Sturdy and Strong

what he sai

ther, m

There is no disgrace in it. I have tried my best, and if my health had not broken down we might have managed, but

obbing, and sat now

rom this. If we could only have managed for a year or two I could

done our best. You and I have managed for two years; but what with my health and my eyes breaking down we can do so no longer

tor said you ought not to

me. After all, what is a workhouse infirmary but a hospital, and it would not seem so very dreadful to you my going into a hospital; t

orge Andrews. He had just come in from his work, and

at, but you must have strengthening food. It is no use my blinking the truth. It is painful for you, I kn

ly. "I know that it will be best. It will b

advise you. I will go round in the morning and get you the order of admission,

d. Yes, I will be ready in the morni

ed," the doctor said briskly.

manner, Dr. Jeffries was a

but what can I do for her! I might get her a little temporary help, but that would be of no use--she is completely broken down with anxiet

s she was sixteen when her mother died she had remained at school finishing her education and teaching the younger children. Then she had obtained

ever which he caught in one of the midland towns while on circuit, and although he partially recovered he was never himself again. His power of work seemed to be lost; a languor whi

and when, after his death, the remaining furniture was sold and everything settled, there remained only about two hundred pounds. Mrs. Andrews tried to get some pupils among her late husband's friends, but during the last two years

at they thought she would have a better chance of obtaining pupils, but the cards which some of the tradesmen allowed her to put in the window led to no resul

mother working for both of them, and, setting out, called at shop after shop inquiring if they wanted an errand-boy. He succeeded at last in getting a place at a grocer's whe

s later Mrs. Andrews felt her eyesight failing, the lids became inflamed, and a dull aching pain settled in the eyeballs. Soon she could only work for a short time together, her earnings became smaller and smaller, and her employers presently told her that she kept the work so long in hand that they could no

certainty of rest and food overcame her repugnance to the house. For George's sake too, much as she knew he would feel her having to accept such a refuge, she was glad that the struggle was at an end. The lad had for the last six months su

carce speak when he said good-by to his mother in the mo

ere you are, my b

fourteen now, and am as strong as most boys of my age. I ought to be able to earn a shilling a day somehow, and with seven shillings a week, mother, and you just working a little, you know, so as not to

ld have remonstr

and can tie up parcels neatly now, I ought to get a little more anyhow. You see I shall be safe enough, and though I have never grumbled, you know, mother-have I?-I think I would rather do anything than be a groc

one of the colonies. It will be easier to rise again there than here, and with hard work both of us might surely hope to get on. There must be plenty of villages in Australia and Canada where I could do well with teaching

something to look forward to. Nothing can comfort me much to-

r as, blinded with tears, he kissed

ok forward to that more than anything else i

such a vehicle, on purpose to take Mrs. Andrews, for she was so weak and worn that he was sure she would not be able to sit upright in a gig for the three miles that had to be traversed.

is clean and nice, and the doctor and people

ly seemed improbable to her that he would be able to get a better living elsewhere. Still she could not blame him for wishing at least to try. She herself shared to some extent his prejudice against the work in which he was employed. There is no disgrace in honest work; but she felt that she would rather see him engaged in hard man

e seems to me a fine steady boy. If I can, in any way,

hop for the last time, and started to walk to London. It was not until he began to enter the crowded streets that he felt the full magnitude of his undertaking. To be alone in London, a solitary atom in the busy mass of humanity, is a t

go to sea; but this idea he had from the first steadily set aside as out of the question. His plan was to obtain employm

nights were warm. He had no idea what the price of a bed would be, or how to set about getting a lodging. He did not care how roughly he lived so that he could but make his money last. The first few days he determined to look about him. Something migh

he thought that from them he might get some hints as to how to set about earning a living. They looked ragged and poor enough, but they might be able to tell him something-abo

ed the twopence which he paid; but he felt that it might be well laid out. Provided with the pudding

d a lad of about his own

if it had not been combed since the day of his birth. There was a sharp, pinched look on his face. But had he been washed and combed and decently clad he would not have been a bad-l

e a

e boy replied

really. Will y

s?" aske

arks. Her

hed, took without a word the pudding which George held out, an

asked, when the slice of p

boy replied, wavi

where do

sleeping-place was included in the

rferes with you?

ches you; but ef yer get under a cart or in

or a place to sleep, where do

st-rate, fourpence. Does yer want to find a cri

nt to find some quiet place whe

rk?" the b

g to do at present. I am lo

now no o

ust come in f

shook

"Why, yer'd get them clothes and any money

, making a rapid calculation that this would come to two and fourpence per week,

stonishment at his companion

er'd have a score

aid. "Just some place to sleep in. J

able to the boy, and he

ows a hostler there. Sometimes when it's wery cold he lets me sleep up in the loft. Aint it warm and

open air had vanished when he saw the surroundings, and a bed in a quiet l

e asked the lad, "an

the boy said rather proudly

l you the Shadow

ds it so hard to lay ha

nt to lay hands on y

hings, in course,"

mean stealing?" George

not wipes, yer know, nor tickers, nor them kind of

en you do-prig?" Geo

dishes, onions sometimes, or 'taters.

e same sort of thing," G

said angrily. "Everyone as aint a fool knows that taters aint w

eed; "but you see one is just

off a stall. No one aint the worse for it. You don't suppose as they misses a apple here? Why, there's wagon-l

difference, but he did not

y," he said at last, "else they woul

d I don't want no more jaw with you about it. If yer don't likes it

quarrel his chance of finding a refuge for the night was small. In his sense of utter l

o hear you say you took things. It seems to me you might get into

ent? They wouldn't want to know nothing about my character, I suppose? nor where I had worked before? nor where my feyther lived? nor nothing?

said; "but it seems to me people cou

g when the market-carts come in, and we goes on till they comes out of that there theater at night, just trying to pick up a copper. Sometimes one does and

said; "certain

nine o'clock. I will go before that and square

thing to give him," George

ee or four nights. Are you

't be so mean as to do me out of it; besides, you told

e running a risk, yer know, and I tells yer if yer goes on with that sort of game yer'l

y touched him, and as he went off he said to himself, "He aint a bad sort, that chap, though

sting a tenth of his capital to his new acquaintance; but the boy's face and manner had attracted him, and he felt tha

ant stream of vehicles and foot passengers flowing steadily out westward. He was nearly knocked under the wheels of the vehicles a score of times from his ignorance as

ch would, he thought, do for supper and breakfast for himself and his companion

nding at the corne

right; come along. I have squ

or three streets and t

"and I will see as there a

ned in a

'cause in case anyone comed and found yer up there he could swear he never saw yer go in, and didn't know nothing about yer. I w

ing too, aint yo

chap like me up there. I might pick yer p

ll; I should really. Besides, what's the difference between us? We

't talk the way as I do; yer have bee

e got to get my living in the best way I can, and if I have had a better education than you have, y

all the same to this child. So i

when the market carts arrived. At the last door on the right he stopped. George looked in. At the further

," Bill w

eorge entered the stable. T

o up fust and give yer a han

and then ascended the ladder, which was fixed agai

nd. Mind how yer

s companion drew him along in the darkness,

only to make yourself comfortable there. Now mind y

ght," George said, as he e

s he left his side, and directly afterwards a door ope

afore I goes to sleep, 'cause the master he comes out sometimes when the carts come

me. We will cut it in half and put by a half for the morning, and ea

t had nothing except that bit of duff yer gave me since morning, and I only had a crust then. 'Cept for runn

ch the largest portion to his companion, for he himself was t

m so dead beat I can scarcely keep my eyes open, s

in astonishment. "Do yer mea

," George repli

id decidedly; "don't know how, don't

hope some day you will think differently

me and prayed with an old woman I lodged with once. I could not make head no

eological argument. He was already half asl

talk to you in the morning," and in

asleep. When George woke in the morning the daylight was streaming in through the cracks of the door. His companion was gone. He heard the voices of several

rally set out again at about nine o'clock, and he thought he had better wait till they had gone before he slipped down

o'clock, and it's time for us to be moving. Ned will be going off i

at our bread and ch

it when we get down to

g the way. There was no one in the stable, and the yard was also empty. On reaching the m