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Read book online ยซTimothy Crump's Ward: A Story of American Life by Jr. Horatio Alger (top 10 novels to read TXT) ๐Ÿ“•ยป.   Author   -   Jr. Horatio Alger



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with which the nurse had inspired her.

โ€œYes, and that is not all; we are going still further,โ€ said the nurse.

โ€œAre we going further?โ€ asked Ida, her eyes sparkling. โ€œWhere are we going?โ€

โ€œTo a town on the line of the railroad.โ€

โ€œAnd shall we ride in the cars?โ€ asked the child, with animation.

โ€œYes, didn't you ever ride in the cars before?โ€

โ€œNo, never.โ€

โ€œI think you will like it.โ€

โ€œOh, I know I shall. How fast do the cars go?โ€

โ€œOh, a good many miles an hour,โ€”maybe thirty.โ€

โ€œAnd how long will it take us to go to the place you are going to carry me to!โ€

โ€œI don't know exactly,โ€”perhaps two hours.โ€

โ€œTwo whole hours in the cars!โ€ exclaimed Ida. โ€œHow much I shall have to tell father and Jack when I get back.โ€

โ€œSo you will,โ€ said Mrs. Hardwick, with an unaccountable smile, โ€œwhen 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.

โ€œAre we most there?โ€ she asked, after riding about two hours.

โ€œIt won't be long,โ€ said the nurse.

โ€œWe 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.

โ€œThe 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; โ€œWhy, William Fitts, is that you?โ€

โ€œWhy, 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.

โ€œI'm making a little journey with her,โ€ indicating Mrs. Hardwick.

โ€œSo you're going to Philadelphia,โ€ said the boy.

โ€œTo Philadelphia!โ€ said Ida, in surprise. โ€œNot that I know of.โ€

โ€œWhy, you're most there now.โ€

โ€œAre we, Mrs. Hardwick?โ€ asked Ida, looking in her companion's face.

โ€œIt isn't far from there where we're going,โ€ said the nurse, shortly. โ€œBoy, 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.

โ€œWho is that boy?โ€ asked the nurse, abruptly.

โ€œHis name is William Fitts.โ€

โ€œWhere did you get acquainted with him?โ€

โ€œHe went to school with Jack, so I used to see him sometimes.โ€

โ€œWith Jack! Who's Jack?โ€

โ€œWhat! Don't you know Jack, brother Jack?โ€ asked Ida, in childish surprise.

โ€œO yes,โ€ replied the nurse, recollecting herself; โ€œI didn't think of him.โ€

โ€œHe's a first-rate boy, William is,โ€ said Ida, who was disposed to be communicative. โ€œHe'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 oldโ€”and William supports them by selling things. He's only sixteen; isn't he a smart boy?โ€

โ€œYes;โ€ said the nurse, mechanically.

โ€œSome time,โ€ continued Ida, โ€œI hope I shall be able to earn something for father and mother, so they won't be obliged to work so hard.โ€

โ€œWhat could you do?โ€ asked the nurse, curiously.

โ€œI don't know as I could do much,โ€ said Ida, modestly; โ€œbut when I have practised more, perhaps I could draw pictures that people would buy.โ€

โ€œSo you know how to draw?โ€

โ€œYes, I've been taking lessons for over a year.โ€

โ€œAnd how do you like it?โ€

โ€œOh, ever so much! I like it a good deal better than music.โ€

โ€œDo you know anything of that?โ€

โ€œYes, I can play a few easy pieces.โ€

Mrs. Hardwick looked surprised, and regarded her young charge with curiosity.

โ€œHave you got any of your drawings with you?โ€ she asked.

โ€œNo, I didn't bring any.โ€

โ€œI wish you had; the lady we are going to see would have liked to see some of them.โ€

โ€œAre we going to see a lady?โ€

โ€œYes, didn't your mother tell you?โ€

โ€œYes, I believe she said something about a lady that was interested in me.โ€

โ€œThat's the one.โ€

โ€œWhere does she live? When shall we get there?โ€

โ€œWe shall get there before very long.โ€

โ€œAnd shall we come back to New York to-night?โ€

โ€œNo, it wouldn't leave us any time to stay. Besides, I feel tired and want to rest; don't you?โ€

โ€œI do feel a little tired,โ€ acknowledged Ida.

โ€œPhiladelphia!โ€ announced the conductor, opening the car-door.

โ€œWe get out, here,โ€ said the nurse. โ€œKeep close to me, or you may get lost. Perhaps you had better take hold of my hand.โ€

โ€œWhen are you coming back, Ida?โ€ asked William Fitts, coming up to her with his basket on his arm.

โ€œMrs. Hardwick says we sha'n't go back till to-morrow.โ€

โ€œCome, Ida,โ€ said the nurse, sharply. โ€œWe must hurry along.โ€

โ€œGood-by, William,โ€ said Ida. โ€œIf you see Jack, just tell him you saw me.โ€

โ€œYes, I will,โ€ was the reply.

โ€œI wonder who that woman is with Ida,โ€ thought the boy. โ€œI

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