The Young Trawler | Page 6

had been carefully kept when all the rest was
sold, because it had belonged to their father.

We may not record the scarce audible prayer. Those who have suffered
know what it was. Those who have not suffered could not understand it.
After the prayer they sat down in a somewhat tranquil mood to "talk it
over." Poor things--they had often talked it over, without much result,
except that blessed one of evolving mutual sympathy.
"If I were only a little younger and stronger," said Kate, who had been,
and still was of a lively disposition, "I would offer myself as a
housemaid, but that is out of the question now; besides, I could not
leave you, Jessie, the invalid of the family--that once was."
"Come, Kate, let us have no reference to the invalid of the family any
more. I am getting quite strong. Do you know I do believe that poverty
is doing my health good; my appetite is improving. I really feel quite
hungry now."
"We will have tea, then," said Kate, getting up briskly; "the things that
we got will make one good meal, at all events, though the cost of them
has reduced our funds to the low ebb of one penny; so, let us enjoy
ourselves while it lasts!"
Kate seized the poker as she spoke, and gave the fire a thrust that
almost extinguished it. Then she heaped on a few ounces of coal with
reckless indifference to the future, and put on a little kettle to boil.
Soon the small table was spread with a white cloth, a silver teapot, and
two beautiful cups that had been allowed them out of the family wreck;
a loaf of bread, a very small quantity of brown sugar, a smaller quantity
of skim-milk, and the smallest conceivable pat of salt butter.
"And this took all the money except one penny?" asked Jessie,
regarding the table with a look of mingled sadness and amazement.
"All--every farthing," replied Kate, "and I consider the result a triumph
of domestic economy."
The sisters were about to sit down to enjoy their triumph when a
bounding step was heard on the stair.

"That's Ruth," exclaimed Kate, rising and hurrying to the door; "quick,
get out the other cup, Jessie. Oh! Ruth, darling, this is good of you. We
were sure you would come this week, as--"
She stopped abruptly, for a large presence loomed on the stair behind
Ruth.
"I have brought mamma to see you, Kate--the Misses Seaward, mamma;
you have often heard me speak of them."
"Yes, dear, and I have much pleasure in making the Misses Seaward's
acquaintance. My daughter is very fond of you, ladies, I know, and the
little puss has brought me here by way of a surprise, I suppose, for we
came out to pay a very different kind of visit. She--"
"Oh! but mamma," hastily exclaimed Ruth, who saw that her mother,
whom she had hitherto kept in ignorance of the circumstances of the
poor ladies, was approaching dangerous ground, "our visit here has to
do with--with the people we were speaking about. I have come," she
added, turning quickly to Miss Jessie, "to transact a little business with
you--about those poor people, you remember, whom you were so sorry
for. Mamma will be glad to hear what we have to say about them.
Won't you, mamma?"
"Of course, of course, dear," replied Mrs Dotropy, who, however,
experienced a slight feeling of annoyance at being thus dragged into a
preliminary consideration of the affairs of poor people before paying a
personal visit to them. Being good-natured, however, and kind, she
submitted gracefully and took note, while chairs were placed round the
table for this amateur Board, that ladies with moderate
means--obviously very moderate--appeared to enjoy their afternoon tea
quite as much as rich people. You see, it never entered into Mrs
Dotropy's mind--how could it?--that what she imagined to be
"afternoon tea" was dinner, tea, and supper combined in one meal,
beyond which there lay no prospective meal, except what one penny
might purchase.
With a mysterious look, and a gleam of delight in her eyes, Ruth drew

forth a well-filled purse, the contents of which, in shillings, sixpences,
and coppers, she poured out upon the tea-table.
"There," she said triumphantly, "I have collected all that myself, and
I've come to consult you how much of it should be given to each, and
how we are to get them to take it."
"How kind of you, Ruth!" exclaimed Kate and Jessie Seaward, gazing
on the coin with intense, almost miserly satisfaction.
"Nonsense! it's not kind a bit," responded Ruth; "if you knew the
pleasure I've had in gathering it, and telling the sad story of the poor
people; and then, the thought of the comfort