Chester Rand Part 2

"I'll go out and take a walk, mother," he said. "Perhaps I may find some work somewhere."

Almost unconsciously, he took the familiar way to the store, and paused at a little distance from it. He saw Abel come out with some packages to carry to a customer. It pained him to see another boy in his place, and he turned away with a sigh.

During the night four or five inches of snow had fallen. This gave him an idea. As he came to the house of the Misses Cleveland, two maiden sisters who lived in a small cottage set back fifty feet from the road, he opened the gate and went up to the front door.

Miss Jane Cleveland opened it for him.

"Good-morning, Chester," she said.

"Good-morning, Miss Cleveland. I thought you might want to get a path shoveled to the gate."

"So I would; Hannah tried to do it last time it snowed, but she caught an awful cold. But ain't you working up at the store?"

"Not now. Mr. Tripp cut down my wages, and I left."

"Do tell. Have you got another place?"

"Not just yet. I thought I'd do any little jobs that came along till I got one."

"That's right. What'll you charge to shovel a path?"

Chester hesitated.

"Fifteen cents," he answered, at last.

"I'll give you ten. Money's skerce."

Chester reflected that he could probably do the job in half an hour, and he accepted. It cheered him to think he was earning something, however small.

He worked with a will, and in twenty-five minutes the work was done.

"You're spry," said Jane Cleveland, when he brought the shovel to the door. "It took Hannah twice as long, and she didn't do it as well."

"It isn't the kind of work for ladies," replied Chester.

"Wait till I fetch the money."

Miss Cleveland went into the house, and returned with a nickel and four pennies.

"I'm reely ashamed," she said. "I'll have to owe you a cent. But here's a mince pie I've just baked. Take it home to your ma. Maybe it'll come handy. I'll try to think of the other cent next time you come along."

"Don't trouble yourself about it, Miss Cleveland. The pie is worth a good deal more than the cent. Mother'll be very much obliged to you."

"She's very welcome, I'm sure," said the kindly spinster. "I hope you'll get work soon, Chester."

"Thank you."

Chester made his way homeward, as he did not care to carry the pie about with him. His mother looked at him in surprise as he entered the house.

"What have you there, Chester?" she asked.

"A pie from Miss Cleveland."

"But how came she to give you a pie?"

"I shoveled a path for her, and she gave me a pie and ten cents--no, nine. So you see, mother, I've earned something this week."

"I take it as a good omen. A willing hand will generally find work to do."

"How are you off for wood, mother?"

"There is some left, Chester."

"I'll go out in the yard and work at the wood pile till dinner time.

Then this afternoon I will go out again and see if I can find some more paths to shovel."

But Chester was not destined to earn any more money that day. As a general thing, the village people shoveled their own paths, and would regard hiring such work done as sinful extravagance. Chester did, however, find some work to do. About half-past three he met Abel Wood tugging a large basket, filled with groceries, to the minister's house.

He had set it down, and was resting his tired arms when Chester came along.

"Give me a lift with this basket, Chester, that's a good fellow," said Abel.

Chester lifted it.

"Yes, it is heavy," he said.

"The minister's got some company," went on Abel, "and he's given an extra large order."

"How do you like working in the store, Abel?"

"It's hard work, harder than I thought."

"But remember what a magnificent salary you will get," said Chester, with a smile.

"It ain't half enough. Say, Chester, old Tripp is rich, ain't he?"

"I should call myself rich if I had his money."

"He's a miserly old hunks, then, to give me such small pay."

"Don't let him hear you say so."

"I'll take care of that. Come, you'll help me, won't you?"

"Yes," answered Chester, good-naturedly; "I might as well, as I have nothing else to do."

Between the two the basket was easily carried. In a short time they had reached the minister's house. They took the basket around to the side door, just as Mr. Morris, the minister, came out, accompanied by a young man, who was evidently a stranger in the village, as Chester did not remember having seen him before.

"Chester," said the minister, kindly, "how does it happen that you have an a.s.sistant to-day?"