Helping Himself | Page 8

he remained in the
country, for obvious reasons.
Three weeks passed, and again not only Mr. Tudor, but another creditor,
began to be troublesome.
"How soon is your father going to pay up his bill?" asked Tudor, when
Grant called at the store for a gallon of molasses.
"Very soon, I hope," faltered Grant.
"I hope so, too," answered the grocer, grimly.
"Only three weeks ago I paid you thirty-three dollars," said Grant.
"And you have been increasing the balance ever since," said Tudor,
frowning.
"If father could get his salary regularly--" commenced Grant.
"That's his affair, not mine," rejoined the grocer. "I have to pay my bills
regular, and I can't afford to wait months for my pay."
Grant looked uncomfortable, but did not know what to say.
"The short and the long of it is, that after this week your father must
either pay up his bill, or pay cash for what articles he gets hereafter."
"Very well," said Grant, coldly. He was too proud to remonstrate.
Moreover, though he felt angry, he was constrained to admit that the
grocer had some reason for his course.

"Something must be done," he said to himself, but he was not wise
enough to decide what that something should be.
Though he regretted to pain his mother, he felt obliged to report to her
what the grocer had said.
"Don't be troubled, mother," he said, as he noticed the shade of anxiety
which came over her face. "Something will turn up."
Mrs. Thornton shook her head.
"It isn't safe to trust to that, Grant," she said; "we must help ourselves."
"I wish I knew how," said Grant, perplexed.
"I am afraid I shall have to make a sacrifice," said Mrs. Thornton, not
addressing Grant, but rather in soliloquy.
Grant looked at his mother in surprise. What sacrifice could she refer to?
Did she mean that they must move into a smaller house, and retrench
generally? That was all that occurred to him.
"We might, perhaps, move into a smaller house, mother," said he, "but
we have none too much room here, and the difference in rent wouldn't
be much."
"I didn't mean that, Grant. Listen, and I will tell you what I do mean.
You know that I was named after a rich lady, the friend of my mother?"
"I have heard you say so."
"When she died, she left me by will a pearl necklace and pearl bracelets,
both of very considerable value."
"I have never seen you wear them, mother."
"No; I have not thought they would be suitable for the wife of a poor
minister. My wearing them would excite unfavorable comment in the
parish."
"I don't see whose business it would be," said Grant, indignantly.
"At any rate, just or not, I knew what would be said," Mrs. Thornton
replied.
"How is it you have never shown the pearl ornaments to me, mother?"
"You were only five years old when they came to me, and I laid them
away at once, and have seldom thought of them since. I have been
thinking that, as they are of no use to me, I should be justified in selling
them for what I can get, and appropriating the proceeds toward paying
your father's debts."
"How much do you think they are worth, mother?"
"A lady to whom I showed them once said they must have cost five

hundred dollars or more."
Grant whistled.
"Do you mind showing them to me, mother?" he asked.
Mrs. Thornton went upstairs, and brought down the pearl necklace and
bracelets. They were very handsome and Grant gazed at them with
admiration.
"I wonder what the ladies would say if you should wear them to the
sewing circle," he said, humorously.
"They would think I was going over to the vanities of this world,"
responded his mother, smiling. "They can be of no possible use to me
now, or hereafter, and I believe it will be the best thing I can do to sell
them."
"Where can you sell them? No one here can afford to buy them."
"They must be sold in New York, and I must depend upon you to
attend to the business for me."
"Can you trust me, mother? Wouldn't father--"
"Your father has no head for business, Grant. He is a learned man, and
knows a great deal about books, but of practical matters he knows very
little. You are only a boy, but you are a very sensible and trustworthy
boy, and I shall have to depend upon you."
"I will do the best I can, mother. Only tell me what you want me to do."
"I wish you to take these pearls, and go to New York. You can find a
purchaser there, if anywhere. I suppose it will be