The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-02-28
TOM'S SISTER.

TOM'S SISTER.
SHE was fifteen when the mother
died, and Tom was seventeen and the
baby barely five hours old.
She never went to school after that.
The housekeeping fell upon her, and
she had to be little mother to the moth
erless baby.
Her father, who was bookkeeper,
had never earned over thousand a
year. Ivah's rearing, therefore, had
been on basis of simplicity and fru-
gality.
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 a fresh though delicate
color in her cheek, life in her blue eye,
and in all her movements freeness
which asserted an elastic nature.
When she was eighteen, her father
was found dead at his desk. At once,
all the family income was cut off.
Tom, at the time, was studying book
keeping, and, in assisting his father,
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.
II don't see how you can bear to
think of such things in our great sor-
row." said Tom. 81 want nothing but
to lie down and die"
Ivah's face was white and pinched,
but her eyes seemed looking away to
the guiding star of duty.
"But, DEAR" she said, " we have got
to go 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 a
day from work. We owe for the coffin
in which our dear father is buried. l
have been making plans. have dis
charged Mrs. McGill. 1 can take care
of baby and do our homework, and l
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 60
and ask for you"
Harris Brothers would not pay me
a thousand dollars" said Tom.
"Of course not" said Ivah. "You're
new hand. Perhaps they would not
of 70 Yf. h11t
would be much if you could even Sc
cure the place."
"They need an experienced book
keeper. l 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"
ave no idea that they would give
me trial"
"May 60 ask them top"
Toms silence gave consent, and Ivah
went.
Her father had been in the employ of
Harris Brothers for twenty-three years.
They were kindly disposed toward her
and Tom; they would like it if he could
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 go, 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
heart ache, 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-
ing water or the hot irons or the swell
ing dough.
Never a word heard Tom of the
sweeping day, when she went into
every corner of the desolate house, dis
covering reminders of the dear father,
which brought sudden spasms of pain,
to be borne alone. Not word did he
hear of the backaches and armaches in
soothing fretting baby to her afternoon
nap; nothing of the lonely time when
she sat in the silent, silent house, weari-
ly patching and darning; nothing of the
drudgery over the hot stove, of the dish
washing, of the hopping.
She planned her work and hurried it
along to keep the unpleasant out of
Toms sight and hearing.
Returning at night, he would find
baby in bed, having had her bread-and-
milk supper.