oh! +the _room_, of course you may use it. If you wanted to have a circus +in there, I think I'd agree, wild animals and all; I've had worse than +wild animals in my day. No, your father won't object; he thinks what +you do is about right, I guess. And for the matter of that, he doesn't +object to anything nowadays; I don't know what to make of him." + +The sentence ended with a long-drawn, troubled sigh. + +Just what this strange change in her husband meant, Mrs. Decker could +not decide; and each theory which she started in her mind about it, +looked worse than the last. + +Norm's collar was ready for him, so was his jacket. He was somewhat +surly; the truth was, he had received what he called a "bid" to +the merry-making which was to take place in the back room of the +grocery, around the corner from Crossman's, and he was a good deal +tried to think he had cut himself off by what he called a "spooney" +promise, from enjoying the evening there. At the same time there was +a certain sense of largeness in saying he could not come because he +had received an invitation elsewhere, which gave him a momentary +pleasure. To be sure the boys coaxed until they had discovered the +place of his engagement, and joked him the rest of the time, until he +was half-inclined to wish he had never heard of the parsonage; but for +all that, a certain something in Norman which marked him as different +from some boys, held him to his word when it was passed; and he had +no thought of breaking from his engagement. It was an evening such as +Norman had reason to remember. For the first time in his life he sat +in a pleasantly furnished home, among ladies and gentlemen, and heard +himself spoken to as one who "belonged." + +Three ladies were there from the city, and two gentlemen whom Norman +had never seen before; all friends of the Sherrills come out to spend +a day with them. They were not only unlike any people whom he had ever +seen before, but, if he had known it, unlike a great many ladies and +gentlemen, in that their chief aim in life was to be found in their +Master's service; and a boy about whom they knew nothing, save that he +was poor, and surrounded by temptations, and Satan desired to have him, +was in their eyes so much stray material which they were bound to bring +back to the rightful owner if they could. + +To this end they talked to Norman. Not in the form of a lecture, but +with bright, winning words, on topics which he could understand, not +only, but actually on certain topics about which he knew more than +they. For instance, there was a cave about two miles from the town, of +which they had heard, but had never seen and Norm had explored every +crevice in it many a time. He knew on which side of the river it was +located, whether the entrance was from the east or the south; just how +far one could walk through it, just how far one could creep in it, +after walking had become impossible, and a dozen other things which it +had not occurred to him were of interest to anybody else. In fact, Norm +discovered in the course of the hour that there was such a thing as +conversation. Not that he made use of that word, in thinking it over; +his thoughts, if they could have been seen, would have been something +like this: "These are swell folks, but I can understand what they say, +and they seem to understand what I say, and don't stare as though I +was a wild animal escaped from the woods. I wonder what makes the +difference between them and other folks?" + +But when the music began! I have no words to describe to you what +it was to Norm to sit close to an organ and hear its softest notes, +and feel the thrill of its heavy bass tones, and be appealed to +occasionally as to whether he liked this or that the best, and to +have a piece sung because the player thought it would please him; she +selected it that morning, she told him, with this thought in view. + +"Decker, you ought to learn to play," said one of the guests who had +watched him through the last piece. "You _look_ music, right out of +your eyes. Miss Sherrill, here is a pupil for you who might do you +credit. Have you ever had any instrument, Decker?" + +Then Norm came back to every-day life, and flushed and stammered. "No, +he hadn't, and was not likely to;" and wondered what they would think +if they were to see the corner grocery where he spent most of his +leisure time. + +The questioner laughed pleasantly. "Oh, I'm not so sure of that. I +have a friend who plays the violin in a way to bring tears to people's +eyes, and he never touched one until he was thirty years old; hadn't +time until then. He was an apprentice, and had his trade to master, +and himself to get well started in it before he had time for music; +but when he came to leisure, he made music a delight to himself and to +others." + +"A great deal can be done with leisure time," said another of the +guests. "Mr. Sherrill, you remember Myers, your college classmate? He +did not learn to read, you know, until he was seventeen." + +"What?" said Norm, astonished out of his diffidence; "didn't know how +to read!" + +"No," repeated the gentleman, "not until he was seventeen. He had a +hard childhood--was kicked about in the world, with no leisure and no +help, had to work evenings as well as days, but when he was seventeen +he fell into kinder hands, and had a couple of hours each evening +all to himself, and he mastered reading, not only, but all the common +studies, and graduated from college with honor when he was twenty-six." + +Now Norm had all his evenings to lounge about in, and had not known +what to do with them; and he could read quite well. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE WAY MADE PLAIN. + + +IT was a beautiful Sabbath afternoon; just warm enough to make people +feel still and pleasant. The soft summer sunshine lay smiling on all +the world, and the soft summer breeze rustled the leaves of the trees, +and stole gently in at open windows. In the front room of the Deckers, +the family was gathered, all save Mr. Decker. He could be heard in his +bedroom stepping about occasionally, and great was his wife's fear +lest he was preparing to go down town and put himself in the place of +temptation at his old lounging place. Sunday could not be said to be a +day of rest to Mrs. Decker. It had been the day of her greatest trials, +so far. Norm was in his clean shirt and collar, which had been done up +again by Nettie's careful hands and which shone beautifully. He was +also in his shirt sleeves; that the mother was glad to see; _he_ was +not going out just yet, anyway. Mrs. Decker had honored the day with a +clean calico dress, and had shyly and with an almost shamefaced air, +pinned into it a little cambric ruffle which Nettie had presented her, +with the remark that it was just like the one Mrs. Burt wore, and that +Jerry said she looked like Mrs. Burt a little, only he thought she was +the best-looking of the two. Mrs. Decker had laughed, and then sighed; +and said it made dreadful little difference to her how she looked. But +the sigh meant that the days were not so very far distant when Mr. +Decker used to tell her she was a handsome woman; and she used to smile +over it, and call him a foolish man without any taste; but nevertheless +used to like it very much, and make herself look as well as she could +for his sake. + +She hadn't done it lately, but whose fault was that, she should like to +know? However, she pinned the ruffle in, and whether Mr. Decker noticed +it or not, she certainly looked wonderfully better. Norm noticed it, +but of course he would not have said so for the world. Nettie in her +blue and white gingham which had been washed and ironed since the +flower party, and which had faded a little and shrunken a little, +still looked neat and trim, and had the little girls one on either +side of her, telling them a story in low tones; not so low but that +the words floated over to the window where Norm was pretending not to +listen: "And so," said the voice, "Daniel let himself be put into a den +of dreadful fierce lions, rather than give up praying." + +"Did they frow him in?" this question from little Sate, horror in every +letter of the words. + +"Yes, they did; and shut the door tight." + +"I wouldn't have been," said fierce Susie; "I would have bitten, and +scratched and kicked just awful!" + +"Why didn't Daniel shut up the window just as _tight_, and not let +anybody know it when he said his prayers?" + +Oh little Sate! how many older and wiser ones than you have tried to +slip around conscience corners in some such way. + +"I don't know all the reasons," said Nettie, after a thoughtful pause, +"but I suppose one was, because he wouldn't act in a way to make people +believe he had given up praying. He wanted to show them that he meant +to pray, whether they forbade it or not." + +"Go on," said Susie, sharply, "I want to know how he felt when the +lions bit him." + +"They didn't bite him; God wouldn't let them touch him. They crouched +down and kept as _still_, all night; and in the morning when the king +came to look, there was Daniel, safe!" + +"Oh my!" said Sate, drawing a long, quivering sigh of relief; "wasn't +that just splendid!" + +"How do you know it is true?" said skeptical Susie, looking as though +she was prepared not to believe anything. + +"I know it because God said it, Susie; he put it in the Bible." + +"I didn't ever hear him say it," said Susie with a frown. A laugh +from Norm at that moment gave Nettie her first knowledge of him as a +listener. Her cheeks grew red, and she would have liked to slip away +into a more quiet corner but Sate was in haste to hear just what the +king said, and what Daniel said, and all about it, and the story went +on steadily, Daniel's character for true bravery shining out all the +more strongly, perhaps, because Nettie suspected herself of being a +coward, and not liking Norm to laugh at her Bible stories. As for Norm, +he knew he was a coward; he knew he had done in his life dozens of +things to make his mother cry; not because he was so anxious to do +them, nor because he feared a den of lions if he refused, but simply +because some of the fellows would laugh at him if he did. + +That Sabbath day had been a memorable one to the Decker family in some +respects; at least to part of it. Nettie had taken the little girls +with her to Sabbath-school, and then to church. Mrs. Smith had given +her a cordial invitation to sit in their seat, but it was not a very +large seat, and when Job and his wife, and Sarah Ann and Jerry were all +there, as they were apt to be, there was just room for Nettie without +the little girls; so she went with them to the seat directly under the +choir gallery where very few sat. It was comfortable enough; she could +see the minister distinctly, and though she had to stretch out her neck +to see the choir, she could hear their sweet voices; and surely that +was enough. All went smoothly until the sermon was concluded. Sate sat +quite still, and if she did not listen to the sermon, listened to her +own thoughts and troubled no one. + +But when the anthem began, Sate roused herself. That wonderful voice +which seemed to fill every corner of the church! She knew the voice; +it belonged to her dear teacher. She stretched out her little neck, and +could catch a glimpse of her, standing alone, the rest of the choir +sitting back, out of sight. And what was that she was saying, over and +over? "Come unto Me, unto Me, unto Me"--the words were repeated in the +softest of cadences--"all ye who are weary and heavy laden and I will +give you rest." Sate did not understand those words, certainly her +little feet were not weary, but there was a sweetness about the word +"rest" as it floated out on the still air, which made her seem to want +to go, she knew not whither. Then came the refrain: "Come unto Me, unto +Me," swelling and rolling until it filled all the aisles, and dying +away at last in the tenderest of pleading sounds. Sate's heart beat +fast, and the color came and went on her baby face in a way which would +have startled Nettie had she not been too intent on her own exquisite +delight in the music, to remember the motionless little girl at her +left. + +"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me, learn of Me," called the sweet +voice, and Sate, understanding the last of it felt that she wanted to +learn, and of that One above all others. "For I am meek and lowly +of heart"--she did not know what the words meant, but she was drawn, +drawn. Then, listening, breathless, half resolved, came again that +wondrous pleading, "Come unto Me, unto Me, unto Me." Softly the little +feet slid down to the carpeted floor, softly they stepped on the green +and gray mosses which gave back no sound; softly they moved down the +aisle as though they carried a spirit with them, and when Nettie, +hearing no sound, yet turned suddenly as people will, to look after her +charge, little Sate was gone! Where? Nettie did not know, could not +conjecture. No sight of her in the aisle, not under the seat, not in +the great church anywhere. The door was open into the hall, and poor +little tired Sate must have slipped away into the sunshine outside. +Well, no harm could come to her there; she would surely wait for them, +or, failing in that, the road home was direct enough, and nothing to +trouble her; but how strange in little Sate to do it! If it had been +Susie, resolute, independent Susie always sufficient to herself and a +little more ready to do as she pleased than any other way! But Susie +sat up prim and dignified on Nettie's right; not very conscious of the +music, and willing enough to have the service over, but conscious +that she had on her new shoes, and a white dress, and a white bonnet, +and looked very well indeed. Meantime, little Sate was not out in the +sunshine. She had not thought of sunshine; she had been called; it was +not possible for her sweet little heart to get away from the feeling +that some one was calling her, and that she wanted to go. What better +was there to do than follow the voice? So she followed it, out into the +hall, up the gallery stairs, still softly--the new shoes made no sound +on the carpet--through the door which stood ajar, quite to the singer's +side, there slipped this quiet little woman who had left her white +bonnet by Nettie, and stood with her golden head rippling with the +sunlight which fell upon it. There was a rustle in the choir gallery, +a soft stir over the church, the sort of sound which people make when +they are moved by some deep feeling which they hardly understand; there +was a smile on some faces, but it was the kind of smile which might be +given to a baby angel if it had strayed away from heaven to look at +something bright down here. The tenor singer would have drawn away the +small form from the soloist, but she put forth a protecting hand +and circled the child, and sang on, her voice taking sweeter tone, if +possible, and dying away in such tenderness as made the smiles on some +faces turn to tears, and made the echo linger with them of that last +tremulous "Come unto Me." + +[Illustration: LITTLE SATE IN THE CHOIR GALLERY.] + +But little Sate, when she reached the choir gallery, saw something +which startled her out of her sweet resolute calm. Away on the side, up +there, where few people were, sat her own father; and rolling down his +cheeks were tears. Sate had never seen her father cry before. What was +the matter? Had she been naughty, and was it making him feel bad? She +stole a startled glance at the face of her teacher, whose arm was still +around her and had drawn her toward the seat into which she dropped, +when the song was over. No, _her_ face was quiet and sweet; not +grieved, as Sate was sure it would be, if she had been naughty. Neither +did the people look cross at her; many of them had bowed their heads in +prayer, but some were sitting erect, looking at her and smiling; surely +she had made no noise. Why should her father cry? She looked at him; he +had shaded his face with his hand. Was he crying still? Little Sate +thought it over, all in a moment of time, then suddenly she slipped +away from the encircling arm, moved softly across the intervening +space, into the side gallery, and was at her father's side, with her +small hand on his sleeve. He stooped and took her in his arms, and the +tears were still in his eyes; but he kissed her, and _kissed_ her, as +little Sate had never been kissed before; she nestled in his arms and +felt safe and comforted. + +The prayer was over, the benediction given, and the worshipers moved +down the aisles. Sate rode comfortably in her father's arms, down +stairs, out into the hall, outside, in the sunshine, waiting for Nettie +and for her white sunbonnet. Presently Nettie came, hurried, flushed, +despite her judgment, anxious as to where the bonnetless little girl +could have vanished. "Why, Sate," she began, but the rest of the +sentence died in astonished silence on her lips, for Sate held her +father's hand and looked content. + +They walked home together, the father and his youngest baby, saying +nothing, for Sate was one of those wise-eyed little children who +have spells of sweet silence come over them, and Nettie, with Susie, +walked behind, the elder sister speculating: "Where did little Sate +find father? Did he pick her up on the street somewhere, and would he +be angry, and not let Nettie take her to church any more? Or did he, +passing, spy her in the churchyard and come in for her?" + +Nettie did not know, and Sate did not tell; principally because she +did not understand that there was anything to tell. So while the +people in their homes talked and laughed about the small white waif +who had slipped into the choir, the people in this home were entirely +silent about it, and the mother did not know that anything strange +had happened. It is true, Susie began to inquire reprovingly, but was +hushed by Nettie's warning whisper; certainly Nettie was gaining a +wonderful control over the self-sufficient Susie. The child respected +her almost enough to follow her lead unquestioningly, which was a great +deal for Susie to do. + +So they sat together that sweet Sabbath afternoon, Nettie telling her +Bible stories, and wondering how she should plan. What did Norm intend +to do a little later in the day? What was there she could do to keep +him from lounging down street? Why was her father staying so long in +the choked-up bedroom? What was the matter with her father these days, +and how long was anything going to last? Why did she feel, someway, +as though she stood on the very edge of something which startled and +almost frightened her? Was it because she was afraid her father would +not let her take Sate and Susie to church any more? + +With all these thoughts floating through her mind, it was rather +hard to keep herself closely confined to Daniel and his experiences. +Suddenly the bedroom door opened and her father came out. Everybody +glanced up, though perhaps nobody could have told why. There was +a peculiar look on his face. Mrs. Decker noticed it and did not +understand it, and felt her heart beat in great thuds against the back +of her chair. Little Sate noticed it, and went over to him and slipped +her hand inside his. He sat down in the state chair which Nettie and +her mother had both contrived to have left vacant, and took Sate in his +arms. This of itself was unusual, but after that, there was silence, +Sate nestling safely in the protective arms and seeming satisfied with +all the world. Nettie felt her face flush, and her bosom heave as if +the tears were coming, but she could not have told why she wanted +to cry Norm seemed oppressed with the stillness, and broke it by +whistling softly; also he had a small stick and was whittling; it was +the only thing he could think of to do just now. It was too early to go +out; the boys would not be through with their boarding-house dinners +yet. Suddenly Mr. Decker broke in on the almost silence. "Hannah," +he said, then he cleared his voice, and was still again, "and you +children," he added, after a moment, "I've got something to tell you +if I knew how. Something that I guess you will be glad to hear. I've +turned over a new leaf at last. I've turned it, off and on, in my mind +a good many times lately, though I don't know as any of you knew it. +I've been thinking about this thing, well, as soon as Nannie there came +home, at least; but I haven't understood it very well, and I s'pose +I don't now; but I understand it enough to have made up my mind; and +that's more than half the battle. The long and short of it is, I have +given myself to the Lord, or he has got hold of me, somehow; it isn't +much of a gift, that's a fact, but the queer thing about it is, he +seems to think it worth taking. I told him last night that if he would +show a poor stick like me how to do it, why, I'd do my part without +fail; and this morning he not only showed the way plain enough, but he +sent my little girl to help me along." + +The father's voice broke then, and a tear trembled in his eye. Sate had +held her little head erect and looked steadily at him as soon as he +began to talk, wonder and interest, and some sort of still excitement +in her face as she listened. At his first pause she broke forth: + +"Did He mean you, papa, when He said 'Come unto Me'? Was He calling +you, all the time? and did you tell Him you would?" + +"Yes," he said, bending and kissing the earnest face, "He meant me, and +He's been calling me loud, this good while; but I never got started +till to-day. Now I'm going along with Him the rest of the way." + +"I'm so glad," said little Sate, nestling contentedly back, "I'm so +glad, papa; I'm going too." + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE NEW ENTERPRISE. + + +ONE bright and never-to-be-forgotten day, Nettie and Jerry stood +together in the "new" room and surveyed with intense satisfaction +all its appointments. They were ready to begin business. On that +very evening the room was to be "open to the public!" They looked at +each other as they repeated that large-sounding phrase, and laughed +gleefully. + +There had been a great deal to do to get ready. Hours and even days +had been spent in planning. It astonished both these young people to +discover how many things there were to think of, and get ready for, +and guard against, before one could go into business. There was a time +when with each new day, new perplexities arose. During those days Jerry +had spent a good deal of his leisure in fishing; both because at the +Smiths, and also at the Deckers, fish were highly prized, and also +because, as he confided to Nettie, "a fellow could somehow think a +great deal better when his fingers were at work, and when it was still +everywhere about him." + +There were times, however, when his solitude was disturbed. There had +been one day in particular when something happened about which he did +not tell Nettie. He was in his fishing suit, which though clean and +whole was not exactly the style of dress which a boy would wear to a +party, and he stood leaning against a rail fence, rod in hand, trying +to decide whether he should try his luck on that side, or jump across +the logs to a shadier spot; trying also to decide just how they could +manage to get another lamp to stand on the reading table, when he heard +voices under the trees just back of him. + +They were whispering in that sort of penetrating whisper that floats +so far in the open air, and which some, girls, particularly, do not +seem to know can be heard a few feet away. Jerry could hear distinctly; +in fact unless he stopped his ears with his hands he could not help +hearing. + +And the old rule, that listeners never hear any good of themselves, +applied here. + +"There's that Jerry who lives at the Smiths'," said whisperer number +one, "do look what a fright; I guess he has borrowed a pair of Job +Smith's overalls! Isn't it a shame that such a nice-looking boy is +deserted in that way, and left to run with all sorts of people?" + +"I heard that he wasn't deserted; that his father was only staying out +West, or down South, or somewhere for awhile." + +"Oh! that's a likely story," said whisperer number one, her voice +unconsciously growing louder. "Just as if any father who was anybody, +would leave a boy at Job Smith's for months, and never come near him. +I think it is real mean; they say the Smiths keep him at work all the +while, fishing; he about supports them, and the Deckers too, with fish +and things." + +At this point the amused listener nearly forgot himself and whistled. + +"Oh well, that's as good a way as any to spend his time; he knows +enough to catch fish and do such things, and when he is old enough, +I suppose he will learn a trade; but I must say I think he is a +nice-looking fellow." + +"He would be, if he dressed decently. The boys like him real well; they +say he is smart; and I shouldn't wonder if he was; big eyes twinkle as +though he might be. If he wouldn't keep running with that Decker girl +all the time, he might be noticed now and then." + +At this point came up a third young miss who spoke louder. Jerry +recognized her voice at once as belonging to Lorena Barstow. "Girls, +what are you doing here? Why, there is that Irish boy; I wonder if he +wouldn't sell us some fish? They say he is very anxious to earn money; +I should think he would be, to get himself some decent clothes. Or +maybe he wants to make his dear Nan a present." + +Then followed a laugh which was quickly hushed, lest the victim might +hear. But the victim had heard, and looked more than amused; his eyes +flashed with a new idea. + +"Much obliged, Miss Lorena," he said softly, nodding his head. "If I +don't act on your hint, it will be because I am not so bright as you +give me credit for being." + +Then the first whisperer took up the story: + +"Say, girls, I heard that Ermina did really mean to invite him to her +candy pull, and the Decker girl too; she says they both belong to the +Sunday-school, and she is going to invite all the boys and girls of +that age in the school, and her mother thinks it would not be nice to +leave them out. You know the Farleys are real queer about some things." + +Lorena Barstow flamed into a voice which was almost loud. "Then I say +let's just not speak a word to either of them the whole evening. Ermina +Farley need not think that because she lives in a grand house, and her +father has so much money, she can rule us all. I for one, don't mean to +associate with a drunkard's daughter, and I won't be made to, by the +Farleys or anybody else." + +"Her father isn't a drunkard now. Why, don't you know he has joined the +church? And last Wednesday night they say he was in prayer meeting." + +"Oh, yes, and what does that amount to? My father says it won't last +six weeks; he says drunkards are not to be trusted; they never reform. +And what if he does? That doesn't make Nan Decker anything but a dowdy, +not fit for us girls to go with; and as for that Irish boy! Why doesn't +Ermina go down on Paddy Lane and invite the whole tribe of Irish if +she is so fond of them?" + +"Hush, Lora, Ermina will hear you." + +Sure enough at that moment came Ermina, springing briskly over logs and +underbrush. "Have I kept you waiting?" she asked gayly. "The moss was +so lovely back there; I wanted to carry the whole of it home to mother. +Why, girls, there is that boy who sits across from us in Sabbath-school. + +"How do you do?" she said pleasantly, for at that moment Jerry turned +and came toward them, lifting his hat as politely as though it was in +the latest shape and style. + +"Have you had good luck in fishing?" + +"Very good for this side; the fish are not so plenty here generally +as they are further up. I heard you speaking of fish, Miss Barstow, +and wondering whether I would not supply your people? I should be very +glad to do so, occasionally; I am a pretty successful fellow so far as +fishing goes." + +You should have seen the cheeks of the whisperers then! Ermina looked +at them, perplexed for a moment, then seeing they answered only with +blushes and silence _she_ spoke: "Mamma would be very glad to get +some; she was saying yesterday she wished she knew some one of whom she +could get fish as soon as they were caught. Have you some to-day for +sale?" + +"Three beauties which I would like nothing better than to sell, for I +am in special need of the money just now." + +"Very well," said Ermina promptly, "I am sure mamma will like them; +could you carry them down now? I am on my way home and could show you +where to go." + +"Ermina Farley!" remonstrated Lorena Barstow in a low shocked tone, but +Ermina only said: "Good-by, girls, I shall expect you early on Thursday +evening," and walked briskly down the path toward the road, with Jerry +beside her, swinging his fish. If the girls could have seen his eyes +just then, they would have been sure that they twinkled. + +They had a pleasant walk, and Ermina did actually invite him to her +candy-pull on Thursday evening; not only that, but she asked if he +would take an invitation from her to Nettie Decker. "She lives next +door to you, I think," said Ermina, "I would like very much to have her +come; I think she is so pleasant and unselfish. It is just a few boys +and girls of our age, in the Sunday-school." + +How glad Jerry was that she had invited them! He had been so afraid +that her courage would not be equal to it. Glad was he also to be able +to say, frankly, that both he and Nettie had an engagement for Thursday +evening; he would be sure to give Nettie the invitation, but he knew +she could not come. Of course she could not, he said to himself; "Isn't +that our opening evening?" But all the same it was very nice in Ermina +Farley to have invited them. + +"Here is another lamp for the table," said Jerry gayly, as he rushed +into the new room an hour later and tossed down a shining silver +dollar. He had exchanged the fish for it. Then he sat down and told +part of their story to Nettie. About the whisperers, however, he kept +silent. What was the use in telling that? + +But from them he had gotten another idea. "Look here, Nettie, some +evening we'll have a candy-pull, early, with just a few to help, and +sell it cheap to customers." + +So now they stood together in the room to see if there was another +thing to be done before the opening. A row of shelves planed and +fitted by Norm were ranged two thirds of the way up the room and +on them were displayed tempting pans of ginger cookies, doughnuts, +molasses cookies, and soft gingerbread. Sandwiches made of good bread, +and nice slices of ham, were shut into the corner cupboard to keep +from drying; there was also a plate of cheese which was a present from +Mrs. Smith. She had sent it in with the explanation that it would be a +blessing to her if that cheese could get eaten by somebody; she bought +it once, a purpose, as a treat for Job, and it seemed it wasn't the +kind he liked, and none of the rest of them liked any kind, so there +it had stood on the shelf eying her for days. There was to be coffee; +Nettie had planned for that. "Because," she explained, "they _all_ +drink beer; and things to eat, can never take the place of things to +drink." + +It had been a difficult matter to get the materials together for +this beginning. All the money which came in from the "little old +grandmothers," as well as that which Jerry contributed, had been spent +in flour, and sugar, and eggs and milk. Nettie was amazed and dismayed +to find how much even soft gingerbread cost, when every pan of it had +to be counted in money. A good deal of arithmetic had been spent on +the question: How low can we possibly sell this, and not actually lose +money by it? Of course some allowance had to be made for waste. "We'll +have to name it waste," explained Nettie with an anxious face, "because +it won't bring in any money; but of course not a scrap of it will be +wasted; but what is left over and gets too dry to sell, we shall have +to eat." + +Jerry shook his head. "We must sell it," he said with the air of a +financier. Then he went away thoughtfully to consult Mrs. Job, and came +back triumphant. She would take for a week at half price, all the stale +cake they might have left. "That means gingercake," he explained, "she +says the cookies and things will keep for weeks, without getting too +old." + +"Sure enough!" said radiant Nettie, "I did not think of that." + +There were other things to think of; some of them greatly perplexed +Jerry; he had to catch many fish before they were thought out. Then he +came with his views to Nettie. + +"See here, do you understand about this firm business; it must be you +and me, you know?" + +Nettie's bright face clouded. "Why, I thought," she said, speaking +slowly, "I thought you said, or you meant--I mean I thought it was to +help Norm; and that he would be a partner." + +Jerry shook his head. "Can't do it," he said decidedly. "Look here, +Nettie, we'll get into trouble right away if we take in a partner. He +believes in drinking beer, and smoking cigarettes, and doing things of +that sort; now if he as a partner introduces anything of the kind, what +are we to do?" + +"Sure enough!" the tone expressed conviction, but not relief. "Then +what are we to do, Jerry? I don't see how we are going to help Norm +any." + +"I do; quite as well as though he was a partner. Norm is a good-natured +fellow; he likes to help people. I think he likes to do things for +others better than for himself. If we explain to him that we want to go +into this business, and that you can't wait on customers, because you +are a girl, and it wouldn't be the thing, and I can't, because it is +in your house, and I promised my father I would spend my evenings at +home, and write a piece of a letter to him every evening; and ask him +to come to the rescue and keep the room open, and sell the things for +us, don't you believe he will be twice as likely to do it as though we +made him as young as ourselves, and tried to be his equals?" + +Then Nettie's face was bright. "What a contriver you are!" she said +admiringly. "I think that will do just splendidly." + +She was right, it did. Norm might have curled his lip and said "pooh" +to the scheme, had he been placed on an equality; for he was getting +to the age when to be considered young, or childish, is a crime in a +boy's eyes. But to be appealed to as one who could help the "young fry" +out of their dilemma, and at the same time provide himself with a very +pleasant place to stay, and very congenial employment while he stayed, +was quite to Norm's mind. + +And as it was an affair of the children's, he made no suggestions about +beer or cigars; it is true he thought of them, but he thought at once +that neither Nettie or Jerry would probably have anything to do with +them, and as he had no dignity to sustain, he decided to not even +mention the matter. These two planned really better than they knew in +appealing to Norm for help. His curious pride would never have allowed +him to say to a boy, "We keep cakes and coffee for sale at our house; +come in and try them." But it was entirely within the line of his ideas +of respectability to say: "What do you think those two young ones over +at our house have thought up next? They have opened an eating-house, +cakes and things such as my sister can make, and coffee, dirt cheap. +I've promised to run the thing for them in the evening awhile; I +suppose you'll patronize them?" + +And the boys, who would have sneered at _his_ setting himself up in +business, answered: "What, the little chap who lives at Smith's? And +your little sister! Ho! what a notion! I don't know but it is a bright +one, though, as sure as you live. There isn't a spot in this town where +a fellow can get a decent bite unless he pays his week's wages for it; +boys, let's go around and see what the little chaps are about." + +The very first evening was a success. + +Nettie had assured herself that she must not be disappointed if no one +came, at first. + +"You see, it is a new thing," she explained to her mother, "of course +it will take them a little while to get acquainted with it; if nobody +at all comes to-night, I shall not be disappointed. Shall you, Jerry?" + +"Why, yes," said Jerry, "I should; because I know of one boy who is +coming, and is going to have a ginger-snap and a glass of milk. And +that is little Ted Locker who lives down the lane; they about starve +that boy. I shall like to see him get something good. He has three +cents and I assured him he could get a brimming glass of milk and a +ginger-snap for that. He was as delighted as possible." + +"Poor fellow!" said Nettie, "I mean to tell Norm to let him have two +snaps, wouldn't you?" + +And Jerry agreed, not stopping to explain that he had furnished the +three cents with which Ted was to treat his poor little stomach. So the +work began in benevolence. + +Still Nettie was anxious, not to say nervous. + +"You will have to eat soft gingerbread at your house, for breakfast, +dinner and supper, I am afraid," she said to Jerry with a half laugh, +as they stood looking at it. "I don't know why I made four tins of it; +I seemed to get in a gale when I was making it." + +"Never you fear," said Jerry, cheerily. "I'll be willing to eat such +gingerbread as that three times a day for a week. Between you and me," +lowering his voice, "Sarah Ann can't make very good gingerbread; when +we get such a run of custom that we have none left over to sell, I wish +you'd teach her how." + +I do not know that any member of the two households could be said to be +more interested in the new enterprise than Mr. Decker. He helped set up +the shelves, and he made a little corner shelf on purpose for the lamp, +and he watched the entire preparations with an interest which warmed +Nettie's heart. I haven't said anything about Mr. Decker during these +days, because I found it hard to say. You are acquainted with him as a +sour-faced, unreasonable, beer-drinking man; when suddenly he became +a man who said "Good morning" when he came into the room, and who sat +down smooth shaven, and with quiet eyes and smile to his breakfast, and +spoke gently to Susie when she tipped her cup of water over, and kissed +little Sate when he lifted her to her seat, and waited for Mrs. Decker +to bring the coffee pot, then bowed his head and in clear tones asked a +blessing on the food, how am I to describe him to you? The change was +something which even Mrs. Decker who watched him every minute he was in +the house and thought of him all day long, could not get accustomed to. +It astonished her so to think that she, Mrs. Decker, lived in a house +where there was a prayer made every night and morning, and where each +evening after supper Nettie read a few verses in the Bible, and her +father prayed; that every time she passed her own mother's Bible which +had been brought out of its hiding-place in an old trunk, she said, +under her breath, "Thank the Lord." No, she did not understand it, the +marvelous change which had come over her husband. She had known him as +a kind man; he had been that when she married him, and for a few months +afterwards. + +She had heard him speak pleasantly to Norm, and show him much +attention; he had done it before they were married, and for awhile +afterwards; but there was a look in his face, and a sound in his voice +now, such as she had never seen nor heard before. + +"It isn't Decker," she said in a burst of confidence to Nettie. "He is +just as good as he can be; and I don't know anything in the world he +ain't willing to do for me, or for any of us; and it is beautiful, the +whole of it; but it is all new. I used to think if the man I married +could only come back to me I should be perfectly happy; but I don't +know this man at all; he seems to me sometimes most like an angel." + +Probably you would have laughed at this. Joe Decker did not look in the +least like the picture you have in your mind of an angel; but perhaps +if you had known him only a few weeks before, as Mrs. Decker did, and +could have seen the wonderful change in him which she saw, the contrast +might even have suggested angels. + +Nettie understood it. She struggled with her timidity and her ignorance +of just what ought to be said; then she made her earnest reply: + +"Mother, I'll tell you the difference. Father prays, and when people +pray, you know, and mean it, as he does, they get to looking very +different." + +But Mrs. Decker did not pray. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. + + +AS a matter of fact there wasn't a cake left. Neither doughnut nor +gingersnap; hardly a crumb to tell the successful tale. Nettie surveyed +the empty shelves the next morning in astonishment. She had been too +busy the night before to realize how fast things were going. Naturally +the number and variety of dishes in the Decker household was limited +and the evening to Nettie was a confused murmur of, "Hand us some more +cups." "Can't you raise a few more teaspoons somewhere?" "Give us +another plate," or, "More doughnuts needed;" and Nettie flew hither and +thither, washed cups, rinsed spoons, said, "What did I do with that +towel?" or, "Where in the world is the bread knife?" or, "Oh! I smell +the coffee! maybe it is boiling over," and was conscious of nothing but +weariness and relief when the last cup of coffee was drank, and the +last teaspoon washed. + +But with the next morning's sunshine she knew the opening was a +success. She counted the gains with eager joy, assuring Jerry that they +could have twice as much gingerbread next time. + +"And you'll need it," said Norm. "I had to tell half a dozen boys +that there wasn't a crumb left. I felt sorry for 'em, too; they were +boarding-house fellows who never get anything decent to eat." + +Already Norm had apparently forgotten that he was one who used +frequently to make a similar complaint. + +There was a rarely sweet smile on Nettie's face, not born of the chink +in the factory bag which she had made for the money; it grew from the +thought that she need not hide the bag now, and tremble lest it should +be taken to the saloon to pay for whiskey. What a little time ago it +was that she had feared that! What a changed world it was! + +"But there won't be such a crowd again," she said as they were putting +the room in order, "that was the first night." + +"Humph!" said that wise woman Susie with a significant toss of her +head; "last night you said we mustn't expect anybody because it was the +first night." + +Then "the firm" had a hearty laugh at Nettie's expense and set to work +preparing for evening. + +I am not going to tell you the story of that summer and fall. It was +beautiful; as any of the Deckers will tell you with eager eyes and +voluble voice if you call on them, and start the subject. + +The business grew and grew, and exceeded their most sanguine +expectations. Mr. Decker interested himself in it most heartily, and +brought often an old acquaintance to get a cup of coffee. "Make it +good and strong," he would say to Nettie in an earnest whisper. "He's +thirsty, and I brought him here instead of going for beer. I wish the +room was larger, and I'd get others to come." + +In time, and indeed in a very short space of time, this grew to be the +crying need of the firm: "If we only had more room, and more dishes!" +There was a certain long, low building which had once been used as a +boarding-house for the factory hands, before that institution grew +large and moved into new quarters, and which was not now in use. At +this building Jerry and Nettie, and for that matter, Norm, looked with +longing eyes. They named it "Our Rooms," and hardly ever passed that +they did not suggest some improvement in it which could be easily +made, and which would make it just the thing for their business. They +knew just what sort of curtains they would have at the windows, just +what furnishings in front and back rooms, just how many lamps would +be needed. "We will have a hanging lamp over the centre table," said +Jerry. "One of those new-fashioned things which shine and give a bright +light, almost like gas; and lots of books and papers for the boys to +read." + +"But where would we get the books and papers?" would Nettie say, with +an anxious business face, as though the room, and the table, and the +hanging lamp, were arranged for, and the last-mentioned articles all +that were needed to complete the list. + +"Oh! they would gather, little by little. I know some people who would +donate great piles of them if we had a place to put them. For that +matter, as it is, father is going to send us some picture-papers, a +great bundle of them; send them by express, and we must have a table to +put them on." + +So the plans grew, but constantly they looked at the long, low building +and said what a nice place it would be. + +One morning Jerry came across the yard with a grave face. "What do you +think?" he said, the moment he caught sight of Nettie. "They have gone +and rented our rooms for a horrid old saloon; whiskey in front, and +gambling in the back part! Isn't it a shame that they have got ahead of +us in that kind of way?" + +"Oh dear me!" said Nettie, drawing out each word to twice its usual +length, and sitting down on a corner of the woodbox with hands clasped +over the dish towel, and for the moment a look on her face as though +all was lost. + +But it was the very same day that Jerry appeared again, his face +beaming. This time it was hard to make Nettie hear, for Mrs. Decker +was washing, and mingling with the rapid rub-a-dub of the clothes was +the sizzle of ham in the spider, and the bubble of a kettle which was +bent on boiling over, and making the half-distracted housekeeper all +the trouble it could. Yet his news was too good to keep; and he shouted +above the din: "I say, Nettie, the man has backed out! Our rooms are +not rented, after all." + +"Goody!" said Nettie, and she smiled on the kettle in a way to make it +think she did not care if everything in it boiled over on the floor; +whereupon it calmed down, of course, and behaved itself. + +So the weeks passed, and the enterprise grew and flourished. I hope +you remember Mrs. Speckle? Very early in the autumn she sent every +one of her chicks out into the world to toil for themselves and began +business. Each morning a good-sized, yellow-tinted, warm, beautiful +egg lay in the nest waiting for Jerry; and when he came, Mrs. Speckle +cackled the news to him in the most interested way. + +"She couldn't do better if she were a regularly constituted member of +the firm with a share in the profits," said Jerry. + +The egg was daily carried to Mrs. Farley's, where there was an invalid +daughter, who had a fancy for that warm, plump egg which came to her +each morning, done up daintily in pink cotton, and laid in a box just +large enough for it. But there came a morning which was a proud one +to Nettie. Jerry had returned from Mrs. Farley's with news. "The sick +daughter is going South; she has an auntie who is to spend the winter +in Florida, so they have decided to send her. They start to-morrow +morning. Mrs. Farley said they would take our eggs all the same, and +she wished Miss Helen could have them; but somebody else would have to +eat them for her." + +Then Nettie, beaming with pleasure, "Jerry, I wish you would tell Mrs. +Farley that we can't spare them any more at present; I would have told +you before, but I didn't want to take the egg from Miss Helen; I want +to buy them now, every other morning, for mother and father; mother +thinks there is nothing nicer than a fresh egg, and I know father will +be pleased." + +What satisfaction was in Nettie's voice, what joy in her heart! Oh! +they were poor, very poor, "miserably poor" Lorena Barstow called them, +but they had already reached the point where Nettie felt justified in +planning for a fresh egg apiece for father and mother, and knew that +it could be paid for. So Mrs. Speckle began from that day to keep the +results of her industry in the home circle, and grew more important +because of that. + +Almost every day now brought surprises. One of the largest of them was +connected with Susie Decker. That young woman from the very first had +shown a commendable interest in everything pertaining to the business. +She patiently did errands for it, in all sorts of weather, and was +always ready to dust shelves, arrange cookies without eating so much as +a bite, and even wipe teaspoons, a task which she used to think beneath +her. "If you can't trust me with things that would smash," she used to +say with scornful gravity, to Nettie, "then you can't expect me to be +willing to wipe those tough spoons." + +But in these days, spoons were taken uncomplainingly. Susie had a +business head, and was already learning to count pennies and add them +to the five and ten cent pieces; and when Jerry said approvingly: "One +of these days, she will be our treasurer," the faintest shadow of a +blush would appear on Susie's face, but she always went on counting +gravely, with an air of one who had not heard a word. + +On a certain stormy, windy day, one of November's worst, it was +discovered late in the afternoon that the molasses jug was empty, and +the boys had been promised some molasses candy that very evening. + +"What shall we do?" asked Nettie, looking perplexed, and standing jug +in hand in the middle of the room. "Jerry won't be home in time to get +it, and I can't leave those cakes to bake themselves; mother, you don't +think you could see to them a little while till I run to the grocery, +do you?" + +Mrs. Decker shook her head, but spoke sympathetically: "I'd do it in a +minute, child, or I'd go for the molasses, but these shirts are very +particular; I never had such fine ones to iron before, and the irons +are just right, and if I should have to leave the bosoms at the wrong +minute to look at the cakes, why, it would spoil the bosoms; and on the +other hand, if I left the cakes and saved the bosoms, why, they would +be spoiled." + +This seemed logical reasoning. Susie, perched on a high chair in front +of the table, was counting a large pile of pennies, putting them in +heaps of twenty-five cents each. She waited until her fourth heap was +complete, then looked up. "Why don't you ask me to go?" + +"Sure enough!" said Nettie, laughing, "I'd 'ask' you in a minute if it +didn't rain so hard; but it seems a pretty stormy day to send out a +little chicken like you." + +"I'm not a chicken, and I'm not the leastest bit afraid of rain; I can +go as well as not if you only think so." + +"I don't believe it will hurt her!" said Mrs. Decker, glancing +doubtfully out at the sullen sky. "It doesn't rain so hard as it did, +and she has such a nice thick sack now." + +It was nice, made of heavy waterproof cloth, with a lovely woolly +trimming going all around it. Susie liked that sack almost better than +anything else in the world. Her mother had bought it second-hand of a +woman whose little girl had outgrown it; the mother had washed all day +and ironed another day to pay for it, and felt the liveliest delight in +seeing Susie in the pretty garment. + +The rain seemed to be quieting a little, so presently the young woman +was robed in sack and waterproof bonnet with a cape, and started on her +way. + +Half-way to the grocery she met Jerry hastening home from school with a +bag of books slung across his shoulder. + +"Is it so late as that?" asked Susie in dismay. "Nettie thought you +wouldn't be at home in a good while; the candy won't get done." + +"No, it is as early as this," he answered laughing; "we were dismissed +an hour earlier than usual this afternoon. Where are you going? after +molasses? See here, suppose you give me the jug and you take my books +and scud home. There is a big storm coming on; I think the wind is +going to blow, and I'm afraid it will twist you all up and pour the +molasses over you. Then you'd be ever so sticky!" + +Susie laughed and exchanged not unwillingly the heavy jug for the +books. There had been quite wind enough since she started, and if there +was to be more, she had no mind to brave it. + +"If you hurry," called Jerry, "I think you'll get home before the next +squall comes." So she hurried; but Jerry was mistaken. The squall came +with all its force, and poor small Susie was twisted and whirled and +lost her breath almost, and panted and struggled on, and was only too +thankful that she hadn't the molasses jug. + +Nearly opposite the Farley home, their side door suddenly opened and a +pleasant voice called: "Little girl, come in here, and wait until the +shower is over; you will be wet to the skin." + +It is true Susie did not believe that her waterproof sack _could_ be +wet through, but that dreadful wind so frightened her, twisting the +trees as it did, that she was glad to obey the kind voice and rush into +shelter. + +"Why, it is Nettie's sister, I do believe!" said Ermina Farley, helping +her off with the dripping hood. + +"You dear little mouse, what sent you out in such a storm?" + +Miss Susie not liking the idea of being a mouse much more than she did +being a chicken, answered with dignity, and becoming brevity. + +"Molasses candy!" said Mrs. Farley, laughing, yet with an undertone of +disapproval in her voice which keen-minded Susie heard and felt, "I +shouldn't think that was a necessity of life on such a day as this." + +"It is if you have promised it to some boys who don't ever have +anything nice only what they get at our house; and who save their +pennies that they spend on beer, and cider, and cigars to get it." + +Wise Susie, indignation in every word, yet well controlled, and aware +before she finished her sentence that she was deeply interesting her +audience! How they questioned her! What was this? Who did it? Who +thought of it? When did they begin it? Who came? How did they get the +money to buy their things? Susie, thoroughly posted, thoroughly in +sympathy with the entire movement, calm, collected, keen far beyond her +years, answered clearly and well. Plainly she saw that this lady in a +silken gown was interested. + +"Well, if this isn't a revelation!" said Mrs. Farley at last. "A young +men's Christian association not only, but an eating-house flourishing +right in our midst and we knowing nothing about it. Did you know +anything of it, daughter?" + +"No, ma'am," said Ermina. "But I knew that splendid Nettie was trying +to do something for her brother; and that nice boy who used to bring +eggs was helping her; it is just like them both. I don't believe there +is a nicer girl in town than Nettie Decker." + +Mrs. Farley seemed unable to give up the subject. She asked many +questions as to how long the boys stayed, and what they did all the +time. + +Susie explained: "Well, they eat, you know; and Norm doesn't hurry +them; he says they have to pitch the things down fast where they board, +to keep them from freezing; and our room is warm, because we keep the +kitchen door open, and the heat goes in; but we don't know what we +shall do when the weather gets real cold; and after they have eaten all +the things they can pay for, they look at the pictures. Jerry's father +sends him picture papers, and Mr. Sherrill brings some, most every day. +Miss Sherrill is coming Thanksgiving night to sing for them; and Nettie +says if we only had an organ she would play beautiful music. We want +to give them a treat for Thanksgiving; we mean to do it without any +pay at all if we can; and father thinks we can, because he is working +nights this week, and getting extra pay; and Jerry thinks there will +be two chickens ready; and Nettie wishes we could have an organ for a +little while, just for Norm, because he loves music so, but of course +we can't." + +Long before this sentence was finished, Ermina and her mother had +exchanged glances which Susie, being intent on her story, did not see. + +She was a wise little woman of business; what if Mrs. Farley should +say: "Well, I will give you a chicken myself for the Thanksgiving time, +and a whole peck of apples!" then indeed, Susie believed that their +joy would be complete; for Nettie had said, if they could only afford +three chickens she believed that with a lot of crust she could make +chicken pie enough for them each to have a large piece, hot; not all +the boys, of course, but the seven or eight who worked in Norm's shop +and boarded at the dreary boarding-house; they would so like to give +Norm a surprise for his birthday, and have a treat say at six o'clock +for all of these; for this year Thanksgiving fell on Norm's birthday. +The storm held up after a little, and Susie, trudging home, a trifle +disgusted with Mrs. Farley because she said not a word about the peck +of apples or the other chicken, was met by Jerry coming in search of +her. The molasses was boiling over, he told her, and so was her mother, +with anxiety lest the wind had taken her, Susie, up in a tree, and had +forgotten to bring her down again. He hurried her home between the +squalls, and Susie quietly resolved to say not a word about all the +things she had told at the Farley home. What if Nettie should think +she hadn't been womanly to talk so much about what they were doing! If +there was one thing that this young woman had a horror of during these +days, it was that Nettie would think she was not womanly. The desire, +nay, the determination to be so, at all costs had well nigh cured her +of her fits of rage and screaming, because in one of her calm moments +Nettie had pointed out to her the fact that she never in her life heard +a _woman_ scream like that. Susie being a logical person, argued the +rest of the matter out for herself, and resolved to scream and stamp +her foot no more. + +Great was the astonishment of the Decker family, next morning. Mrs. +Farley herself came to call on them. She wanted some plain ironing done +that afternoon. Yes, Mrs. Decker would do it and be glad to; it was a +leisure afternoon with her. Mrs. Farley wanted something more! she +wanted to know about the business in which Nettie and her young friend +next door were engaged; and Susie listened breathlessly, for fear it +would appear that she had told more than she ought. But Mrs. Farley +kept her own counsel, only questioning Nettie closely, and at last +she made a proposition that had well nigh been the ruin of the tin of +cookies which Nettie was taking from the oven. She dropped the tin! + +"Did you burn you, child?" asked Mrs. Decker, rushing forward. + +"No, ma'am," said Nettie, laughing, and trying not to laugh, and +wanting to cry, and being too amazed to do so. "But I was so surprised +and so almost scared, that they dropped. + +"O Mrs. Farley, we have wanted that more than anything else in the +world; ever since Mr. Sherrill saw how my brother Norman loved music, +and said it might be the saving of him; Jerry and I have planned and +planned, but we never thought of being able to do it for a long, long +time." + +Yet all this joy was over an old, somewhat wheezy little house organ +which stood in the second-story unused room of Mrs. Farley's house, +and which she had threatened to send to the city auction rooms to get +out of the way. + +She offered to lend it to Nettie for her "Rooms," and Nettie's +gratitude was so great that the blood seemed inclined to leave her face +entirely for a minute, then thought better of it and rolled over it in +waves. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +THE CROWNING WONDER. + + +AND they did have the Thanksgiving supper! + +It seemed wonderful to Nettie, even then, and long afterwards the +wonder grew, that so many things occurred about that time to help the +scheme along. At first it was to be a very simple little affair; two of +the boys, Rick for instance, and Alf, invited to come in an hour or so +before the room was open for the evening, and have a little supper by +themselves--a chicken, and possibly some cranberry sauce if she could +compass it, though cranberries were very expensive at that season, and +besides, they ate sugar in a way which was perfectly alarming! A pie +of some sort she had quite set her heart on, but whether it would be +pumpkin or not, depended on how they succeeded in saving up for extra +milk. The circumstances of the Deckers were changing steadily, but +when a man has tumbled to the foot of a hill, and lain there quite +awhile, it is generally a slow process to get up and climb back to +where he was before. + +Mr. Decker's wages were good, and in time he expected to be able to +support his family in at least ordinary comfort; but when he came fully +to his senses, he stood for awhile appalled before the number of things +which had been sold to pay his bill at the saloon, and the number of +things which in the meantime had worn out, and not been replaced by new +ones; then the rent was two months back, and Job Smith had been all +that stood between him and a home. There was a great deal to do if the +Deckers were to get back to the place from which they began to roll +down hill; so extra expenses for cranberries, or even milk, were not to +be thought of, if they must be drawn from the family funds. + +The business of the firm was flourishing; but you must remember that +the central feature of the enterprise was to keep prices very low, +lower than beer and bad cigars, and the enterprise of the dealers in +these things is so great, that if you are willing to put up with the +meanest sorts you can always get them very low indeed. To compete with +them, Jerry and Nettie had to study the most rigid economy to keep +their shelves supplied, and even to sometimes "shut their eyes and make +a reckless dash at apples or peanuts, regardless of expense." This was +the way in which Jerry occasionally apologized for an extra quantity of +these luxuries. + +Still, in the most interesting ways the Thanksgiving supper grew. +Mrs. Decker secured within a week of the time, an unexpected ironing +which she could do in two evenings, and she it was who proposed the +wild scheme of having two chickens and having them hot, and stuffing +them with bread crumbs as she used to do years ago, and having gravy +and some baked potatoes. She agreed to furnish the extra potatoes, +and a few turnips, just to make it feel like Thanksgiving. Nettie was +astonished, but pleased. It would be more work, but what of that? +Think of being able to make a real supper for Norm's birthday! Then +Mrs. Smith at just the right moment had a present of two pumpkins from +her country friends; as they could never make away with two pumpkins +before they would spoil, of course the Deckers must take part of one, +at least. About that time the minister bought a cow, and what did he +do but come himself one night to know if Mrs. Decker had any use for +skimmed milk; they were very fond of cream at their house, and skimmed +milk gathered faster than they knew what to do with it. + +"Any use for skim milk!" Mrs. Decker could only repeat the words in +a kind of ecstasy at her good luck, and she almost wondered that the +yellow pumpkin standing behind the door in the closet did not laugh +outright. + +But the crowning wonder came, after all, on the morning before the +eventful day. Jake, the Farleys' man of all work, brought it in a +basket which was large and closely covered, and very heavy looking. It +was left at the door with Susie, who went to answer the knock, "For +Miss Nettie." Susie repeated the name with a lingering tone as though +she liked the sound of the unusual prefix. Then they gathered about the +basket. A great solemn-looking turkey with a note in his mouth, which +said: "A Thanksgiving token for Nettie, from her friend ERMINA FARLEY." + +A turkey in the Decker oven! Mr. Decker surveyed the great fellow in +silence for a few minutes, then said impressively, "If we don't have a +new cook stove before another Thanksgiving day comes around, my name is +not Decker." + +Mrs. Job Smith left her pies half-made, and ran in, in a friendly +way, to see the wonder; and at once remarked that he would exactly +fit into their oven, and she wasn't going to cook their turkey till +the day afterwards, because they had got to go to Job's uncle's for +Thanksgiving; so that matter was settled. It was then that the Deckers +decided to make a reckless plunge into society and invite every boy in +Norm's shop to a three o'clock dinner, with turkey and cranberry sauce +and pumpkin pie and turnip, and all the rest. + +What a day it was! They grew nearly wild in their efforts to keep all +the secrets from Norm, and act as though nothing unusual was happening. +Especially was this the case after the morning express brought a +package for Nettie from her dear old home, with two mince pies, and a +box of Auntie Marshall's doughnuts, and a bag of nuts, and as much as +two pounds of the loveliest candy she ever saw; sent by the young man +of the home who was clerk in a wholesale confectioner's. It took Mrs. +Decker and Nettie not five minutes to resolve, looking curiously into +each other's faces the while to see if they really had become insane, +that they would have a regular dessert following the dinner! + +"It is only once a year," said Nettie apologetically. + +"It is only once in five years!" said Mrs. Decker solemnly. "I haven't +had a Thanksgiving in five years, child; and I never expected to have +another." + +Everybody was busy all day long. Mrs. Smith was in and out, helping as +faithfully as though Norm was her boy, and Sarah Ann just gave herself +up to the importance of the occasion, and did not go to her uncle's at +all. "I can go there any time," she said good naturedly, "or no time; +they always forget that we are alive till Thanksgiving Day, and then +they ask us because they kind of think they've got to. Uncle Jed is +a clerk, and his wife makes dresses for the folks on Belmont street, +and they feel stuck up four feet above us; I'd rather eat cold pork +and potatoes at home than to go there any day. I'm dreadful glad of an +excuse that father thinks is worth giving." + +Susie was a young woman of importance that day. Nettie, who had +discovered exactly how to manage her, gave her work to do which suited +her ideas of what a grown person like herself ought to be about; and +when she wanted the table cleared from the picture papers of the night +before, instead of telling Miss Susie to fold them away, said, "What do +you think, Susie, would it be best for us to fold these papers away in +the closet for to-day, and have this table left clear for the nuts and +the candies?" + +"Yes," said Susie, with her grown-up air, "I think it would; I'll +attend to it." And she did it beautifully. + +"It is well we have no little bits of folks around," said Nettie, when +the nuts were being cracked, "they would be tempted to eat some, and +then I'm afraid we would not have enough to go around." And Susie, +gravely assenting to this theory, arranged the nuts in Mrs. Smith's +blue saucers, an equal number in each, and ate not one! + +Little Sate went with Jerry to give the invitations to the boys, and to +charge them to keep the whole thing a profound secret from Norm; they +came home by way of the Farley woods, and little Sate appeared at the +door with her arms laden with such lovely branches of autumn leaves, +that Nettie exclaimed in wild delight, and left her turnips half-peeled +to help adorn the walls of the front room. This suggested the idea, +and by three o'clock that room was a bower of beauty. Red and golden +and lovely brown leaves mixed in with the evergreen tassels of the +pines, with here and there pine cones, and red berries peeping out from +everywhere. "You little darling," said Nettie, kissing Sate, "you have +made a picture of it, like what they paint on canvas, only a thousand +times lovelier." + +And Sate, looking on, with her wide sweet eyes aglow with feeling, +fitted the picture well. + +So the feast was spread, and the astonished and hungry boys came, +and feasted. And Norm, too astonished at first to take it in, began +presently to understand that all this preparation and delight were in +honor of his birthday! And though he said not a word, aloud, he kept up +in his soul a steady line of thought; the centre of which was this: + +"I don't deserve it, that's a fact; there's mother doing everything for +me, and Nettie working like a slave, and the children going without +things to give me a treat. I'll be in a better fix to keep a birthday +before it gets around again, see if I'm not!" + +His was not the only thinking which was done that day. Rick, merry +enough all the afternoon, and enjoying his dinner as well as it was +possible for a hungry fellow to do, nevertheless had a sober look on +his face more than once, and said as he shook hands with Norm at night: +"I'll tell you what it is, my boy, if I had your kind of a home, and +folks, I'd be worth something in the world; I would, so. I ain't sure, +between you and me, but I shall, anyhow; just for the sake of getting +into such Thanksgiving houses once in awhile. By and by a fellow will +have to carry himself pretty straight, or that sister of yours won't +have nothing to do with him; I can see that in her eyes." + +Then he went home. And cold though his room was he sat down, even after +he had pulled off his coat, as a memory of some thoughtful word of +Nettie's came over him, and went all over it again; then he brought his +hard hand down with a thud on the rickety table, on which he leaned and +said: "As sure as you live, and breathe the breath of life, old fellow, +you've got to turn over a new leaf; and you've got to begin to-night." + +It was less than a week after the Thanksgiving excitements that the +town got itself roused over something which reached even to the +children. Jerry came home from school with it, and came directly to +Nettie, his cheeks aglow with the news. "There's to be the biggest +kind of a time here next Thursday, Nettie; don't you think General +McClintock is coming, to give a lecture, and they are going to give +him a reception at Judge Bentley's and I don't know what all, and the +schools are all going to dismiss and go down to the train in procession +to meet him, and they are going to sing, _Hail to the Chief_, and the +band is to play, _See, the conquering Hero comes_, and I don't know +what isn't going to be done." + +"Who is General McClintock?" said ignorant Nettie, composedly drying +her plate as though all the generals in the world were nothing to +her. Then did Jerry come the nearest impatience that Nettie had ever +seen in him; and he launched forth in such a wild praise of General +McClintock and such an excited account of the things which he had done +and said, and prevented, and pushed, that Nettie was half bewildered +and delightfully excited when he paused for breath. Henceforth the talk +of the town was General McClintock. + +"It is a wonder they asked him to speak on temperance," said Nettie, +disdain in her voice; she had not a high opinion of the temperance +enthusiasm of the town in which she lived. + +"They didn't," said Jerry. "He asked himself; they wanted him to +talk about the war, or the tariff, or the great West, or some other +stupid thing, but he said, 'No, sir! the great question of the day is +temperance, and I shall speak on that, or nothing!'" + +"How do you happen to know so much about him?" Nettie questioned one +day when Jerry was at his highest pitch of excitement. + +"Ho!" he said, almost in scorn, "I have known about him ever since I +was born; everybody knows General McClintock." Then Nettie felt meek +and ignorant. + +Nothing had ever so excited Jerry as the coming of the hero; and indeed +the town generally seemed to have caught fire. General McClintock +seemed to be the theme of every tongue. Connected with these days, +Nettie had her perplexities and her sorrows. In the first place, Jerry +was obstinately determined that she should join the procession with +him to meet General McClintock. In vain she protested that she did not +belong to the public schools. He did, he said, and that was enough. + +Then when Nettie urged and almost cried, he had another plan: "Well, +then, we won't go as scholars. We'll go ahead, as private individuals; +I'm only a kind of a scholar, anyhow, just holding on for a few weeks +till my father comes; we'll go up there early and get a good place +before the procession forms and see the whole of it. I know the marshal +real well; he's a good friend of mine, and I know he will give us a +place." + +It was of no use for Nettie to protest; to remind him that the girls +would think she was putting herself forward, to say that she had +nothing to wear to such a gathering. She might as well have talked to +a stone for all the impression she made. She had never seen him so +resolute to have his own way. He did not care what she wore, it made +not the slightest difference to him what the girls said, and he _did_ +ask it of her as a kindness to him, and he should be hurt so that +he could never get over it if she refused to go; he had never wanted +anything so much in his life, and he _could_ not give it up. So Nettie, +reluctant, sorrowful, promised, and cried over it in her room that +night. She wanted to please Jerry, for his father was coming now in a +few weeks perhaps, and Jerry would go away with him, and she should +never see him again; and what in the world would she do without him? +And here she cried harder than ever. + +Then came up that dreadful question of clothes; her one winter dress +was too short and too narrow and a good deal worn. Auntie Marshall had +thought last winter that it would hardly do for a church dress, and +here it was still her best. There was no such thing as a new one for +the present; for mother had not had anything in so long, she must be +clothed, and Nettie was willing to wait; but she was not willing to +take a conspicuous place on a public day and be stared at and talked +about. + +However, Jerry continued merciless to the very last; nothing else would +satisfy him. He hurried her in a breathless state down the hill to the +platform, smiled and nodded to his friend the marshal, who nodded back +in the most confidential manner, and perched them on the corner of the +temporary platform, right behind the reception committee! It was every +whit as disagreeable as Nettie had planned that it should be. Of course +Lorena Barstow was among the leaders in the young people's procession, +and of course she contrived to get enough to be heard, and to say in a +most unnecessarily loud voice: + +"Do look at that Decker girl perched up there on the platform. If she +doesn't contrive to make herself a laughing stock everywhere! Girls, +look at her hat; she must have worn it ever since they came out of +the ark. What business is she here, anyway? She doesn't belong to the +schools?" + +There was much more in the same vein; much pushing and crowding, and +laughing and hateful speeches about folks who crowded in where they +didn't belong, and poor Nettie, the tears only kept back by force +of will, looked in vain for sympathy into Jerry's fairly dancing +eyes. What ailed the boy? She had never seen him so almost wild with +eager excitement before. Judge Barstow and Dr. Lewis were both on +the reception committee, of course, and under cover of this, their +daughters wedged their way to the front, and whispered to the fathers. +Loud whispers: + +"Papa, that ridiculous Decker girl and the little Irish boy with her +ought not to be perched up there in that conspicuous place. She doesn't +belong here, anyway; she isn't a scholar." + +Then Judge Barstow in good-humored tones to Jerry: "My boy, don't you +think you would find it quite as pleasant down there among the others? +This little girl doesn't want to be up here, I am sure; suppose you +both go down and fall behind the procession? You can see the General +when the carriage passes; it is to be thrown open so every one can see." + +Then the marshal: "If you please, Judge Barstow, it won't do for them +to try to get through now. The crowd is so great they might be hurt; +there is plenty of room where they stand. They will do no harm." + +_Now_ the tears must come from the indignant eyes. No, they shall not. +Jerry doesn't even wink. He only laughs, in the highest good humor. Has +Jerry gone wild with excitement? "It will all be over in two minutes," +explains Judge Barstow. "He wished to drive directly to his hotel, and +have perfect quiet for two hours. He declined to be entertained at a +private house, or to say a word at the depot. I suppose he is fatigued, +and doesn't like to trust his voice to speak in the open air; so the +committee are to shake hands with him as rapidly as possible, and show +him to his carriage, and not wait on him for two hours. He has ordered +a private dinner at the Keppler House." + +Suddenly there is the whistle of the train, the band plays _See, the +conquering Hero comes!_ With the second strain the train comes to +a halt, and a tall, broad-shouldered man with iron gray hair and a +military air all about him steps from the platform amid the cheers +of thousands. Now indeed there was some excuse for Lorena Barstow's +loud exclamations of disapproval! There was Jerry, pushing his way +among the throng, holding so firmly all the while to Nettie's hand +that escape was impossible--pushing even past the reception committee, +notwithstanding the detaining hand of Judge Barstow, who says, + +"See here, my boy, you are impudent, did you know it?" + +"I beg pardon," says Jerry respectfully, but he slips past him, just +as General McClintock with courteous words is thanking the committee +of reception, declining their pressing personal invitations, his eyes +meantime roving over the crowd in search of something or somebody. +Suddenly they melt with a tenderness which does not belong to the +soldier, and the firm lips quiver as his voice says: "O my boy!" and +Jerry the Irish boy flings himself into General McClintock's arms, and +the world stands agape! + +Just a second, and his hand holds firmly to the sack which covers +Nettie's startled frightened form, then he releases himself and turns +to her: "Father, this is Nettie!" + +"Sure enough!" said the General, and his tall head bends and the +mustached lips of the old soldier touch Nettie's cheek, and the +cheering, hushed for a second, breaks forth afresh! It is a moment +of the wildest excitement. Even then Nettie tries to break away and +is held fast. And an officer of the day advances with the military +salute and assures the General that his carriage is in waiting. And the +General himself hands the bewildered Nettie in, with a friendly smile +and an assuring: "Of course you must go. My boy planned this whole +thing three months ago; and you and I must carry out his programme to +the letter." Then Jerry springs like a cat into the carriage, and the +scholars sing, _Hail to the Chief_, and the carriage, drawn by four +horses, rolls down the road made wide for it by the homeguard in full +uniform, and the General lifts his hat and bows right and left, and +smiles on Nettie Decker sitting by his side, and almost devours with +his hungry, fatherly eyes, her friend the Irish boy on the opposite +seat. And the scholars almost forget to sing, in their great and +ever-increasing amazement. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +THE PAST AND PRESENT. + + +NETTIE DECKER sat by the window of her father's house, looking out +into the beautiful world; taking one last look at the flowers, and the +trees, and the lawn, and all the beautiful and familiar things. Saying +good-by to them, for in a brief two hours she was to leave them, and +the old home. + +[Illustration: NETTIE DECKER HAS A SUITABLE DRESS AT LAST.] + +She is Nettie Decker still, but you will not be able to say that of her +in another hour. She has changed somewhat since you last saw her in +her blue gingham dress a trifle faded, or in her brown merino much the +worse for time. + +To-day she is twenty years old. A lovely summer day, and her birthday +is to be celebrated by making it her wedding day. The blue gingham has +been long gone; so has the brown merino. The dress she wears to-day +looks unlike either of them. It is white, all white; she has a +suitable dress at last for a gala day. Soft, rich, quiet white silk. +Long and full and pure; not a touch of trimming about it anywhere. Not +even a flower yet, though she holds one in her hand in doubt whether +she will add it to the whiteness. + +I think it will probably be pushed among the folds of soft lace which +lie across her bosom; for that would please little Sate's artist eye, +and Nettie likes to please Sate. + +While she sits there, watching the birds, and the flowers, and thinking +of the strange sweet past, and the strange sweet present, there pass by +almost underneath the window two young ladies; moving slowly, glancing +up curiously at the open casement, from which Nettie draws a little +back, that she may not be seen. + +"That is Nettie's room where the window is open," says one of the +ladies. "It is a lovely room; I was in it once when the circle met +there; it is furnished in blue, with creamy tints on the walls and +furniture. I don't think I ever saw a prettier room. Nettie has +excellent taste." + +"Do you say her brother is to be at the wedding?" + +"O, yes indeed! He came day before yesterday; he is a splendid-looking +fellow, and smart; they say he is the finest student Yale has had +for years. He graduated with the very highest honors, and now he is +studying medicine. I heard Dr. Hobart say that he would be an honor to +the profession. You ought to hear him play; I thought he would be a +musician, he is so fond of music, and really he plays exquisitely on +the organ. Last spring when he was home he played in church all day, +and I heard ever so many people say they had never heard anything finer +in any church." + +"I don't remember him. Was he in our set?" + +"O no! he wasn't in any set when you were here. Why, Irene Lewis, you +must remember the Deckers! They weren't in any set." + +"Oh! I remember them, of course; don't you know what fun we used to +make of Nettie? Didn't we call her Nan? I remember she always wore an +old blue and white gingham to Sunday-school." + +"That was years ago; she dresses beautifully now, and in exquisite +taste. She must make a lovely bride. I should like to get a glimpse of +her." + +"The McClintocks are very rich, I have been told." + +"Oh! immensely so; and they say General McClintock just idolizes +Nettie. I don't wonder at that; she is a perfectly lovely girl." + +"Seems to me, Lorena, my dear, about the time I left this part of the +world you did not think so much of her as you do now. I remember you +used to make all sorts of fun of her, and real hateful speeches, as +schoolgirls will, you know. I have a distinct recollection of a flower +party where she was, and my conscience, I remember, troubled me at the +time for saying so many disagreeable things about her that afternoon; +but I recollect I comforted myself with the thought that you were much +worse than I. You used to lead off, in those days, you know." + +"Oh! I remember; I was a perfect little idiot in those days. Yes, I was +disagreeable enough to Nettie Decker; if she hadn't been a real sweet +girl she would never have forgotten it; but I don't believe she ever +thinks of it, and really she is so utterly changed, and all the family +are, that I hardly ever remember her as the same girl." + +"What became of that little Irish boy she used to be so fond +of--Jerry, his name was?" + +"Now, Irene Lewis! you don't mean to tell me you have never heard about +him! Well, you have been out of the world, sure enough." + +"I have never heard a word of him from the time I went with Uncle +Lawrence out West. Father moved in the spring, you know, so instead of +my coming back early in the spring as I expected, I never came until +now? What about Jerry? Did he distinguish himself in any way? I always +thought him a fine-looking boy." + +"That is too funny that you shouldn't know! Why, the Irish boy, Jerry, +as you call him, is the Gerald McClintock whom Nettie Decker is to +marry at twelve o'clock to-day." + +"Gerald McClintock! How can that be? That boy's name was Jerry Mack." + +"Indeed it wasn't. We were all deceived in that boy. It does seem so +strange that you have never heard the story! Why, you see, he was +General McClintock's son all the time." + +"Why did he pretend he was somebody else?" + +"He didn't pretend; or at least I heard he said he didn't begin it. +It seems that Mrs. Smith, the car-man's wife, you know, used to live +in General McClintock's family before his wife died; and Job Smith +lived there as coachman. When they married, General McClintock broke +up housekeeping, and went South with his family. Then Mrs. McClintock +died, and the General and this one boy boarded in New York, and Gerald +attended school. In the spring the General was called to California +on some important law business--you know he is a celebrated lawyer, +and they say his son is going to be even more brilliant than his +father--well, the father had to go, and the boy made him promise that +he might spend the summer vacation with Mrs. Smith out here. The +McClintocks had been very fond of her and her husband and trusted them +both; so the General agreed to it, thinking he would be back long +before the vacation closed. + +"But he was delayed by one thing and another, and the boy coaxed to +stay on, and study in the public school here; he was a pupil in Whately +Institute at home. Imagine him taking up with our common schools! so he +stayed until the first of December, and then his father came. + +"Such a time as that was! You see we all knew of General McClintock, of +course, and when it was found we could get him to lecture, the people +nearly went wild over it. We couldn't understand why we should have +such good fortune, when we knew ever so many places--large cities--had +been refused; but it was all explained after he came. + +"It was a beautiful day when he came; all the schools were closed, +and we formed a procession and marched to the depot, and the band was +there, and great crowds. I remember as though it were yesterday how +astonished we were to see Nettie Decker and that boy in a conspicuous +place on the corner of the platform. Nettie had on her old brown +merino, and looked so queer and seemed so out of place, that I went +and spoke to father about it, and he advised them to go down and join +the procession; but it seems the marshal knew what he was about, and +objected to their moving. Then the train came, and there was a great +excitement, and in the midst of it, the General almost took that boy +Jerry in his arms, and kissed and kissed him! Then he kissed Nettie +Decker, and while we stood wondering what on earth it all meant, they +all three entered an elegant carriage drawn by four horses, and were +carried to the Keppler House. + +"They had an elegant private dinner, they three; and in fact all the +time the General was here, he kept Nettie Decker with them; he treated +her more like a daughter than a stranger. I don't think there was ever +such an excitement in this town about anything as we had at that time; +the circumstances were so peculiar, you know." + +"But I don't understand it, yet. Why did he call himself Jerry Mack? +What was his object in deceiving us all?" + +"He hadn't the slightest intention of doing so. I heard he said such +a thought never entered his mind until we began it. It seems when +he was a little bit of a fellow he tried to speak his name, Gerald +McClintock, and the nearest he could approach to it, was, Jerry Mack. +Of course they thought that was cunning, and it grew to be his pet +name; so before they knew it, the servants and all his boy friends +called him so, all the time. When he came here Mrs. Smith and her +husband naturally used the old name; then somebody, I'm sure I don't +know who, started the story that he was an Irish boy working at the +Smiths for his board; and it seems he heard of it, and it amused +him so much he decided to let people think so if they wanted to; he +coaxed the Smiths not to tell who he was, or why he was here; and they +so nearly worshipped him, that if he had asked them to say he was a +North American Indian I believe they would have done it. It seems he +liked Nettie Decker from the first, and was annoyed because she wasn't +invited in our set. But I am sure I don't know how we were to blame; +she had nothing to wear, and how were we to know that she was a very +smart girl, and real sweet and good? The Deckers were very poor, and +Mr. Decker drank, you know, and Norm was sort of a loafer, and we +thought they were real low people." + +"I remember Ermina Farley was friendly with Nettie, and with the boy, +too." + +"O yes, Ermina was always peculiar; she is yet. I have always thought +that perhaps Ermina knew something about the McClintocks, but she says +she didn't. I heard her say the other day that somebody told her he was +an Irish boy, whose father had run away and left him; and the Smiths +gave him a home out of pity; and she supposed of course it was so, and +was sorry for him. Then she always thought he was handsome, and smart; +well, so did I, I must say." + +"I wonder who started that absurd story about his father deserting him?" + +"I don't know, I'm sure; somebody imagined it was so, I suppose, and +spoke of it; such things spread, you know, nobody seems to understand +quite how." + +"Well, as I remember things, Jerry--I shall always call him that name, +I don't believe I could remember to say Mr. McClintock if I should +meet him now--as I remember him, he seemed to be as poor as Nettie; he +dressed very well, but not as a gentleman's son, and he seemed to be +contriving ways to earn little bits of money. Don't you remember that +old hen and chickens he bought? And he used to go to the Farleys every +morning with a fresh egg for Helen; sold it, you know, for I was there +one morning when Mrs. Farley paid him." + +"I know it; he was always contriving ways to earn money; why, Irene, +don't you remember his selling fish to Ermina Farley that day when we +were talking down by the pond? I have always thought he heard more than +we imagined he did, that day; I don't clearly remember what we said, +but I know we were running on about Nettie Decker and about Jerry; I +used to sort of dislike them both, because Ermina Farley was always +trying to push them forward. + +"I would give something to know exactly what we did say that day. For +awhile I did not like to meet any of the McClintocks; it always seemed +to me as though they were thinking about that time. But they have been +perfectly polite and cordial to me, always; and Nettie Decker is a +perfect lady. But I know all about the poverty. It seems the boy Jerry +had been very fond of giving away money, and books, and all sorts of +things to people whom he thought needed them; and his father began to +be afraid he would have no knowledge of the value of money, and would +give carelessly, you know, just because he felt like it. So the General +had a long talk with him, and made an arrangement that while he was +gone West, Jerry should have nothing to give away but what he earned. +He might earn as much as he liked, or could, and give it all away if he +chose; but not a penny besides, and he was not to appeal to his father +to help anybody in any way whatever. Of course the father was to pay +all his bills for necessary things--they say he paid a splendid price +to the Smiths for taking care of him. Poor Mrs. Smith cried when he +went away, as though he had been her own child. Well, of course that +crippled him, in his pocket money, but they say his father was very +much pleased to find how many schemes he had started for earning money. +That plan about the business was his from beginning to end, and just +see what it has grown to!" + +"What? I don't know; remember, I only came night before last, and +haven't heard anything about the town since the day I left it." + +"Why, the Norman House, the most elegant hotel in town, is the +outgrowth of that enterprise begun in the Decker's front room! Mr. +Decker owns the whole thing, now, and manages it splendidly. His +wife is a perfect genius, they say, about managing. She oversees the +housekeeping herself, and the cooking is perfect they say. General +McClintock was so pleased with the beginning, that he bought that +long low building on Smith street that first time he was here, and +fitted it up for Norman and Nettie to run. He carried his son away +with him, of course, but they stayed long enough to see that matter +fairly under way. The Norman House is managed on the same general +principles; strictly temperance, of course. The General is as great +a fanatic about that as the Deckers are, and the prices are very +low--lower than other first-class houses, while the table is better, +and the rooms are beautifully furnished. They say it is because Mrs. +Decker is such an excellent manager that they can afford things at +such low prices. Then, besides, there is a lunch room for young men, +where they can get excellent things for just what they cost; that is +a sort of benevolence. General McClintock devotes a certain amount to +it each year; and there is a splendid young man in charge of the room; +you saw him once, Rick Walker, his name is. He used to be considered a +sort of hard boy, but there isn't a more respected young man in town +than he. He is book-keeper at the Norman House, and has the oversight +of this Home Dining Room. You ought to go in there; it is very nicely +furnished, and they have flowers, plants, you know, and birds, and a +fountain, and pictures on the walls, and for fifteen cents you can get +an excellent dinner. Everybody likes Rick Walker; they say he has +a great influence over the boys in town, almost as great as Norman +Decker; _he_ used to be in charge of it all, before he went to college." + +"Still, I shouldn't think the McClintocks would have liked Nettie +Decker to be in quite so public a place," interrupted her listener. +"Oh! she wasn't public; why, she went to New York to a private school +the very next winter after the General came home. She boarded with +them; the General's sister came East with him, and was the lady of the +house; then he sent her to Wellesley, you know. Didn't you know that? +She graduated at Wellesley a year ago. Yes, the McClintocks educated +her, or began it; her father has done so well that I suppose he hasn't +needed their help lately. He is a master builder, you know, and keeps +at his business, and owns and manages this hotel, besides. Oh! they are +well off; you ought to see Mrs. Decker. She is a very pretty woman, +and a real lady; they say Nettie and Norman are so proud of her! What +was I telling you? Oh! about the room; they have a library connected +with it, and a reading room, and everything complete; it is such a +nice thing for our young men. A great many wealthy gentlemen contribute +to the library. There is a little alcove at the further end of the +reading room, where they keep cake and lemonade, and nuts and little +things of all sorts. They are very cheap, but the boys can't get any +cigars there; I'm so glad of that. The Norman House is in very great +favor--quite the fashion, and it makes such a difference with the boys +who are just beginning to imagine themselves young men, and who want +to be manly, to have an elegant place like that frown on all such +things. My brother Dick, you remember him? He was a little fellow when +you lived here--he went into the Norman House one day and called for a +cigar; he was just beginning to smoke, and I suppose he did it because +he thought it would sound manly. It was in the spring when Norman was +at home on vacation, and it seems he expressed so much astonishment +that Dick was quite ashamed; I don't think he has smoked a cigar since." + +"The Deckers seem to be quite a centre of interest in town." + +"Well, they are. They are a sort of exceptional family someway; +their experience has been so romantic. Mr. Decker has become such +a nice man; Deacon Decker, he is, a prominent man in the church, +and everywhere. Oh! do you remember those two cunning little girls? +I always thought they were sweet. Susie is a perfect lady; she is +going with Nettie and her husband to Washington; but little Sate is +a beauty. They say she is going to be a poet and an artist, and she +looks almost like an angel. General McClintock admires her very much; +he says she shall have the finest art teachers in Europe. I never saw +a family come up as they did, from nothing, you may say. But then it +was all owing to that fortunate accident of being friends with Gerald +McClintock, and having the Farleys interested in them. Did I tell you +Norman was engaged to Ermina Farley? O yes! they will marry as soon +as he graduates from the medical college, and then he will take her +abroad and take a post graduate course in medicine there. I suppose +they will take Sate with them then. They say that is the plan. No, I +certainly never saw anything like their success in life. Mrs. Smith +doesn't believe in luck, you know, nor much in money, though since her +Job has a position in the Norman House that pays better than carting, +they have built an addition to their house, and, Sarah Ann says, "live +like folks." She is housekeeper at the Norman House--Mrs. Decker's +right-hand woman. Mrs. Smith says the Lord had a great deal to do with +the Decker family; that Nettie came home resolved to be faithful to +Him, and to trust Him to save her father and brother, and so He did +it, of course. It seems she and Jerry promised each other to work for +Norman and the father in every possible way until they were converted; +and they did. I must say I think they are real wonderful Christians, +all of them. I like to hear Mr. Decker pray better than almost any +other man in our meeting; and as for Norman, he leads a meeting +beautifully. They say Mr. Sherrill thought at first that he ought to +preach; but now he says he is reconciled; there is greater need for +Christian physicians than for ministers. Mr. Sherrill has always been +great friends with all the Deckers; you remember he was, from the +first. Norman studied with him all the time he was managing that first +little bit of a restaurant in the square room of the old Decker house. +They tore down that house last month, to make room for a carriage drive +around the back of their new house, and they say Nettie cried when the +square room was torn up. + +"She has some of the quaintest furniture! Sofas, she calls them, made +out of boxes; and a queer old-fashioned hour-glass stand, and a barrel +chair, which have been sent on with all her elegant things, to New +York; she is going to furnish a room for Gerald and her with them; he +made them, it seems, when they began that queer scheme. Who would have +supposed it could grow as it did? It really seems as though the Lord +must have had a good deal to do with it, doesn't it? I tell you, Irene, +it is wonderful how many young men they have helped save, those two. +It seems a pity sometimes that they could not have told us girls what +they were about and let us help; but then, I don't know as we would +have helped if we had understood; I used to be such a perfect little +idiot then! Well, it was Nettie Decker got hold of me at last. Norman +signed the pledge that night when General McClintock lectured here, and +during the winter he was converted; but it was two years after that +before I made up my mind. I was miserable all that time, too; because I +knew I was doing wrong. And I didn't treat Nettie wonderfully well any +of the time; but when she came to me with her eyes shining with tears, +and said she had been praying for me ever since that day of the flower +party, I just broke down. + +"O Irene, there's the carriage with the bride and groom and Norman and +Ermina. Doesn't the bride look lovely! I wish they had had a public +wedding and let us all see her! But they say General McClintock thinks +weddings ought to be very private. Never mind, we will see her at the +reception next week; but then, she won't be Nettie Decker; we shall +have to say good-by to her." + +And Miss Lorena Barstow stood still in the street, and shaded her eyes +from the sunlight to watch the bridal party as the carriage wound +around the square, looking her last with tender, loving eyes, upon +Nettie Decker. + + + + +CHOICE BOOKS + +FOR READERS OF ALL AGES + + + + +Pansy Books. + + +=The Pansy= for 1888. With colored frontispiece. Edited by Pansy. + +More than 400 pages of reading and pictures for children of eight to +fifteen years in various lines of interest. Quarto, boards, 1.25. + + +=Pansy Sunday Book= for 1889. With colored frontispiece. Edited by +Pansy. Quarto, boards, 1.25. + +Just the thing for children on Sunday afternoon, when the whole family +are gathered in the home to exchange helpful thought and gain new +courage for future work and study which the tone and excellence of +these tales impart. + + +=Pansy's Story Book.= By Pansy. Quarto, boards, 1.25. + +Made up largely of Pansy's charming stories with an occasional sketch +or poem by some other well-known children's author to give variety. + + +=Mother's Boys and Girls.= By Pansy. Quarto, boards, 1.25. + +A book full of stories for boys and girls, most of them short, so all +the more of them. Easy words and plenty of pictures. + + +=Pansy Token= (A); or An Hour with Miss Streator. For Sunday School +teachers. 24mo, paper, 15 cts. + + +=Young Folks Stories of American History and Home Life.= Edited by +Pansy. Quarto, cover in colors, 75 cts. + +Sketches, tales and pictures on New-World subjects. + + +=Young Folks Stories of Foreign Lands.= Edited by Pansy. First Series, +quarto, cover in colors, 75 cts. + +Sketches, tales and pictures on Old-World subjects. + + +=Stories and Pictures from the Life of Jesus.= By Pansy. 12mo, boards, +50 cts. + +The life of Jesus as recorded in the four gospels simplified and +unified for children. + + +=A Christmas Time.= By Pansy, 12mo, boards, 15 cts. + +A Christmas story full of Christmas trees and sleigh-rides. Its lesson +is the joy to be got in helping others. + + + + +Travel and History for Young Folks. + + +=Story of the American Indian (The).= By Elbridge S. Brooks. 8vo, +cloth, 2.50. + +"A thorough compendium of the archaeology, history, present standing +and outlook of our nation's wards.... We commend it as the best and +most comprehensive book on the Indian for general reading known to +us."--_Literary World._ + + +=Story of the American Sailor (The).= By Elbridge S. Brooks. Octavo, +cloth, 2.50. + +The first consecutive narrative yet attempted, sketching the rise +and development of the American seaman on board merchant vessel and +man-of-war. + + +=Ned Harwood's Visit to Jerusalem.= By Mrs. S. G. Knight. Quarto, 1.25. + +Travel in the Holy Land. The manuscript was approved by Rev. Selah +Merrill, for many years U. S. Consul at Jerusalem. The strictest +accuracy has thus been secured without impairing the interest of the +story. + + +=Out and About.= By Kate Tannatt Woods. Quarto, boards, 1.25. + +Cape Cod to the Golden Gate with a lot of young folks along, and plenty +of yarns by the way. + + +=Sights Worth Seeing.= By those who saw them. Quarto, cloth, 1.50. + +Eleven descriptive articles by such writers as Margaret Sidney, Amanda +B. Harris, Annie Sawyer Downs, Frank T. Merrill and Rose Kingsley. +Copiously and beautifully illustrated. + + +=Adventures of the Early Discoverers.= By Frances A. Humphrey. 4to, +cloth, 1.00. + +Real history written and pictured for readers both sides of ten years +old. It begins with the mythology of discovery and comes down to the +sixteenth and seventeenth century. + + +=The Golden West=: as Seen by the Ridgway Club. By Margaret Sidney. +Quarto, boards, 1.75. + +Description of a trip through Southern California taken by Mr. and +Mrs. Ridgway and their children. The careful observations and the fine +illustrations make it a treasure for boys and girls. + + +=Days and Nights in the Tropics.= By Felix L. Oswald. Quarto, boards, +1.25. + +The collector of curiosities for the Brazilian museum goes on his quest +with his eyes open. A book of adventures and hunters' yarns. + + + + +Illustrated Stories for Young Folks. + + +=Young Folks' Cyclopedia of Stories.= Quarto, cloth, 3.00. + +Contains in one large book the following stories with many +illustrations: Five Little Peppers, Two Young Homesteaders, Royal +Lowrie's Last Year at St. Olaves, The Dogberry Bunch, Young Rick, Nan +the New-Fashioned Girl, Good-for-Nothing Polly and The Cooking Club of +Tu-Whit Hollow. + + +=What the Seven Did=; or, the Doings of the Wordsworth Club. By +Margaret Sidney. Quarto, boards, 1.75. + +The Seven are little girl neighbors who meet once a week at their +several homes. They helped others and improved themselves. + + +=Me and My Dolls.= By L. T. Meade. Quarto, 50 cts. + +A family history. Some of the dolls have had queer adventures. Twelve +full-page illustrations by Margaret Johnson. + + +=Little Wanderers in Bo-Peep's World.= Quarto, boards, double +lithograph covers, 50 cts. + + +=Polly and the Children.= By Margaret Sidney. Boards, quarto, 50 cts. + +The story of a funny parrot and two charming children. The parrot has +surprising adventures at the children's party and wears a medal after +the fire. + + +=Five Little Peppers.= By Margaret Sidney. 12mo, 1.50. + +Story of five little children of a fond, faithful and capable "mamsie." +Full of young life and family talk. + + +=Seal Series.= 10 vols., boards, double lithographed covers, quarto. + +Rocky Fork, Old Caravan Days, The Dogberry Bunch, by Mary H. +Catherwood; The Story of Honor Bright and Royal Lowrie's Last Year at +St. Olaves, by Charles R. Talbot; Their Club and Ours, by John Preston +True; From the Hudson to the Neva, by David Ker; The Silver City, by +Fred A. Ober; Two Young Homesteaders, by Theodora Jenness; The Cooking +Club of Tu-Whit Hollow, by Ella Farman. + + +=Cats' Arabian Nights.= By Abby Morton Diaz. Quarto, cloth, 1.75; +boards, 1.25. + +The wonderful cat story of cat stories told by Pussyanita that saved +the lives of all the cats. + + + + +Natural History. + + +=Stories and Pictures of Wild Animals.= By Anna F. Burnham. Quarto, +boards, 75 cts. + +Big letters, big pictures and easy stories of elephants, lions, tigers, +lynxes, jaguars, bears and many others. + + +=Life and Habits of Wild Animals.= Quarto, cloth, 1.50. + +The very best book young folks can have if they are at all interested +in Natural History. If they are not yet interested it will make them +so. Illustrated from designs by Joseph Wolf. + + +=Children's Out-Door Neighbors.= By Mrs. A. E. Andersen-Maskell. 3 +volumes, 12mo, cloth, each 1.00. + +Three instructive and interesting books: Children with Animals, +Children with Birds, Children with Fishes. The author has the happy +faculty of interesting boys and girls in the wonderful neighbors around +them and that without introducing anything which is not borne out by +the knowledge of learned men. + + +=Some Animal Pets.= By Mrs. Oliver Howard. Quarto, boards, 35 cts. + +The experiences of a Colorado family with young, wild and tame animals. +It is one of the pleasantest animal books we have met in many a day. +Well thought, well written, well pictured, the book itself, apart from +its contents, is attractive. Full page pictures. + + +=Tiny Folk In Red and Black.= Quarto, boards, 35 cts. + +The tiny folk are ants and they make as interesting a study as human +folk--perhaps more interesting in the opinion of some. The book gives a +full and graphic description of their many wise and curious ways--how +they work, how they harvest their grain, how they milk their cows, etc. +It will teach the children to keep eyes and ears open. + + +=My Land and Water Friends.= By Mary E. Bamford. Seventy illustrations +by Bridgman. Quarto, cloth, 1.50. + +The frog opens the book with a "talk" about himself, in the course +of which he tells us all about the changes through which he passes +before he arrives at perfect froghood. Then the grasshopper talks +and is followed by others, each giving his view of life from his own +individual standpoint. + + + + +Young Folks' Illustrated Quartos. + + +=Wide Awake Volume Z.= Quarto, boards, 1.75. + +Good literature and art have been put into this volume. Henry Bacon's +paper about Rosa Bonheur, the great painter of horses and lions, and +Steffeck's painting of Queen Louise with Kaiser William would do credit +to any Art publication. + + +=Chit Chat for Boys and Girls.= Quarto, boards, 75 cts. + +A volume of selected pieces upon every conceivable subject. As a +distinctive feature it devotes considerable space to Home Life and +Sports and Pastimes. + + +=Good Cheer for Boys and Girls.= + +Short stories, sketches, poems, bits of history, biography and natural +history. + + +=Our Little Men and Women for 1888.= Quarto, boards, 1.50. + +No boys and girls who have this book can be ignorant beyond their years +of history, natural history, foreign sights or the good times of other +boys and girls. + + +=Babyland for 1888.= Quarto, boards, 75 cts. + +Finger-plays, cricket stories, Tales told by a Cat and scores of +jingles and pictures. Large print and easy words. Colored frontispiece. + + +=Kings and Queens at Home.= By Frances A. Humphrey. Quarto, boards, 50 +cts. + +Short-story accounts of living royal personages. + + +=Queen Victoria at Home.= By Frances A. Humphrey. Quarto, boards, 50 +cts. + +Pen picture of a noble woman. It will aid in educating the heart by +presenting the domestic side of the queen's character. + + +=Stories about Favorite Authors.= By Frances A. Humphrey. Quarto +boards, 50 cts. + +Little literature lessons for little boys and girls. + + +=Child Lore.= Edited by Clara Doty Bates. Quarto, cloth, tinted edges, +2.25; boards, 1.50. + +More than 50,000 copies sold. The most successful quarto for children. + + + + +Helpful Books for Young Folks. + + +=Danger Signals.= By Rev. F. E. Clark, President of the United Society +of Christian Endeavor. 12mo, cloth, 75 cts. + +The enemies of youth from the business man's standpoint. The substance +of a series of addresses delivered two or three years ago in one of the +Boston churches. + + +=Marion Harland's Cookery for Beginners.= 12mo, vellum cloth, 75 cts. + +The untrained housekeeper needs such directions as will not confuse +and discourage her. Marion Harland makes her book simple and practical +enough to meet this demand. + + +=Bible Stories.= By Laurie Loring. 4to, boards, 35 cts. + +Very short stories with pictures. The Creation, Noah and the Dove, +Samuel, Joseph, Elijah, the Christ Child, the Good Shepherd, Peter, etc. + + +=The Magic Pear.= Oblong, 8vo, boards, 75 cts. + +Twelve outline drawing lessons with directions for the amusement of +little folks. They are genuine pencil puzzles for untaught fingers. A +pear gives shape to a dozen animal pictures. + + +=What O'Clock Jingles.= By Margaret Johnson. Oblong, 8vo, boards, 75 +cts. + +Twelve little counting lessons. Pretty rhymes for small children. +Twenty-seven artistic illustrations by the author. + + +=Ways for Boys to Make and Do Things.= 60 cts. + +Eight papers by as many different authors, on subjects that interest +boys. A book to delight active boys and to inspire lazy ones. + + +=Our Young Folks at Home.= 4to, boards, 1.00. + +A collection of illustrated prose stories by American authors and +artists. It is sure to make friends among children of all ages. Colored +frontispiece. + + +=Peep of Day Series.= 3 vols., 1.20 each. + +Peep of Day, Line upon Line, Precept upon Precept. Sermonettes for the +children, so cleverly preached that the children will not grow sleepy. + + +=Home Primer.= Boards, square, 8vo, 50 cts. + +A book for the little ones to learn to read in before they are old +enough to be sent off to school. 100 illustrations. + + +MONTEAGLE. By Pansy. Boston: D. Lothrop Company. Price 75 cents. Both +girls and boys will find this story of Pansy's pleasant and profitable +reading. Dilly West is a character whom the first will find it an +excellent thing to intimate, and boys will find in Hart Hammond a +noble, manly, fellow who walks for a time dangerously near temptation, +but escapes through providential influences, not the least of which +is the steady devotion to duty of the young girl, who becomes an +unconscious power of good. + + +A DOZEN OF THEM. By Pansy. Boston: D. Lothrop Company. Price 60 cents. +A Sunday-school story, written in Pansy's best vein, and having for its +hero a twelve-year-old boy who has been thrown upon the world by the +death of his parents, and who has no one left to look after him but a +sister a little older, whose time is fully occupied in the milliner's +shop where she is employed. Joe, for that is the boy's name, finds a +place to work at a farmhouse where there is a small private school. +His sister makes him promise to learn by heart a verse of Scripture +every month. It is a task at first, but he is a boy of his word, and he +fulfills his promise, with what results the reader of the story will +find out. It is an excellent book for the Sunday-school. + + +AT HOME AND ABROAD. Stories from _The Pansy_ Boston: D. Lothrop +Company. Price, $1.00. A score of short stories which originally +appeared in the delightful magazine, _The Pansy_, have been here +brought together in collected form with the illustrations which +originally accompanied them. They are from the pens of various authors, +and are bright, instructive and entertaining. + + +ABOUT GIANTS. By Isabel Smithson. Boston: D. Lothrop Company. Price +60 cents. In this little volume Miss Smithson has gathered together +many curious and interesting facts relating to real giants, or people +who have grown to an extraordinary size. She does not believe that +there was ever a race of giants, but that those who are so-called are +exceptional cases, due to some freak of nature. Among those described +are Cutter, the Irish giant, who was eight feet tall, Tony Payne, whose +height exceeded seven feet, and Chang, the Chinese giant, who was on +exhibition in this country a few years ago. The volume contains not +only accounts of giants, but also of dwarfs, and is illustrated. + + +AMERICAN AUTHORS. By Amanda B. Harris. Boston: D. Lothrop Company. +Price $1.00. This is one of the books we can heartily commend to +young readers, not only for its interest, but for the information +it contains. All lovers of books have a natural curiosity to know +something about their writers, and the better the books, the keener +the curiosity. Miss Harris has written the various chapters of the +volume with a full appreciation of this fact. She tells us about the +earlier group of American writers, Irving, Cooper, Prescott, Emerson, +and Hawthorne, all of whom are gone, and also of some of those who +came later, among them the Cary sisters, Thoreau, Lowell, Helen Hunt, +Donald G. Mitchell and others. Miss Harris has a happy way of imparting +information, and the boys and girls into whose hands this little book +may fall will find it pleasant reading. + + +TILTING AT WINDMILLS: A Story of the Blue Grass Country. By Emma M. +Connelly. Boston: D. Lothrop Company. 12mo, $1.50. + +Not since the days of "A Fool's Errand" has so strong and so +characteristic a "border novel" been brought to the attention of the +public as is now presented by Miss Connelly in this book which she so +aptly terms "Tilting at Windmills." Indeed, it is questionable whether +Judge Tourgee's famous book touched so deftly and yet so practically +the real phases of the reconstruction period and the interminable +antagonisms of race and section. + +The self-sufficient Boston man, a capital fellow at heart, but tinged +with the traditions and environments of his Puritan ancestry and +conditions, coming into his strange heritage in Kentucky at the close +of the civil war, seeks to change by instant manipulation all the +equally strong and deep-rooted traditions and environments of Blue +Grass society. + +His ruthless conscience will allow of no compromise, and the people +whom he seeks to proselyte alike misunderstand his motives and spurn +his proffered assistance. + +Presumed errors are materialized and partial evils are magnified. +Allerton tilts at windmills and with the customary Quixotic results. He +is, seemingly, unhorsed in every encounter. + +Miss Connelly's work in this, her first novel, will make readers +anxious to hear from her again and it will certainly create, both in +her own and other States, a strong desire to see her next forthcoming +work announced by the same publishers in one of their new series--her +"Story of the State of Kentucky." + + +THE ART OF LIVING. From the Writings of Samuel Smiles. With +Introduction by the venerable Dr. Peabody of Harvard University, and +Biographical Sketch by the editor, Carrie Adelaide Cooke. Boston: D. +Lothrop Company. Price $1.00. + +Samuel Smiles is the Benjamin Franklin of England. His sayings have a +similar terseness, aptness and force; they are directed to practical +ends, like Franklin's; they have the advantage of being nearer our time +and therefore more directly related to subjects upon which practical +wisdom is of practical use. + +Success in life is his subject all through, The Art of Living; and +he confesses on the very first page that "happiness consists in the +enjoyment of little pleasures scattered along the common path of life, +which in the eager search for some great and exciting joy we are apt +to overlook. It finds delight in the performance of common duties +faithfully and honorably fulfilled." + +Let the reader go back to that quotation again and consider how +contrary it is to the spirit that underlies the businesses that are +nowadays tempting men to sudden fortune, torturing with disappointments +nearly all who yield, and burdening the successful beyond their +endurance, shortening lives and making them weary and most of them +empty. + +Is it worth while to join the mad rush for the lottery; or to take the +old road to slow success? + +This book of the chosen thoughts of a rare philosopher leads to +contentment as well as wisdom; for, when we choose the less brilliant +course because we are sure it is the best one, we have the most +complete and lasting repose from anxiety. + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Punctuation errors repaired. + +First book list page, "Eaoh" changed to "Each" (Each volume 16mo) + +Page 4, "208" changed to "226" to reflect actual first page of Chapter +XII. + +Page 4, "230" changed to "304" to reflect actual first page of Chapter +XVII. + +Page 4 and 5, each page number reference increased by two to match +actual location of remaining chapters. (_i.e._ 318 is now 320 to +reflect location of Chapter XVIII) + +Page 29, "botton" changed to "bottom" (for in the bottom of) + +Page 69, "nowdays" changed to "nowadays" (the pennies nowadays) + +Page 88, "keees" changed to "knees" (soon on her knees) + +Page 200, "think" changed to "thing" (thing that I should) + +Page 202, "interruped" changed to "interrupted" (of her had interrupted) + +Page 212, "sat" changed to "set" (he set the table) + +Page 269, "unsual" changed to "unusual" (unusual toilet having) + +Page 385, extra word "the" removed from text. Original read (have at +the the windows) + +Page 407, "pealed" changed to "peeled" (turnips half-peeled) + +Page 437, "esson" changed to "lesson" (lesson is the joy) + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Fishers: and their Nets, by Pansy + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE FISHERS: AND THEIR NETS *** + +***** This file should be named 45536.txt or 45536.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/4/5/5/3/45536/ + +Produced by Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |