CHAPTER 26. — UNCLE PHILIP’S CHILDREN
A hasty step outside and a quick rap at the door brought Nell face to face with a messenger boy. He held a telegram in his hand, and asked, “Is Austin Hill here?”
“Yes. Austin,” she called, for he was in the house. In a moment he was beside her and had taken the message from the hand of the boy and was reading it. After a hasty perusal he looked anxiously at Nell and said, “It is from Uncle Philip Hill. Aunt Minnie died this morning. There is no return message,” he said turning to the boy and paying him his fee.
“Oh, Austin! Aunt Minnie dead! It can not be. Think of all those little children. What will Uncle Philip do?” and Nell’s face showed the sorrow and concern she felt.
“It is certainly a shock. I did not know that she was ill. I do not know, Nell, what he will do. He is such a helpless man, and has depended on Aunt Minnie as Papa did on our mother. Poor Aunt! She has carried her burden as long as she could, and had to lay it down before her task was done. The poor little children have lost their best friend.” Austin’s face was grave and sad, for his heart was touched in sympathy with the bereaved little ones.
“Six of them. Think of it, Austin! And Helen is not more than thirteen. She is only a few months older than Lila. Little John can not be two yet, and all of them without a mother!” Tears were bathing Nell’s face as she spoke.
“Nell, we must go. We will find places for Lila and Doyle to stay for a few days, and we will hurry to them. Uncle Phil will not know what to do. It will be a terrible shock to him. He will need my help, and you can be a comfort to the poor children. How soon can you be ready!”
“It will not take me long. How soon can we get a train?”