Timothy Crump's Ward: A Story of American Life by Jr. Horatio Alger (top 10 novels to read TXT) ๐
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- Author: Jr. Horatio Alger
Read book online ยซTimothy Crump's Ward: A Story of American Life by Jr. Horatio Alger (top 10 novels to read TXT) ๐ยป. Author - Jr. Horatio Alger
โYes, and that is not all; we are going still further,โ said the nurse.
โAre we going further?โ asked Ida, her eyes sparkling. โWhere are we going?โ
โTo a town on the line of the railroad.โ
โAnd shall we ride in the cars?โ asked the child, with animation.
โYes, didn't you ever ride in the cars before?โ
โNo, never.โ
โI think you will like it.โ
โOh, I know I shall. How fast do the cars go?โ
โOh, a good many miles an hour,โmaybe thirty.โ
โAnd how long will it take us to go to the place you are going to carry me to!โ
โI don't know exactly,โperhaps two hours.โ
โTwo whole hours in the cars!โ exclaimed Ida. โHow much I shall have to tell father and Jack when I get back.โ
โSo you will,โ said Mrs. Hardwick, with an unaccountable smile, โwhen you get back.โ
There was something peculiar in her tone as she pronounced these last words, but Ida did not notice it.
So Ida, despite her company, actually enjoyed, in her bright anticipation, a keen sense of pleasure.
โAre we most there?โ she asked, after riding about two hours.
โIt won't be long,โ said the nurse.
โWe must have come ever so many miles,โ said Ida.
An hour passed. She amused herself by gazing out of the car windows at the towns which seemed to flit by. At length, both Ida and her nurse became hungry.
The nurse beckoned to her side a boy who was going through the cars selling apples and seed-cakes, and inquired their price.
โThe apples are two cents apiece, ma'am, and the cakes a cent apiece.โ
Ida, who had been looking out of the window, turned suddenly round, and exclaimed, in great astonishment; โWhy, William Fitts, is that you?โ
โWhy, Ida, where did you come from?โ asked the boy, his surprise equalling her own.
The nurse bit her lips in vexation at this unexpected recognition.
โI'm making a little journey with her,โ indicating Mrs. Hardwick.
โSo you're going to Philadelphia,โ said the boy.
โTo Philadelphia!โ said Ida, in surprise. โNot that I know of.โ
โWhy, you're most there now.โ
โAre we, Mrs. Hardwick?โ asked Ida, looking in her companion's face.
โIt isn't far from there where we're going,โ said the nurse, shortly. โBoy, I'll take two of your apples and four seed-cakes. And now you'd better go along, for there's somebody by the stove that looks as if he wanted to buy of you.โ
William looked back as if he would like to question Ida farther, but her companion looked forbidding, and he passed on reluctantly.
โWho is that boy?โ asked the nurse, abruptly.
โHis name is William Fitts.โ
โWhere did you get acquainted with him?โ
โHe went to school with Jack, so I used to see him sometimes.โ
โWith Jack! Who's Jack?โ
โWhat! Don't you know Jack, brother Jack?โ asked Ida, in childish surprise.
โO yes,โ replied the nurse, recollecting herself; โI didn't think of him.โ
โHe's a first-rate boy, William is,โ said Ida, who was disposed to be communicative. โHe's good to his mother. You see his mother is sick most of the time, and can't do much; and he's got a little sister, she ain't more than four or five years oldโand William supports them by selling things. He's only sixteen; isn't he a smart boy?โ
โYes;โ said the nurse, mechanically.
โSome time,โ continued Ida, โI hope I shall be able to earn something for father and mother, so they won't be obliged to work so hard.โ
โWhat could you do?โ asked the nurse, curiously.
โI don't know as I could do much,โ said Ida, modestly; โbut when I have practised more, perhaps I could draw pictures that people would buy.โ
โSo you know how to draw?โ
โYes, I've been taking lessons for over a year.โ
โAnd how do you like it?โ
โOh, ever so much! I like it a good deal better than music.โ
โDo you know anything of that?โ
โYes, I can play a few easy pieces.โ
Mrs. Hardwick looked surprised, and regarded her young charge with curiosity.
โHave you got any of your drawings with you?โ she asked.
โNo, I didn't bring any.โ
โI wish you had; the lady we are going to see would have liked to see some of them.โ
โAre we going to see a lady?โ
โYes, didn't your mother tell you?โ
โYes, I believe she said something about a lady that was interested in me.โ
โThat's the one.โ
โWhere does she live? When shall we get there?โ
โWe shall get there before very long.โ
โAnd shall we come back to New York to-night?โ
โNo, it wouldn't leave us any time to stay. Besides, I feel tired and want to rest; don't you?โ
โI do feel a little tired,โ acknowledged Ida.
โPhiladelphia!โ announced the conductor, opening the car-door.
โWe get out, here,โ said the nurse. โKeep close to me, or you may get lost. Perhaps you had better take hold of my hand.โ
โWhen are you coming back, Ida?โ asked William Fitts, coming up to her with his basket on his arm.
โMrs. Hardwick says we sha'n't go back till to-morrow.โ
โCome, Ida,โ said the nurse, sharply. โWe must hurry along.โ
โGood-by, William,โ said Ida. โIf you see Jack, just tell him you saw me.โ
โYes, I will,โ was the reply.
โI wonder who that woman is with Ida,โ thought the boy. โI
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