Little Fishers: and their Nets

tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed

her and vent his wrath on her. Could she ever creep around in the dark and hide away from her own father? Wouldn't it be possible for her to go back home? She had not money enough to get there, but couldn't she work somehow, and earn money? She could write a letter to the folks at home and tell them the dreadful story, and they would surely find a way of sending for her. But then, money was not plenty in that home, and she began

s in return for all they had done for her. Worse than that, she might not be able to get back to them herself. Would her father be likely to let her go? He had se

I will go back!" she muttered, setting the little bowl she was drying on the table with a determined thump. "I can't stay in

d none, after the first murmured word of pity. But meantime she knew very well that she

work, then stood drearily in the doorway, wondering what she could do next, when a good, homely, mo

Decker's li

ering drearily, even then, if it

I would have been in to see if I could help the poor thing any. I don't know her very much, but she is sickly, and has hard times now and then, and I'm sorry for her. Now what I was wondering is, where are they going to put you to sleep? The upper part of that house ain't finished off, is it? It is o

he seemed to wait for an answer, and there was nothing to sa

, and I just as soon you would sleep there as not until your folks get things fixed. You're a dreadful clean-looking little girl, and I like that. I'm a master hand to have clean things around me; Job says he believes I catch the flies and dust their wings before I let them go into my front room. Job is

d then Nettie suddenly stopped. It might not be well to say to this new friend that she would not need to trouble the woodhouse chamber long, for she meant to start for home as s

r I see in my life. She makes me think of our Jerry. To think of that child being Joe Decker's girl and coming back to such a home as he

oom all the time; they are real clean-looking folks. You wouldn't suppose from the looks of this house that I cared for clean things, but I do, and I used to have them about me, too. I

p the poor rags which composed the bed in her mothe

my eyes. I would rather do without soap than bread; especially when our clothes are so worn out that there is nothing much to change with. Oh, I tell you when you get into a house where the men folks spend all they can get on

end in. Oh, no; they are not very poor. Why, they are rich as kings, come to compare them with us; but they are not grand folks at all; he is a teamster, and works hard every day; so does she; but he doesn't dr

ty as pictures," the sad-eyed mother said, as she bent over them when they were asleep, with their moist hair in loose waves, and their clean faces flushed with health. "They are real pretty little girls," she added earnestly, as she turned away. "He might be proud of them. And h

question timidly, hesitating over the last word; it

I married him, but I thought it was no more than all hard-working men did. I never thought much about it. I know it neve

d been, I think sometimes my life would have been very different. I know I wouldn't have walked right into the fire with my one boy, anyhow. I'm talking to you, child, as though you were a woman grown, a

ne to ask this sick and discouraged mother, but she must know the who

up, I slipped into the way of letting him go out with your father to spend the evenings; I didn't know they spent them in bar-rooms, or groceries where they sold beer. I never dreamed of such a thing. Your father talked about meeting the men, and I thought they met at some of the houses where there wasn't a baby to cry, and talked their work over, or the news, you know. And there he was teaching Norm to drink. He was a pretty little fellow, and he would sing comic songs, and then they would treat him to the sugar in their glasses! When I found it out, he had got to liking the stuff, and I don't suppose a day goes by without

have reached the bottom now. She could

t there must be a cooper's shop just around the corner, for the chips lay thick. She gathered some for the morning fire, determined in her mind that she would buy a few potatoes at the grocery in the morning! In the cupboard she had found a cup of sour milk; this she had carefully treasured with an eye to breakfast, and she now looked into her purse to see if she could spa

in her apron. She did not notice his whistling, though he made it loud and shrill on purpose to attract her attention, He knew quite a little about her by this time. He had come upon the boys of the Grammar School in the midst of their afternoon recess and heard Harry Stuart interr

you got it from the Deckers; that is what is just going to happen there. Old Joe's Nan is coming home this very

to come home!" said little Ted, looking injure

so? Is Nan Decker coming home? My! What a house to come to. Mother said only yesterday that s

an usual he always threatened to send for Nan; but she didn't think he would. And now it seems he has. I heard it from the old fellow himself. He was telling Norm about it, while I stood waitin

were nice enough people, but did not have much to do with the fathers and mothers of these boys, and-well, the fact was, the boys did not know whether to take this new comer in, and make him welcome, or not. They sort of liked him; he was good-natured, and accommodating so far as they knew, but they knew very little about him. He asked a good many questions about the expected Nan Decker. He had never heard of her b

t they knew nothing. He was on his way to the woods for one of his long summer rambles. He felt a trifle

E OF HIS SU

ce, and a head that looked as though he might be going to make a smart man, one of these

thought of her again, and wondered if she had come, and if she would be a sorrowful and homesick little girl. It seemed queer to think of being homesick when one came home! But then, it was only a home in name; he had not lived next door to it for five weeks without discovering that

I shall be very glad to do it." A kind, cheerful voice. Nettie looked up quickly an

sick myself, nearly every night, especially if it is moonlight. I don't know what there is about the

way from y

d I am waiting here for him to come back. It is home, you know, wherever he is. He doesn't expect to be back yet for months. So you and I ought to be pretty good friends, we are such near neighbors.

I am homesick; but it is being scared, and astonished, and, oh! everything. Nothing is as I thought it would be; and there are things about it that I di

ut after all, I wouldn't give up if I were you; and I should be real glad that I had come home to help him. He needs a great deal of help. Folks reform, you know. Why, people who are a great deal worse than your father has ever been yet, have turned ri

t little handkerchief as she spoke, and sat up straight, and looked with earnest eye

father is a temperance man, and I have heard him talk. I know a hundred things I would like to do, and a few t

carry out now, and let them grow as fast as we can

ll, if you will only show me how," s

m her troubled heart. The boy's face had grown more thoughtful. H

dy who would be sure to help in anything of this kind that we tried to do

is

who was willing to give such hearty help as that? If such were the case, she could see that a great deal might be accomplished. She waited for he

things, but I mean-God. I know he is o

thoughtfully, and

I am His servant. It is strange I forgot for a little while that He knew all about this home, and father, and everything! Maybe He wants me to help father.

w-horse, a long step taken over the l

ink of the rumsellers: 'If God be for us, who can be against us!' I know he is for us, and so, though the rumsellers are against us, and think they are

knows what we can do? Anyhow, we are friends, and wil

" And she rose up from the do