Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-04-28
Toms 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 motherless baby.
Her father, who was book keeper had
never earned over thousand year Ivah's
rearing. therefore, had been on the basis Of
and frugalitv.
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-keep-
ing, and in assisting his father had some
practice at work.
"You must ask for fathers place, Tom,"
said Ivah.
1t was the day after the burial. Tom had
his face in his hand, 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 SORROW" said
Tom. al 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, ave have got to
go on living. 1t would be selfish and cow
ardly for either of us to die and leave the
other. And then, too, is the baby. There
is Just one way, Tom we must find where
our duty lies and go to meet it. Our duty
is to live for each other and the baby. To do
this we must work. We owe for the coffin
in which our father was buried. | have been
making plans, can take care of baby and
do the housework, and | can keep our table
expenses to three dollars a week. But we
haven't even that to spend unless you get
work. You ought to go right away and ask
for pspa'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 anything at the start but it would be
much if you could only secure the place"
"They need an experienced book-keeper
could not do their work." Tom said de
jectedly.
"l could help you, Tom," said Ivah cheer
ingly. "You could bring the books home
and we could work together at night after
get baby asleep"
"Pve no idea that they would give me a
trial"
May 20 anu ASK tneIl 70
Toms silence gave consent, and Ivah went
Her father had been in the employ of Har
ris Brothers for twenty-three years. They
| they would like if he could take the father 1
place; they hardly thought he could fill it.
| Yes, they were willing he should try.
Tom was beginner; his brain was
clouded with sorrow; his heart ached. He
felt such dread of the future, with its sud
den responsibilities, that be must have failed
but for Ivah's words of courage and hanc
of help.
| In the most desponding mood, when hi
was ready to 60, to let his fate come on
there was the sister, patient and brave
to forward reserved forces and save the day
Never word had she said about her owl
heartsche; never WORD OF the hard da,
passed at washing or ironing or baking will
baby's hindering little hauds to be KEEP
away from the scalding water or the hot iron
or the swelling dough.
Never word heard Tom of the sweeping
day, when she went into every corner OF tn
desolate house, discovering reminders o
the dear father, which brought suddel
spasms of pain. to be borne alone. Not
word did he hear of back.aches and arm
aches in soothing baby to her Afternoon
nap nothing of the lonely time when sh
sat in the silent, silent house, YEARLY patch
ing and darning; nothing of the drudginl
over the hot stove, OF the dish-washing, o
the moving.
She planned her work and hurried alonI
to keep the unpleasant out OF Toms sigh
aud hearing.
Returning at night he would find baby ii
bed, having had her bread-and-mlk supper
ihe i't'e .ounu ."o;5 "o ";,t T ' ;on
hs o"es ~ "a aud ,nI;shssd s;iror ,,h;,a ra,
oiear s,sss ano pSamon.a, pS hr;rhtanS "aS pe, PC,
ouanee ~" .I VI Sne A'""'e' A''
'"eo'auet Sne ' ,.h,. . ,,ool
huu VIZ -, w.. ITSppe Tpp 'a ao ,% % ,,t,;,.I
"a ~" a;',;d;, az add;n and nar;t,ii;ny,
"s anI a.s ui's 'uu hata aIs a"N 'e''i''n'
Is, a., ~
- ra,s, 30 ~ -. r. ;,J,,,'y. as :,
W. ..;,, - ""' 'Ne Jus - y
W. ..,oa =. .;.l. rro, 0.,,,;,,
He q. assm ....l "i %.
~ n's i"oe' Nc, nJas eLf.'i i Sy pe; psa;!
srnm n~S ssn;na Onss,ions laav;nc him 70 cHnos
liz .;"a ana iu, ennor ~ oonnnn;oa,;un n ,h.
I. u's I,'e anu A'""'e' VI '"s Wv
sui Ia;0 p.o,h.r. oef.r ma ,ha ,,aoa =
Sa,is no, ,'sL Vl - s n;5 - sne pov '' .
NY 1t o,s Tas, , ho., Id so , 49,, " aPfe' ,a
How III, ,hantf,Ii Eth ny rs Eli aIl ,ns tina tho
i,ow .nanaiui We rev s'i .ne Y S,ane aii .ia
oou hean. ~ saAe ,',. Iau y, Io, iAA '"''
"' Rn, ;f FL oan do tbs uorI Of tho n,aos
.;a IT, - ahi; .an III S'' d., 'ae saa pIhe' phv
snon,,int 81 tha a,sas ,h;ob hsIouc 10 !,
% hans ahont % dsC;dsd d % ,sIl % Harris % Rrotber N
,ha, a;II us Az, a.o ,vorI for " Saif nan" "e'
'""' "nh W." aan,, n VT" IT, dna,, n Pt,"y ycr;aa Ivah
w, uon :. TH;nL a how ,nroh !, - aos,l %
.aHns "'a , ~ .DH. ~" IT, - 49, Nv
nav. s, ,;l rou 'he heye % s;rsd an,lI and S S
"D So 49, - W. ,,a, .as,,r u.s.
of voup sa;I, and thsu ara ne" w" ya nav aal
Sar b;ahar saIsrv aLu W. ' oan nanaas . SsI val
S;,h tnt,u doIIars snd nsa an waSs nf scon "u,
om;1;na n , sveru | day - N A'" ""'' - '''''
's ~, snd 49, ~ s sh man, AN Ton, ,as mar
s,sdad ,o o,osa u,;,h usrs;s Rro,hsrs, a.,
Rssors the tn % ysar was was ont Toms salary ba,
49, ra;sad - savan,v Soilsrs non,h an'
n faw months later 6s snnnunced that n
Isst hs was 10 baya ona ,honsand doIIars
'"' :" Iau,t an !, cod dssr TomS" Ivsh said
aii;. Is -, h;,,, wa can haa;,
suuuh"6 ei"oS W W "i w w" SNt.