The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-19
SIXPENCE.

| her, and they wanted Davy at the hotel to
| do erIands; then the small sum that their
house and garden would bring could be put
| in the bank.
These orphaned children had never had
any extensive toys or amusements even
when their parents lived; but they had a
COW. six risky little pigs-to say nothing of
the little pigs mother--and a great many
hens and chickens; and they had an old
rowboat, that did not leak very badly, on
the river that ran so lazly that it could
scarce be said to run at abby the foot of
their garden, and swing in the old gnarled
pear tree.
Before their great trouble came upon
them the children would not have changed
places with any children outside of fairy
book. But now the grass covered all that
was left on earth of their father ard mother
A fever that was prevalent in the village
had seized upon the younger children first
when they were convalescing the mother,
worn with care and watching. had taken it,
and before they thought of danger il had
proved fatal. When she died the father was
too i'll to leave his bed but it was thought
that he might have recovered except for the
shock of his wife's death. and the news
which an ineautious neighbor told him of
LUo laliut6 VI tuo DdHh which H6lu us liLtle
store of savings. He died. and the children
were alone in the world and almost penni-
less.
Mary Jane was the "house-mother now.
She was not quite 16. but she was tall and
looked womanly. OF course the response
bility of deciding what was to be done
came upon her, though Davy had nice
little head for an 11year-old one, and they
consulted together as If they were quite
d. I'D 6naf do. hi on
way to turn. especially with so much con-
Trajectory advice given them. And at first
they had felt so crushed and stupefied with
grief that it seemed impossible to think.
Mary Jane sat down on the doorstep late
one afternoon and determined that before
she finished mendng Davy's torn jacket
she " ould decide what it was best to do.
She thought and thought until her head
ached, and every plan seemed harder or
| more uncertain than the others. She
jacques, who never gave anybody pleasant
word, and would make her work far beyond
| her strength. But how to help it?
While Mary Jane was bordering that
problem. and garnishing Davys torn jack ct
with now and then a tear drop that would
! not be kept back, old Uncle Jerry Huckins
| came hobbling along. Uncle Jerry was
not uncle to anybody in particular, and it
! would not have been an advantage to any,
| body to have him for an uncle, for he was
| but himself for so long that he had almost
| cune TO believe that the world was made
| for his especial benefit lie leaned on the
| gate and surveyed Mary Jane out of pair
! Of sharp, foxy eyes.
HIN! SO you ha'n't gone TO the poor
| house yet? Expected you would be! Don't
see nOthin' to bender unless you step around
| lively and find somebody that's fool enough
| to give you somethin' for this miserable
| little house and lot Of yourn."
Mary LANA made anSwpr. ahQ
having hard work TO keep back the tears
which she was too proud to let this hard
unsympathetic old man see.
"s'pose the house 10! is kind o fallin' to
pieces, amt it?" pursued Uncle Jerry,
looking it over with a critical eye.
mo, it is not. Father had it repaired
last April" said Mary Jane.
mo great of q house. anyway; kind of a
little mouse hole. and that little speck of
land that you've got out back there | ex-
psct is kind O. Nasty. bein' so near the
river?"
NO. it isn't ma'shy." said Mary Jane,
briefly.
Expect you wont be able to tuck it off
| onto nobody in a hurry"
I'VE haven't decided to sellit," said Mary
| Jane, making a great effort to treat him
| politely, because he was an cid man, but
wishing with all her heart that he would
| just leave her to herself.
"H'm!' sneered Uncle jerry. TITS one
| thing to make up your mind to sell it and
another to fetch the sellin' to pass You
amt ago'n' to find BUYERS as thick as buckle
berries. But now I'll tell you what III do.
I'm poor old man and / amt pertiekler
what kind of place l spend my latter days
in. | could get along with this ERE and
might be dom you good turn, too, seein'
you're in want o money. I'll give you 500
for it. That's MORN it's worth, but I'm
liberal by natur."
"Oh. we couldn't sell it for that! 1t is
surely worth more than that!' exclaimed
Mary Jane.
"Mebbe you think it's clapboarded with
| diamonds and ruffed with goldP' said the
old man sneeringly. "Mebbe you'd take a
bag of gold for it,"
Mary Jane devoted herself silently to
| Davy'S jacket.
But come, now. I amt a-go,n' to take no
offense on account O. your ignorance. And
| l amt nigh: there Is folks in this town
| that's closer'n the bark of tree, but amt
| one O. 'em. And seein' scripter directs us
| to he open handed with the wilder and the
fatherless. don't care il | give you three
| hundred and fifty for IL"
Three hundred and fifty dollars! Deacon
| Tilbpry had told Mary Jane that she could
| not expect to get more than three hundred
| for it, land being cheap in Brierville. and
| the house so old that it was worth hardly
anything Uncle Jerry's offer was some
thing of a temptation. But her fathers
last words rang in her ears
Keep the little home, and keep together
| If You can"
| If she could! Mary Jane could not quite
see how it was to be done. The old man
| saw her hesitation and took advantage of Ii.
why, that money would take care of
| you all for a long spell, so you wouldn't be
| separated. You could hire two or three
! rooms In the village. aud you could go to
| the academy till you got so Won could keen
school. I've heard the schoolmaster say
| that you was the smartest scholar he had ;
| and Davy could 60 to school and get to be
| some BODY"
| Il can't give you an answer now. I'll LET
! you know tomorrow" said Mary Jane,
| family but firmly.
well, l don't want to urge you; faint no
! advantage TO me. But you'd better remem-
| Der that nmble sixpence is better than
| slow shiliin'p
| How had Uncle Jerry known that what
| she wanted most was to go TO the academy.
| so that she could be able to support them
| all by teaching? But though $3.50 seemed
| such large sum, she knew very we'll that
| it would support them all for only short
time, and they would be homeless. Tie
| dear old place, of which they loved every
nook and corner. and where everything re-
minded them of their father and mother,
would belong to Uncle Jerry Huckinsl
ION, / can't do IT," cried Mary Jane,
| aloud, and letting her tears have their way.
just then bird in the tall lilac bush over
| her head twittered out something that
| sounded exactly like 'Nmble sixpence
| Nimble sixpence! Nimble sixpence!'
| "Oh. suppose 1t must be done!' sobbed
| poor Mary Jane.
| Il say, Mary Jane, those strawberries are
| ripening just like blazes! And there isn't a
| strawberry anywhere around Brierville that
| has thought of turning. And our asparagus
| just beats everything"
! II was Davy coming up from the garden
| who made these announcements. The straw
| berries had come into bearing this year, and
| the children were very much excited over
| them.
Mrs. Tllbury said she wanted to buy a
! quart as soon as they were ripe, but she sup
/ posed we wouldn't ask more than 10 cents
| for theml'