Summer Days. Baker George Melville
Susy lifted the latch and peeped cautiously in. She started back in a minute, however, exclaiming:
“Alice, there is a little girl in there sitting on the floor and crying like everything. What shall I do? Would you go in or would you go away?”
Alice hesitated a minute, and then she said, softly:
“Let us go in by all means. The poor child may be in trouble, and, if so, we may be able to help her.”
So the children opened the door, and Alice walked quietly towards the girl. At first she was so absorbed by her grief that she did not hear any footsteps, but suddenly, being conscious that some one else was in the room, she started to her feet, and, drying her eyes upon the corner of her apron, she exclaimed:
“Oh! I beg your pardon, miss; I did not hear any one. Can I do anything for you?”
“We came in search of a drink of water,” said Alice, “and seeing you in trouble we came in, hoping we should be able to do something to help you.”
“How kind you are,” said Sarah, for that was her name. “Indeed I am in sore need of help, but I do not see how I can get it.”
“What is it that troubles you,” said Susy.
“Why, you see,” said Sarah, “mother and I live here by ourselves since father died, which is going on five years now. Well, what with his long sickness and being out of work, we got into debt. After he died mother and I, we worked awful hard. We paid up a little each year until we got even again. But it wore poor mother out, for she did the bulk of everything, and now she has an awful cough, and is so bad she has to stay in bed nearly all day. All our money is gone now, and I can’t get food for her, and how can she get strong again without it? I could earn something if I could get out, but I can’t leave her; and my clothes are so ragged that I can’t bear to be seen. I thought I would cook a couple of potatoes, but I just took out the basket and found that there were only these bad ones left. I never lost my courage before,” she added, “for when we could work together we were bright and cheerful, but it is clean gone now.” And though the poor child tried to smile she failed, and, bursting into tears, she cried as if her heart would break.
“Sarah,” called a feeble voice from a little room near by, “Sarah, whom are you talking to?”
“Yes, mother,” said Sarah; “I’ll come in in one minute.”
So she took down a tumbler from a shelf, and after giving Alice and Susy some water she went into her mother’s room.
While she was gone Alice and Susy looked at each other for a few minutes in silence, then Alice spoke.
“Susy,” she said, “we must do something at once; it is too dreadful to think of.”
When Sarah came back Susy said to her:
“Cannot the neighbors do anything for you?”
“We have not any near neighbors,” said Sarah; “and besides they do not know anything about us. Mother and I only moved here a little while ago, and we don’t like people to know of our troubles.”
“Well,” said Alice, “there is one thing very certain, you must go home with me and get a basket of provisions. After you have had something to eat we can decide what to do.”
“Oh, thank you so much,” said Sarah, gratefully; “but – but – ”
“But what?”
“I don’t see how I can leave mother alone. She has to be looked after all the time, and yet, oh, I should be so glad to see her eat a good meal.”
“I will stay with your mother,” said Susy, “and will take good care of her, too; so run along.”
Sarah put on her hat, and, walking along by Alice’s side, she told her about her past life. Her father had been a ship-carpenter. While health and strength lasted he had plenty to do, but when troubles came people became tired of helping them. Money was borrowed, and bills had to be run up, and at last came his death and the expenses consequent upon it.
Since then they had been trying in every way to pay their debts, and had gone on very well. Their house was larger than they needed, and they had at last resolved to move to an adjoining village, and into a smaller house. They knew that at Sandy Shore there were many families spending the summer, and Mrs. Thompson hoped to get washing or sewing.
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