Timothy Crumps Ward | Page 5

boat,
the particular operation he was now intent upon being the excavation or
hollowing out. Now three-legged stools are not the most secure seats in
the world. That, I think, no one can doubt who has any practical
acquaintance with them. Jack was working quite vigorously, the block
from which the boat was to be fashioned being held firmly between his
knees. His knife having got wedged in the wood, he made an unusual
effort to draw it out, in which he lost his balance, and disturbed the
equilibrium of his stool, which, with his load, tumbled over backwards.
Now it very unfortunately happened that Aunt Rachel sat close behind,
and the treacherous stool came down with considerable force upon her
foot.
A piercing shriek was heard, and Aunt Rachel, lifting her foot, clung to
it convulsively, while an expression of pain distorted her features.
At the sound, the cooper hastily removed his spectacles, and letting

"Captain Cook" fall to the floor, started up in great dismay--Mrs.
Crump likewise dropped her sewing, and jumped to her feet in alarm.
It did not take long to see how matters stood.
"Hurt ye much, Rachel?" inquired Timothy.
"It's about killed me," groaned the afflicted maiden. "Oh, I shall have to
have my foot cut off, or be a cripple anyway." Then turning upon Jack,
fiercely, "you careless, wicked, ungrateful boy, that I've been wearin'
myself out knittin' for. I'm almost sure you did it a purpose. You won't
be satisfied till you've got me out of the world, and then--then,
perhaps----" here Rachel began to whimper, "perhaps you'll get Tom
Piper's aunt to knit your stockings."
"I didn't mean to, Aunt Rachel," said Jack, penitently, eyeing his aunt,
who was rocking to and fro in her chair. "Besides, I hurt myself like
thunder," rubbing vigorously the lower part of the dorsal-region.
"Served you right," said his aunt, still clasping her foot.
"Sha'n't I get something for you to put on it?" asked Mrs. Crump of (sic)
her-sister-in-law.
This Rachel steadily refused, and after a few more postures, (sic)
indicatiing a great amount of anguish, limped out of the room, and
ascended the stairs to her own apartment.

CHAPTER III.
THE LANDLORD'S VISIT.

SOON after Rachel's departure Jack, also, was seized with a sleepy fit,
and postponing the construction of his boat to a more favorable
opportunity, took a candle and followed his aunt's example.
The cooper and his wife were now left alone.
"Now that Rachel and Jack have gone to bed, Mary," he commenced,
hesitatingly, "I don't mind saying that I am a little troubled in mind
about one thing."
"What's that?" asked Mrs. Crump, anxiously.
"It's just this, I don't anticipate being stinted for food. I know we shall
get along some way; but there's another expense which I am afraid of."

"Is it the rent?" inquired his wife, apprehensively.
"That's it. The quarter's rent, twenty dollars, comes due to-morrow, and
I've got less than a dollar to meet it."
"Won't Mr. Colman wait?"
"I'm afraid not. You know what sort of a man he is, Mary. There ain't
much feeling about him. He cares more for money than anything else."
"Perhaps you are doing him injustice."
"I am afraid not. Did you never hear how he treated the Underhills?"
"How was it?"
"Underhill was laid up with a rheumatic fever for three months. The
consequence was, that, when quarter-day came round, he was in about
the same situation with ourselves,--a little worse even, for his wife was
sick, also. But though Colman was aware of the circumstances, he had
no pity; but turned them out without ceremony."
"Is it possible?" asked Mrs. Crump, uneasily.
"And there's no reason for his being more lenient with us. I can't but
feel anxious about to-morrow, Mary."
At this moment, verifying an old adage which will perhaps occur to the
reader, who should knock but Mr. Colman himself?
Both the cooper and his wife had an instinctive foreboding as to the
meaning of his visit.
He came in, rubbing his hands in a social way, as was his custom. No
one, to look at him, would have suspected the hardness of heart that lay
veiled under his velvety softness of manner.
"Good evening, Mr. Crump," said he, affably, "I trust you and your
worthy wife are in good health."
"That blessing, at least, is continued to us," said the cooper, gravely.
"And how comfortable you're looking too, eh! It makes an old bachelor,
like me, feel lonesome when he contrasts his own solitary room with
such a scene of comfort as this. You've got a comfortable home, and
dog-cheap, too. All my other tenants are grumbling to think you don't
have to pay any more for such superior accommodations. I've about
made up