The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-02-19
TOMS SISTER.

She was Is when the mother died,
Tom was II, and the baby barely 5
hours old. She never went to school
after that. The housekeeping fell upon
her, and she had to be little mother to
the motherless baby. Her father, who
was a bookkeeper, had never earned
over thousand a year. Ivah's rearing,
therefore, had been On basis of sim
plicity and frugality. People said the
new duties would prove too heavy for
her, for there was hint of the fragile
in her slight little body, though there
was nothing sickly looking about her.
There was fresh though delicate color
in her cheek, life in her blue eve, and
in all her movements freeness which
asserted an elastic nature.
When she was Is, her father was
found dead at his desk. At once, all
the family income was cut off. Tom, at
the time, was studying bookkeeping,
and in assisting his father, had had
some practice in the work.
"You must ask for fathers place,
Tom" Ivah said.
1t was the day after the burial. Tom
had his face in his hands, the picture
/ OF abandon. He raised his head. His
eyes were swollen and red with weeping.
81 don't see how you can bear to
think of such things in our great sor-
row." said Tom. II want nothing but
to lie down and de-
Ivah's face was white and pinched,
but her eyes seemed looking away to
the guiding star of duty.
'But, DEAR" she said, 1--WE have got
to 60 on living. 1t would be selfish and
cowardly for either of us to die and leave
the other; and then, too, there is our
baby. There is just one way, Tom;
we must find where our duty lies, and
60 to meet it. Our duty is to live for
each other and for Baby. To do this.
we must work. We can't afford to lose
q day from work. We owe for the cot
fin in which our dear father is buried.
{ l have been making plans. 1 have dis
charged Mrs. McGill. I can take care
OF Baby and do our homework, and |
can keep our table expenses to three
dollars week. But we haven't even
that to spend, unless you can get work.
You ought to 60 right away and ask for
papa's place. If you prefer, will go
and ask for YOU"
"Harris Brothers would not pay me a
thousand dollars" said Tom.
"Of course not" said Ivah. "You're
a new hand. Perhaps they would not
pay you any thing at the start; but it
would be much. if you could even secure
the place.
"They need an experienced book
keeper. [ could not do their work.
Tom said, dejectedly.
81 could help you, Tom," said Ivah,
cheering. "You could bring the books
home, and we could work together at
night after | get Baby to Sleep"
.i've no i:iea that they would give me
a trial.
"May I GO and ask them top''
Toms silence gave consent, and Ivah
went.
Her father had been in the employ of
Harris Brothers for % years. They
We're kindly disposed towards her and
Tom; they would like it if he could
take the fathers place; they hardly
thought he could fill it. Yes, they were
willing he should try.
Tom was a beginner; his brain was
clouded with sorrow; his heart ached.
He felt such dread of the future. with
Its sudden responsibilities, that he must
have failed but for Ivah's words of
courage and hand of help. In the most
responding mood, when he was ready
to let &C, to let fate come on, there was
the sister, patient and brave, to bring
forward reserved forces and save the
day. Never word had she about her
own heartaehe, never a word of the
hard day passed at washing or ironing
or baking, with baby's hindering little
hands to be kept away from the scald-
ng water OF the hot irons or the swell.
ng dough. Never word heard Tom
# the sweeping-day, when she went
INTO every corner of the desolate house.
discovering reminders of the dear father.
which brought sudden snaSmS Of na;n