The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-02-19
TOMS SISTER.

She was Is when the mother died,
Tom was Il, and the baby barely
hours old. She never went to school
after that. The housekeeping fell upon
her, and she bad to be little mother to
the motherless baby. Her father, who
was a bookkeeper, had never earned
over thousand year. Ivah's rearing,
therefore, had been on a 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 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 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,n 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 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.
''l}ut, 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
1. L. =, IfNrna. .
we must find where our duty lies, and
go 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
day from work. We owe for the cof.
fin in which our dear father is buried
l have been making plans. l have dis
charged Mrs McGi1. / can take care
of Baby and do our houSework, and
can keep our table expenses to three
dollars II week But we haven't ever
that to spend, unless you can get work
You ought to go right away and ask foI
papa's place. If you prefer, viii &C
and ask for you.''
"Iarris Brothers would not pay me ;
thousand dollars,' said Tom.
"Of course not,' said Ivah. "You r,
new hand. Perhaps they would no
pay you any thing at the start; but
would be much if you could even secur,
the place"
"They need an experienced book
keeper. l could not do their work,
Tom said, dejectedly.
''I could help you, Tom," said Ivah
cheering. ''You could bring the book
home, and we could work together a
night after get Baby to sleep"
1--WE no idea that they would give m
trial"
"May 90 and ask them toP"
Toms silence gave consent, and Iva
went.
Her father had been in the employ {
Harris Brothers for % years. The
were kindly disposed towards her an
Tom; they would like it if he coul
take the fathers place; they hardl
thought he could fill it. Yes, they wer
willing he should try.
Tom was beginner; his brain wa
clouded with sorrow; his heart acheC
He felt such dread of the future, wit
its sudden responsibilities, that he mus
have failed but for Ivah's words {
courage and hand of help. In the mos
despOnding mood, when he was read
To let go, 10 let fate come on, there ws
the sister, patient and brave, to brin
forward reserved forces and save til
day. Never word had she about hC
own heartache, never a word of II
hard day passed at washing or ironin
or baking, with baby's hindering lit
hands to be kept away from the scale
ing water or the hot irons or the swell
ing dough. Never word heard To
of the sweeping-day, when she we
into every corner of the desolate hous
discovering reminders of the dear fathe
which brought sudden spasms of pal
To be borne alone. Not word did
hear of the backaches and armach
in soothing fretting Baby to her afte
noon nap; nothing of the lonely tn
when she sat in the silent, silent houS
wearily patching and darning; nothi
of the drudgery over the hot stove,
the dish-washing, of the mopping. 5
planned her work and hurried 1t alo
to keep the unpleasant out of Ton
sight and hearing. Returning at nigl
he would find Baby in bed, having h
her hread-and- milk supper. The lit
round table would be set, looking chez
and inviting with clean linen, Gle