EARNEST ENDEAVOURS.
WHEN Tom told his mother the news brought by Jack, and that Mr.
Murray and the clergyman had both agreed that he might try for this
scholarship, she was quite overcome. For she had begun to blame herself
very bitterly for moving so hastily, and thus depriving her children of
educational advantages she had scarcely thought of at their true value,
until she came here and found the difference in the schools.
Tom had continued his attendance after the fight with Bill Crane, but
she felt sure it was rather to please her than from any real interest
he took in his work there.
In this, however, she was mistaken. Tom did not say anything about it
at home, but the fight with the redoubtable Bill had certainly improved
his position with his school-mates. They talked of him among themselves
as a "jolly plucky chap," though he did come from "Lunnon," where no
boy was supposed to know how to fight. In school, this opinion of him
gradually leavened and altered their behaviour towards him, and they
were ready to forgive his fluent reading and better writing than their
own, in consideration of his being able to stand up to the village
bully, of whom every boy had been secretly afraid until Tom braved him.
Without knowing exactly why or how it had come about, Tom found his
position at school far more tolerable as time went on than it was
at first; and he was gradually becoming oblivious of the noise that
disturbed him so much at first. So that when he told his mother of the
scholarship plan, he made no complaint about not being able to learn
lessons in such a school.
Mrs. Winn had burst into tears when she first heard the wonderful news,
and that greatly disconcerted Tom.
"Don't cry, mother, don't cry," he said, putting his arm round her
neck and kissing her. "I really do mean to work hard this time, and
I daresay Mr. Murray will help me a bit extra, if he sees I'm in
downright earnest, for I think he was rather pleased that we went to
ask him about it, and he likes Elsie, I know."
"Yes, yes, dear, you will try now, I am sure," said the widow, trying
to smile at Tom through her tears. "I am afraid it will be harder work
for you this time, than if you had kept steadily on under Mr. Potter;
but we must not mind that. And Elsie and I will do all we can to help
you."
"Yes, mother, don't be afraid, will you? I really will, for your sake,
work hard now. Elsie has got the books you bought for her when she
was swatting up for her exam., and I daresay they will help me. I'll
take them to school on Monday morning, and ask Mr. Murray to set me
some extra lessons in grammar and geography. Now, come and see Jack,
mother, before he goes; he is having a bit of bread and cheese before
he starts."
Mrs. Winn thanked the boy who was so anxious to make amends for the
mischief he had caused a few months before, and Jack started home on
his wonderful bicycle, feeling happier than he had for many months past.
"I shall come again soon," he said, as he mounted his iron horse and
rode away in the warm dusk of the evening.
"Yes, do," called Tom, Elsie, and little Bobbie, in one breath; and
then they went in to talk over once more the alteration in Tom's
prospects.
"I will call and see Mr. Murray on Monday," said the widow. And then
she heaved a sigh, for she knew it would be quite out of her power
to pay for extra lessons for Tom, and she must explain this to the
schoolmaster at once, though it should betray her poverty in a fashion
that was very painful to her.
There was, however, no help for it, and this news had brought her some
consolation that neither of her children could understand, for they did
not know how bitterly she had been blaming herself for coming here. But
now if it should prove that Tom would be eligible for this scholarship,
then her self-reproaches would lose half their sting, and she would
feel that for Tom, at least, the move had brought nothing but good.
The country air agreed with all the children, and they were growing
strong and vigorous as well as Tom, who seemed to be better than he had
ever been in his life before. But it was the want of work that troubled
her.
Mrs. Perceval was very pleased with the way she had made her girl's
dresses, and had since given her two of her own to do, with which she
was so fully satisfied, that she promised to recommend her to other
friends.
"But I am only the doctor's wife, you know," she said, laughingly,
"and not being a fashionable lady, some of them may think I am not a
competent judge of what is the latest thing in dresses."
She did not forget her promise, but most of the ladies she spoke to on
Mrs. Winn's behalf always sent their dresses to be made in London, and
quite looked down upon a village dressmaker, though she had just come
from London, and could easily get the latest fashions and patterns from
there.
Some of them recommended their servants to try the new dressmaker
who had come to live in Fairfield, and she got a few servant's and
children's dresses to make; but her business did not increase as time
wore on, as she hoped it would, and sometimes a whole week passed and
she would not earn a penny.
This state of things made her very anxious, for although their expenses
were now very small, the children were in splendid health, and had good
appetites. Fortunately Tom's vegetables served them for many a dinner,
with the simple addition of a slice of bread, otherwise they must often
have gone hungry. Indeed, she and Elsie often went with only half a
meal, in order that the little ones should not go short, each of them
pretending that they did not want any more.
Tom had not noticed this for some time; but after Jack's visit, and he
had time to think over everything that had passed, he remembered the
few words spoken just before they got home after seeing Mr. Murray, and
coupling this with what he often heard Elsie say now, that she did not
want much dinner or tea, he came to the conclusion that there must be
some truth in Jack's surmise, and that Elsie was eating as little as
possible that they might not get into debt here, and he resolved to do
the same, and try to help his mother that way. But Elsie was too sharp
for him.
"No, no, Tom, it won't do for you to go with half a meal when you are
working so hard at your books, or in the garden. I don't want so much
now because I have so little to do, but with you it is different. I
know how hungry I used to be when I was working for my scholarship;
and so you must eat, or we shall all be disappointed again when next
November comes, and another disappointment will almost kill mother, I
am afraid."
"Mr. Murray and Mr. Cotton will be disappointed too, I believe," said
Tom, "for I know they quite expect me to win; and Mr. Murray told me
to-day he would do all he could to help me. You see, it will be quite
an honour for this school if I should get the scholarship. But I could
not have gone in for it, if I had had my own way, and not gone to
school to please mother—for I shall only have been just the qualifying
time when the examination takes place, and I had been at school a month
when Jack brought the news. Dear old Jack! He is another who will be
disappointed if I don't pass," said Tom.
"But you must pass," insisted his sister; "and that is why you must eat
all you can, as well as learn all you can. For mother and me it don't
matter, of course, but don't let mother hear you say you cannot eat, or
she will think you are going to be ill again, or that it does not suit
you to sit close at your books. Oh, Tom, I shall be proud of you, and
so will Jack, I know. He will come again soon, I expect, to see how you
are getting on."
This hope that Jack would soon pay them another visit was not
disappointed, but the lad had brought something besides himself this
time on his iron horse. A large parcel was dangling from the front, and
Jack took it to Mrs. Winn as a present from his father.
The lady wondered why Jack's father should send her a large ham, but
the lad told her a rambling tale about Tom helping him with the rabbit
hutch, and his foreman wanted to sell the ham. But Elsie had a keen
suspicion that Jack's own pocket-money had been spent in its purchase.
But they had a splendid tea of ham and eggs, such a meal as they had
not seen for months past. Jack said he had brought the ham to help Tom
on with his lessons now, because he had spoiled his chances before
through building the rabbit hutch.
They all smiled, though they hardly knew what to make of Jack's tales;
still, they were glad to welcome him whenever he came over on Saturday
afternoon, which he generally did about once a month after that first
visit, which seemed to change Tom's whole life and its outlook.
The fact was, Tom could never quite forget Jack's words about his
mother owing money at the shops. Until he heard of this, he had not
thought much about the expense his illness must have been, or that he
had through this spoiled her business, and that there was no one able
to earn a penny all the time he was ill.
But he often thought of it after that talk with Jack, and it made a
great impression upon his mind and conduct too, for he now tried to
do all he could to spare his mother and sister trouble and expense
in every way possible, while his schoolmaster could not say enough
in praise of his diligence, and the steady, patient way in which he
worked, both at his ordinary school tasks, and those that were set him
in addition, to be worked at when he was at home.
And he did not let the garden become weed-grown and neglected through
this application to his books. Betsy Gunn had told him that he would
never get a decent crop of peas, beans, or anything else if he did
not keep the ground free from weeds; and so his garden was kept tidy,
though Elsie often spent an hour or two in this work that her brother
might not be hindered from his lessons.
So the weeks and months went on, and one day Mrs. Perceval called late
in the summer to know how Mrs. Winn was prospering with her business.
"Not very well, ma'am," said Mrs. Winn, hardly able to keep back the
tears as she spoke, for she had no work, and knew not when to expect
any.
There was also another trouble. Elsie was looking pale, and had lost
her appetite the last few days. The rest were well; and Tom seemed to
be quite strong again, and was growing very fond of gardening. But
Elsie always shared her mother's anxieties now, and she was afraid it
was proving too much for her.
Mrs. Perceval suggested that Elsie should come and stay with her for
a few days, for her boys were coming home for their holidays, and she
would be very useful, if Mrs. Winn could spare her. For such a sensible
girl would keep them from mischief when they went out for a long
ramble, and there were many ways she could be useful, if she could be
spared.
Mrs. Winn was glad enough to accept the offer, for she had no doubt
that a week or two with other boys and girls would do Elsie a great
deal of good, and it was arranged that the gig should be sent for her
on the following Monday.
Elsie was loth to go away and leave her mother with no one to help her;
but Mrs. Winn could plead that she had no work in the house just now,
and Mrs. Perceval had been so kind she would not like to disoblige
her. And these considerations had more weight with Elsie than her own
health, or the need there was that she should have some change, and
forget for a time the cares and troubles of the home life.
It was the want of work that troubled her as well as her mother; for
she knew well enough, that unless her mother could soon get a great
deal more work than seemed at all likely now, absolute starvation would
stare them in the face. And though she had never said a word of this to
her mother, the thought of it haunted her day and night now. If only
they could get work, this country life would be very enjoyable, Elsie
thought, for she did not know yet what life in the country was like
during the winter.
During her stay at Mrs. Perceval's, she almost forgot the home
troubles, and grew rosy, and was able to eat anything and everything
that was offered to her. For her kind hostess took care that she should
spend the greater part of every day in the open air, if it was fine.
And this was altogether a new life to the girl, for although they had
a garden of their own at the cottage, Elsie did not spend much time
in it, there being so much to do to keep the children tidy now their
clothes were beginning to wear out, and there was no money to spare to
buy new ones.
A good deal of the washing and mending fell to Elsie now, for if her
mother was not at work, she was out seeking it. As she said, it would
never come to her if she sat at home with her hands folded. And many
a weary mile did she walk, hoping for the success that never seemed
likely to come.
By the time the cold autumn rains set in, Mrs. Winn had almost lost
heart, and was ready to think that her coming to Fairfield had been a
grievous mistake, that could only end in failure, after all her efforts.
She went to church on Sunday, and tried to listen to the service, and
believe that God still cared for the fatherless and widow, as the Bible
taught; but her thoughts would drift away to wondering how the rent was
to be paid, and what the baker would say when she told him she had no
money to pay his bill.
Then as the weather grew colder, and they needed fires more, they had
to do with less; for when their present stock of coals was burnt, they
did not know how they were to get any more. And they had to sit huddled
over a scrap of fire in the kitchen during the day, and go to bed soon
after dusk to save lights and fires.
The only bright spot in the dreary outlook was that Tom might get a
scholarship at the forthcoming examination; and this, as Mrs. Winn had
learned lately, would be even more valuable than Elsie's, for it would
afford Tom board and lodging as well as education at the college.
For Tom's sake, therefore, that he might not be hindered in his
book-work, they were obliged to make the best of things, and the change
of season brought Mrs. Winn one or two dresses to make.
Mrs. Perceval bought her girls winter dresses, and sent them to the
widow to make up at once; and the servants she had worked for in the
spring sent her their work again; one lady's maid saying, that her
dress was better made than her mistress's, though she had paid three
times as much to have it made in London.
This encouraged Mrs. Winn to hope that in time she might be able to
get a good business together here in Fairfield, but what was she and
her children to do while she was waiting. That was the problem that
confronted her continually, and to which she could find no solution,
but the practice of such rigid economy, as to make their life one of
continual privation. They did not let Tom or the children feel this
more than they could help, but upon Elsie and her mother the burden
daily grew harder and harder as the weather grew colder, and their need
of food and fire greater.