Elsie's scholarship

by Emma Leslie

This state of things made her very anxious, for although their expenses were now very small, the children were in splendid health, and had good appetites. Fortunately Tom's vegetables served them for many a dinner, with the simple addition of a slice of bread, otherwise they must often have gone hungry. Indeed, she and Elsie often went with only half a meal, in order that the little ones should not go short, each of them pretending that they did not want any more.

Tom had not noticed this for some time; but after Jack's visit, and he had time to think over everything that had passed, he remembered the few words spoken just before they got home after seeing Mr. Murray, and coupling this with what he often heard Elsie say now, that she did not want much dinner or tea, he came to the conclusion that there must be some truth in Jack's surmise, and that Elsie was eating as little as possible that they might not get into debt here, and he resolved to do the same, and try to help his mother that way. But Elsie was too sharp for him.

"No, no, Tom, it won't do for you to go with half a meal when you are working so hard at your books, or in the garden. I don't want so much now because I have so little to do, but with you it is different. I know how hungry I used to be when I was working for my scholarship; and so you must eat, or we shall all be disappointed again when next November comes, and another disappointment will almost kill mother, I am afraid."

"Mr. Murray and Mr. Cotton will be disappointed too, I believe," said Tom, "for I know they quite expect me to win; and Mr. Murray told me to-day he would do all he could to help me. You see, it will be quite an honour for this school if I should get the scholarship. But I could not have gone in for it, if I had had my own way, and not gone to school to please mother—for I shall only have been just the qualifying time when the examination takes place, and I had been at school a month when Jack brought the news. Dear old Jack! He is another who will be disappointed if I don't pass," said Tom.

"But you must pass," insisted his sister; "and that is why you must eat all you can, as well as learn all you can. For mother and me it don't matter, of course, but don't let mother hear you say you cannot eat, or she will think you are going to be ill again, or that it does not suit you to sit close at your books. Oh, Tom, I shall be proud of you, and so will Jack, I know. He will come again soon, I expect, to see how you are getting on."

This hope that Jack would soon pay them another visit was not disappointed, but the lad had brought something besides himself this time on his iron horse. A large parcel was dangling from the front, and Jack took it to Mrs. Winn as a present from his father.

The lady wondered why Jack's father should send her a large ham, but the lad told her a rambling tale about Tom helping him with the rabbit hutch, and his foreman wanted to sell the ham. But Elsie had a keen suspicion that Jack's own pocket-money had been spent in its purchase. But they had a splendid tea of ham and eggs, such a meal as they had not seen for months past. Jack said he had brought the ham to help Tom on with his lessons now, because he had spoiled his chances before through building the rabbit hutch.

They all smiled, though they hardly knew what to make of Jack's tales; still, they were glad to welcome him whenever he came over on Saturday afternoon, which he generally did about once a month after that first visit, which seemed to change Tom's whole life and its outlook.

The fact was, Tom could never quite forget Jack's words about his mother owing money at the shops. Until he heard of this, he had not thought much about the expense his illness must have been, or that he had through this spoiled her business, and that there was no one able to earn a penny all the time he was ill.

But he often thought of it after that talk with Jack, and it made a great impression upon his mind and conduct too, for he now tried to do all he could to spare his mother and sister trouble and expense in every way possible, while his schoolmaster could not say enough in praise of his diligence, and the steady, patient way in which he worked, both at his ordinary school tasks, and those that were set him in addition, to be worked at when he was at home.