The Second Violin

the sha

re that mother's dressing sack and knit slippers are

that unopened package of water-biscuit. Yo

n, your fire will be burned out in the morning, and it w

? He must be

's overshoe

ollars to your credit at t

d you tele

d Celia p

all of

do with that

people get these traps together without all yelling at

tes before, her family protesting that they could finish the numberless small tasks yet

ince the night when they had learned that she was not quite well, they had discovered for themselves the delicacy of the smiling face, the thinness of the graceful body, the many small signs by which those who run may read

declared Celia. "Run away, a

ustin perched on the arm of her chair, with his head on her shoulder, and she would not have him taken away, her own heart sick within her at thought of the long absence from the

a low exclamation, sprang across the room, and catc

aid. "And ope

the lovely brown eyes when they unclosed were as full of bravery a

t to delay without reason. There's not time to send to the city for Doctor Forester. Suppose you telephone Doctor Ridgway to come a

came back and beckoned hi

s sick in bed. How about that new doctor that's just moved in next door

a moment. "Well, c

e minutes later he returned with the youn

y into a pair of eyes whose steady glance gave him

ent fifteen quiet minutes with their father and mother. When Mr. Birc

as he spoke to Lansing. He certainly was young but there was about him an air of quiet conf

tronger now, and it will be better for her to get the leave-taking over than to postpone and dread it longer. You will all make it easy for her--No brea

harlotte swallowed hard at a lump in her throat, and Celia lingered an instant behind the rest to pinch the colour back into her cheeks, nobody observ

summoned there, it may be, not only by the doctor's sti

" murmured Mr. Birch, breaking with dif

eager group. Only Lansing was to go to the train. The others, as they crowded round the carriage door, were

eldest son's, was saying to him things he never forgo

from her. "I could never go, I think, if I hadn't such a strong, brave, trustworthy son to leave in ca

lly, although he felt, even more than b

s she's not fit for. See that Jeff keeps steadily at his studies, and be lenient with Justin. He adores you--you can make the year

eccentricities, but we've a lot of family spirit, and no one of us is going to sacrifice alone while the rest fail to take notice. And you

thing shoul

ll," assert

tle voice, not quite so steadily as befor

inwardly he vowed, "Anything short of real trouble you'll not know, little mothe

ch's face once more, and as she put up her arms to her tall son, in the little state-room, she seemed to him all at once so small and frail that he c

een unintelligible to any but a mother's intuition, so choky was his voice, gripped his father's hand with both his

r home, having dismissed the carriage, and craving noth

iled at him, but he could see that she had been crying. Although he had carried home

endid train, jolly state-room, porter one of the 'Yassir, yassir' kind. Judge and Mrs. Van Camp were ta

d. "How did mother get off

d her up in good shape. He seems all right. Didn't you like the way he acted? Neither like an old family physi

him from her place on the bottom stair. He was approaching her with the intention of putting out the hall light and joinin

ng the furnac

eff took care of it. He says that's his

e can ma

esponsibility. He's old enough, and even having to look af

came up to her on the stair, and putting his arm ab

to keep us all straight, and develop all our ch

o you go to work at th

t at six. Did

r first told us, to stay just till they had gone, and then leave things to m

very morning so early. Couldn't you leave things ready

her, I shall see that he has a good hot breakfast and

er as he paused with her in front of her door. "I must admit I shall p

when you are,"

you haven't got this household on your shoulders all alone. It's a partnership aff

ht for a minute, a

r boy, and a

relief that the determination of the young substitute heads of the house to begin the

e fell asleep. "Once fairly started, it won'

ght a cheerful face to Lansing's early breakfast, and when the younger members of the fam

was ready for whatever work Celia might find for her, and was given various rooms up-stairs to sweep and

er mother had prepared, and plunged eagerly into business. She was a born manager, and loved many of the details of housewo

h the promise of greater joys to come, and by five in the afternoon t

therefore to be discharged without mitigation on this first day of self-sacrifice--wandered disconsolately into the kitchen with broom and dust-pan, looking sadl

the younger sister observed, dropp

hoped," declared Celia, whisking a tinful of

ad you

disorder, a smudge of black upon its forehead, and its pinafore disreputable with frequent use as a dust

e left a mess of a closet up-stairs. Please give me one of those

h a banana. By the way, I sent him down cellar after some peach pickles, and I haven't seen him since. I'll run d

opened the cellar door and started do

things particularly bright and cheery to-night, for I know Lanse will come home fagged with the new work. Mrs. Laurie

ered. What she did do was to slip upon the third step of the steep sta