The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-12-28

own incllnadons Ned had come to the
city with his young brother. Somehow
he managed outside Of hours at the
medical college to earn enough TO pay
for their expenses in the little tene-
ment, and Bobby led a not unwhole-
some existence, attending public
school, getting recreation at the Har-
low street settlement. and doing his
llttle-boy best to keep house for his
overworked big brother.
Helen was at first shocked at the
idea of the ten.year-old boy coming in
from after school play to have TO pre-
pare supper for himself and his BROTH
err but she ended by feeling that, after
all, Bobby led as normal and happy
an existence as any motherless boy
could. Certainly he was better of
than he would have been had his big
brother consented TO send him to
boys home during the uphill years of
his medical study.
"Now, II you really want to be my
big sister," announced Bobby, looking
approvingly at Helen, "you can start
right in by helping me get supper.
Ned said he was awful hungry for
some mufiins-the kind mother used
TO make-but, gosh, couldn't make
EN-. Now, do you suppose II bought
the things that you could mix 'em and
cook 'em-maybe the next time you
conner"
That was the beginning of the most
interesting adventure OF Helen's hth-
erto rather frivolous young life. Twice
week she visited Bobby and twice a
week besides she took lessons in cook
ing and domestic science so as to be
qualified to help and instruct Bobby
in the task of making the little tene-
ment rooms more homelike. Bobby
would give her the money Ned allowed
| for the evenings meal and she would
come back from market with beef
steak and mushrooms, when Bobby
said Ned liked them, luscious fruit in
season and out and delicacies such as
Bobby had never before dreamed Of.
ITS funny what you can get for a
| quarter" Bobby often used to say.
"Ned says he doesn't understand. lie
said there was something funny about
IL. and he's acted dreadfully funny,
just as II he thought you oughtn't to
help me so much Don't you suppose
you could stay TO dinner some time
and explain that you really get the
things for what give you? He comes
in just after you leave. Couldn't you
wait and tell him?"
"Oh, dear no." assured Helen. "You
see I'm just your big sister, Bobby, and
well, your brother mightn't like me
as much as you do"
Maybe not" sighed Bobby.
But for some reason or another Ned
came home half hour earlier thar
usual that night and discovered thu
radiant Helen still mixing drop cakei
In the tiny kitchen. She and Bobb
had given the horse good cleaning
that day and she had left bunch o.
daffodlls on the living room table anC
had hung fresh muslin curtains at thu
windows.
Explanations did not take long, no
were elaborate ones needed, for whel
Ned's steady gray eyes looked into tn
depths of Helen's blue ones exIlana
tlons in words did not seem necessary
Helens seemed to say, II admire yoI
for your pluck and perseverance, I
go on studying under such difficult
conditions. have done what / hav
done for Bobby's sake-please don
thank me-" And Ned's eyes said: a
shall not protest, because know yol
have done what you have done fror
the goodness of kind heart"
AS a matter o.. fact Helen said
I'm Bobby's big sister" and Ned said
Lucky boy"
Helen stayed for supper and left n
soon as she and Ned and Bobby ha
washed the dishes and tidied tn
kitchen. She definitely refused Ned
escortage home. Somehow after tina
on the nights when Helen came sh
was always a little delayed in he
work or Ned managed to come in
little early. And she would stay I
supper with the excuse that she want
ed to help wash the dishes.
After several weeks of this she cor
sented to allow Ned to go home wit
her.
"If you are Bobby's big sister the
you are a brother TO both Of u.s. Ne
said, as they were nearing her hom'
"Do you wish-wish that you wer
my brother?" asked Helen.
"Well, not exactly-that is, J.
rather"
And that was really as far as Ne
had to go with his proposal.