The National tribune., 1883-01-11
OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
A Brand New Year; Or, How the
Mortgage was Paid Or
by Sophie S,DeH.l


Alec<, Jack and Jill (Jills name was really
Geraldine but everybody called her Jill because
she and Jack were twins and always tOgethCr),
Becky and Taddy, and little sam and tie baby,
to say nothing of George Washington Lafayette
Robert Lee Lincoln, Aunt Iatra's boy, VINO,
when it came to mischief was the equal Of all
the white children put together
Once it had been only q cause Of rejoicing
that they were so many; they could have no
end OF fun by themselves, and they were 80
sorry for the little Furgusons, VINO were only
two and could play hardly any TJBsiag game at
home OF a rainy day; and as for Ihalny
Thorpe, who had not one single brother or Sis
ter, he always made them think Of the poor
giant PowObbct who WAS shut up in al iron
tower, and went 90 for loneliness that he
tricllcd all away.
But, oh dear. everything was sadly changed
now.
Papa had lost all his money. and they had
been obliged to leave their beautiful home in
the South, and come away OF TO this little New
/ England town, where a house and some land
had been left them by relative, and then papa
had died suddenly, and they were left alone
among strangers, and with hardly any money.
Mamma tried to keep the tears ont Of her
eyes, and taught music, and scwcd for people,
working sometimes far into the night and do
/ ing her very best to earn money enough TO
make them all comfortable. But there was a
mortgage on the house, and the interest had to
be paid very often, and there was so many of
them! And there was "that boy Lin1um" ("
That was what his old mamma always called
him, and they had all fallen into the same
habit.
Linlzum wore out two pairs Of shoes to the
other chiIdrcn's one, and his knees and elbows
seemed to have such q tOndness for the omen air
that they would make their way through the
thickest cloth in less than q fortnight
And Linkum's bump Of destructivCness was
! a q :. ,s1i mo- p-t
not be trusted to take anything into his hands
that could by any possibility be broken, and he
declared himself that If he looked at dish it
done fell over and split open"
In the bottom Of her heart Aunt Patra was
very fond of Linkum but she was always say
| ing that "dcre was cnuf m0uf5 TO feed widOut
daU lazy ni%gcrs, an it was high time dat he
done went OF and earned his own libin'"
1t made all the children very sad to hear
Aunt Patra say that, for in spite of MS pranks
they had great affection for LinIum. He
was devoted to them, and always so good
natured and merry You must be feeling very
badly indeed if LinkIm couldn't cheer you up.
When mamma was SO pale and tired that it
would make ones heart ache to look at her she
would laugh, just rs she used to do, ut some Of
Linkum'S drolI sayings. And it made her feel
as badly as tho children to think of letting
! LinkHm go away, especially as she was afraid
he might not find people who would bear with
She was afraid lie would have to go. She had
lost two of her music scholars, and her eyes
were beginning to trouble her so that she was
afraid she should not be able to sew much
| longer, and the interest on the mortgage was
overdue. And man over IN Lancaster wanted
to hire Linkum to cut wood.
1t was the last day of the year, and things
did seem very sad. Christmas had not been
in the least like any Christmas that the chill
dren had ever known. Ii did seem a little too
bad that santa Claus should turn the cold
shoulder upon one because one was poor. And
now, with all the rrst Of their troubles, they
must part with Liukum--pOor Linllum-whO
doubled himself mp as if he were in pain at the
mere mention Of his going and uttered most
melancholy hOwls.
| Tommy, who was the Oldest, and felt himself
to be the man Of the family, although he was
only twelve, shared his mothers confidence,
and realized what sore straits they were in.
He agreed with his mother that since there
was nobody in the neighborhood who wanted
TO hire Linkum, he must go, although it
! seemed almost too hard to be endured.
well, tomorrow is New Years Day; per-
haps something very nice viii happen" said
jill. Jill read fairy stories, and was always
expecting things to happen just as they did in
the stories
Sometimes things go on happening just the
| same, if it is new year." said Aleck. II
wish this would be brand nslO yearl"
1t did seem very sad that LiDkum should
have to go on New Years Day, but the man
who wanted to hire him came for him, and
| they all resolved to put brave face on tho
matter, for it never would do to begin the new
year with tears, and besides their tears gave
renewed impetus TO Linlzum's howlings, which
were really frightful 10 hear, and caused his
new employer to inquire ii he wasn't subject
| to Cranp in the stomach.
At the very last Tommy took Linkum be-
hind the shed-dOor for little private inter
| view.
What was said there nobody knew, but when
he emerged from the retirement the Cramp in
! Linkum's stomach seemed greatly improved,
and be responded with faint semblance Of one
of his customary grinS to the good-byes show
cred upon him.
Tommy took his way to his daily work with
a resolve to ask Mr. Savage the lawyer, whose
/ OtiiCe-bOy be was, to raise his wages. But
| when he opened the ollice-door there was
| strange young man at the desk, and lLr. Savage
was occupied with several gentlemen. lie
turned his head to say, carelessly, to Tommy
81 sha'n't have any further need OF your
services, as this young man, who is to study
| with me, will attend to your duties. / believe
| there is u small sum due you and if YOU viii
call some time when am not busy FL give it
to you"
Poor Tommy! He left the office without q
word, his hopes all crushed. There were very
few chances for boy like him to get work in
the town. He might have to go away as
Linkum had done, and that would break his
mothers heart.
1t was just possible that there might be some
work that he could do at the irOn-miIls; q few
odd Jobs would be better than nothing
Mr.. Forbes, the superintendent, was always
busy, and aman Of few words Tommy dreaded
to go to his Office, because he held the mortgage
on their house, and he might say something
about the unpaid interest; but &s it was the
only chance for work that there seemed to be,
he summoned all his courage and knocked at
his Office door.
"Want boy?" said Mr.. Forbes "Well, if
we DO, there are plenty Of big ones in the
world, so we needn't take up with little chap
like you" But there was q pleasant twinkle
in his eyes, SO Tommy didn't mind that his
words were not very polite.
"You're Tommy Woodford, are you?" con-
tinued Mr.. Forbes. We'll we do need an
oice-boy, but was thinking ofhaving one older
than you, who could help tho clerk with his
accounts sometimes. Are you quick at fg-
ures?"
q am. not so very slow, sir" he said,
modestiy. You might try me.
"Well, that is not a bad suggestion" said
Mr. Forbes, who was looking him over care
fully all the time You may come tomorrow
morning, and l will try you"
Tommy flew home as if he had wings, and
told the good news.
He found that there was hard work in the