A Pair of Them

by Evelyn Raymond

So Mary Jane industriously hopped around and transported the thirteen dolls, the bird cages, and the parrot stand to a new position, and leaning on her crutches gently helped the sick child to turn about as far as she was permitted to do. A trained nurse was still always in the room, and Mrs. McClure herself passed in and out very frequently; but it was Mary Jane who did most for her friend; Bonny-Gay declaring that, “Next to Mamma” there was nobody who understood her whims and desires without being told them, as the little cripple did.

“That’s because we’re just an age, I guess. Queer, wasn’t it? That you, up in this big house, and me down in my dear little one, should both be sent to our folks the very same day that ever was? ‘Sunday bairns’ should be the best ones in the world, my mother says. Only, I wasn’t in my Dingy street house when I came. I was in the country;” and for some unexplained reason Mary Jane’s sunny face clouded suddenly.

For weeks now, and because Bonny-Gay had “taken such an extreme fancy to her”—as Mrs. McClure had herself explained to Mrs. Bump, when she herself went to ask the favor of Mary Jane’s attendance in the sick room—the helpful child had spent the greater portion of each day there. It had become quite a matter of habit in Dingy street that a carriage should roll up to the door of 97 and that Mary Jane should go away in it; to be returned at six o’clock precisely, of the same afternoon. Dingy street felt itself proud of this state of things, and every householder held her head a bit higher because of it. Who’d ever have dreamed that their own small hunchback would get to be “carriage folks?” Well, there was no telling when such glory might not fall to their own lot, and she’d do them all credit wherever she went, she had such pretty, loving ways with her. That she had.

Now, it was sometimes an inconvenience to the McClure household that this trip must be made twice a day; and that very morning Mrs. McClure entered the chamber to speak with Mary Jane about it. She had now overcome her first repugnance at sight of the deformed little body and saw only the sweet face and helpfulness. She had, also, offered Mrs. Bump some compensation for her daughter’s “services; just the same as any other nurse’s;” but the poorer mother gently declined.

“If the dear Lord has given her a chance to do something for your girl, whom she so loves, I guess He means it as a sort of compensation to her for her own afflictions. No, indeed, Mrs. McClure, I wouldn’t like to taint the sympathy between those two by any thought of money.”

To this there could be no answer, and so the matter rested.

“Mary Jane, we begin to feel almost as if you belonged with us, you have been so kind and good to Bonny-Gay; and what do you say to staying up here at night, now? At least for a few nights together, with then one at home?” asked the lady, as she sat down beside the cot and watched the undressing of the china seventh doll, preparatory to its bath.

Mary Jane looked up quickly, with a sort of fear coming into her telltale face.

“Oh! I shouldn’t like that. I mean—of course, you’re very kind—but I’d have to go home. I would, indeed.”

“It’s not kindness on my part, especially. I thought it might save trouble to both sides; but, never mind. We’ll go on as usual, for the present; though I wish you would speak to your mother about it, when you see her, this evening. Now, Bonny-Gay, I have to go out. Is there anything you fancy, that I can bring you? I shall be at market and do some shopping. Think and see, darling.”