Won at Last: Mrs. Briscoe's Nephews
9781465679949
213 pages
Library of Alexandria
Overview
MOTHER, Cherry said, slowly drawing some thread through her needle, and sighing,—"Mother, Cress wants another pair of outdoor shoes." It was the old story; Cresswell always wanting something new, and Cherry his twin-sister having to tell me of his needs. Jack did not require half so many things. "Cress must wait a little longer," I answered. "I don't think he can, mother," Cherry said, lifting her quiet eyes to mine. "He spoke about it this morning, as he was starting for school. I told him I was afraid you mightn't be able to get them just now; and he said he must have a pair." Cherry was at that time close upon sixteen. She had no pretensions to good looks, but was rather short, with a plump figure, and smooth hair. I never saw anybody with a more beautifully smooth head than my Cherry, or with more delicately clean hands. No matter what Cherry had to do, she always managed to keep herself nice. That word exactly describes her. She was perpetually busy, and ready to undertake any sort of work that had to be done; yet nobody ever came across Cherry in an untidy state. She never failed to look nice. I used to think I wouldn't exchange this in our girl for any amount of mere prettiness. "Cress' 'must' may have to go down before a stronger 'must,'" I said. Yet even while I spoke the words, I was wondering whether something else might not be given up instead. "How if there is not enough money to pay for the shoes?" Cherry looked troubled, and made no immediate answer. She was putting a patch into a small pair of trousers, and her fingers went deftly on with their task. It was late in February, and the afternoons were growing quickly longer: no small comfort as regarded candles and work. We had much mending to get through, for the task of keeping six growing boys respectably dressed, upon our small income, proved to be one of increasing difficulty. My husband was clerk in a London mercantile house. His father, old Mr. Hazel, had been a farmer in one of the midland counties. Had Robert taken to the same line, he might have done well. But neither my Robert nor his brother Churton seemed to have anything of the farmer in them. Robert came to London, expecting to make his fortune. He was fond of books, and his own family thought him clever; only there are so many clever men in the great city. He managed to get a small clerkship, and there he remained year after year.
