Little Fishers: and Their Nets

  CHAPTER X.

  PLEASURE AND DISAPPOINTMENT.

  THE day came at last when the front room at the Deckers was put inorder. I don't suppose you have any idea how pretty that room lookedwhen the last tack was driven, and the last fold in the curtaintwitched into place! The rag carpet was very bright. "I put a good manyred and yellows in it," said Mrs. Smith, "and now I know why I did it.It is just bright enough for this room. I don't see how you two couldhave got it down as firm as you have."

  "Nettie managed it," said Mrs. Decker, "she is a master hand at puttingdown carpets."

  The furniture was done and in place, and certainly did justice to themanufacturers. There were two "sofas" with backs which were so nicelypadded that they were very comfortable things to lean against, and thegay-flowered goods that had looked "so horrid" in a dress that Mrs.Smith could never bring herself to wear it, proved to be just the thingfor a sofa-cover. Between the windows was a very marvel of a table.Nobody certainly to look at it, draped in the whitest of muslin, witha pink cambric band around its waist, covered with the muslin, andlooking as much like pink ribbon as possible, would have imagined thata square post, about six inches in diameter, and two feet long, witha barrel head securely nailed to each end, was the "skeleton" out ofwhich all this prettiness was evolved. "And mine is as like it as twopeas," said Mrs. Smith, "only mine is tied with blue ribbon. Who wouldhave thought such things could be made out of what they had to workwith! I declare them two young things beat all!" This time she meantNettie and Jerry, not the two tables.

  The curtains for which, after much consideration, cheap unbleachedmuslin had been chosen, when their pinkish lambrequins of the samegay-flowered goods as the sofas, had been cut and scalloped, and put inplace, were almost pretty enough to justify the extravagant admirationwhich they called forth. But the crowning glory was, after all, achair which occupied the broad space between the window and the door.It was cushioned, back, and sides, and arms; it was dressed in a robewhich had belonged to Job Smith's grandmother. It was delightful tolook at, and delightful to sit in. Mrs. Decker declared that the firsttime she sat down in it, she felt more rested than she had in threeyears.

  Those two barrel chairs were triumphs of art. Jerry had been a weekover the first one, planning, trying, failing, trying again; Nettie hadseen one once, in the room of a house where she used to go sometimesto carry flowers to a sick woman. She had admired it very much, andthe lady herself had told her how it was made, and that her nephew,a boy of sixteen, made it for her. Now, although Jerry was not a boyof sixteen, he had no idea there lived one of that age who couldaccomplish anything which he could not; so he persevered, and I mustsay his success was complete. Mrs. Smith believed there never was sucha wonderful chair made, before.

  Jerry who had been missing for the last half-hour, now appeared, andwith long strides reached the nice little mantel and set thereon alamp, not very large, but new and bright.

  "That belongs to the firm," he said, in answer to Nettie's look. "I sawa lamp the other day that I knew would just fit nicely on that mantel,and I couldn't rest until I had tried it."

  Nettie's cheeks were red. She glanced over at her mother to see how shewould like this. Nettie did not know whether a poor boy's money oughtto be taken to provide a lamp for the new room; she much doubted thepropriety of it. "The first money I earn, or father gives me, I can payhim back," she thought, then gave herself up to the enjoyment of hernew treasure.

  None of them had planned to give a reception that evening, yet I do notknow but such an unusual state of things as was found at the Deckersabout eight o'clock, is worthy of so dignified a name. Mr. Decker andNorm came in to supper together, and both a little late. Nettie hadtrembled over what kept them, and her heart gave a great bound ofrelief and thanksgiving, when they appeared at last, none the worsefor liquor. Indeed, she did not think either of them had taken evena glass of beer. They were in good humor; a bit of what Mr. Deckercalled "extra good luck" had fallen to him in the shape of a piece ofwork which it was found he could manage better than any other hand inthe shop, and for which extra wages were to be paid. And Norm had beentold that he was quite a success in a certain line of work. "He kept meafter hours to give the new boy a lift," said Norm, good-naturedly; "hesaid I knew how to do the work, and how to tell others better than theother fellows."

  It was a good time for Mrs. Decker to tell what had been going on inthe square room, or rather to hint at it, and tell them when supper wasover, they should go in and see. "Nannie and I haven't been folding ourhands while you have been working," she said with a complacent air, anda smile for Nettie as warmed that little girl's heart, making her feelit would not be a hard thing to love this new mother a great deal.

  So after supper they went in. I suppose you can hardly understand orimagine their surprise; because, you see, you have been used all yourlife to nicely arranged rooms. For Mr. Decker it stirred old memories.There had been a time when his best room if not so fine as this, wasneat and clean, with many comforts in it. "Well, I never," he began,and then his voice choked, and he stopped.

  However, Norm could talk, and expressed his surprise and pleasure ineager words. "Where did you get the table, and the gimcracks aroundthat chair? _Is_ that a chair, or a sofa, or what? Halloo! here's a newlamp. Let's have it lighted and see how it works. I tell you what itis, Nannie Decker, I guess you're a brick and no mistake."

  Then father was coaxed to sit down in the barrel chair, and try itsstrength and its softness, and guess what it was made of. And thelittle girls stood at his knee and put in eager words as to the effectthat they helped, and altogether, there was such a time as that familyhad not known before.

  Just as Nettie was explaining that it was dark enough to try the lamp,and Norm went for a match, Mrs. Smith made her way across the yard, andwho should march solemnly behind her but Job Smith himself!

  "Come right along," said Mrs. Decker heartily, as the new lamp threw asilvery light across the room. "Come and try the new sofa. Here, Mr.Smith, is a chair for you, if that is too low. Decker, he's got theseat of honor; Nettie said her pa must have the first chance in it."

  The name "Nettie" seemed to slip naturally from Mrs. Decker's tongue;she had heard Jerry use it so often during the past few days, that itwas beginning to seem like the proper name of that young woman. Mr.Smith sat down, slowly, solemnly, in much doubt what to do or say next.

  "Well, Neighbor Decker, these young folks of ours are busy people,ain't they, and seem to be getting the upper hand of us?" Then helaughed, a slow, pleasant laugh. Mrs. Smith laughed a round, admiringsatisfied laugh; she was _very_ proud of Job for saying that. Then theyfell into conversation, the two men, about the signs of the times asregarded business, and prices, and various interests. Mr. Decker wasa good talker, and here lay some of his temptations; there was alwayssomebody in the saloons to talk with; there was never anybody in hishome. Jerry came, presently, to admire the room and the lamp, andto have a little aside talk with Nettie. Norm was trying one of thelounges near them.

  "How did you make this thing?" he asked Jerry, and Jerry explained,and Norm listened and asked a question now and then, until presentlyhe said, "I know a thing that would improve it; the next time you makeone, try it and see."

  "What is that?" asked Jerry.

  "Why, look here, in this corner where you put the crossbar, if youshould take a narrower piece, so, and fit it in here so," and the sofawas unceremoniously turned upside down and inside out, and plannedover, Jerry in his turn becoming listener until at last he said: "Iunderstand; I mean to fix this one, some day."

  Nettie nodded, her eyes bright; it was not about the sofa that theyshone; it gave her such intense pleasure as perhaps you cannotunderstand, to see her father sitting beside Mr. Smith, talkingeagerly, and her mother and Mrs. Smith having a good time together,and Jerry and Norm interested in each other. "It is exactly like otherfolks!" she said to Jerry, later, "and I don't believe either father orNorm will go down street to-night." And they did
n't.

  It was a very happy girl who went over to Mrs. Smith's woodhousechamber to sleep that night. She sang softly, while she was gettingready for rest; and as often as she looked out of the window towardsthe square room in the next house, she smiled. It looked so muchbetter than she had ever hoped to make it; and father and Norm hadseemed so pleased, and they had all spent such a pleasant evening.

  Alas for Nettie! All the next day her happiness lasted. She sang overher work; she charmed the little girls with stories. She made an applepudding for dinner, she baked some choice potatoes for supper; butthey were not eaten, at least only by the little girls. They waiteduntil seven o'clock, and half-past seven, and eight o'clock for thefather and brother who did not come. Jerry, who stopped at the doorand learned of the anxiety, slipped away to try to find out what keptthem; but he came back in a little while with a grave face and shookhis head. Both had left their shops at the usual time; nobody knew whathad become of them. Jerry could guess, so also could Mrs. Decker. Thepoor woman was too used to it to be very much astonished; but Nettiewas overwhelmed. She ate no supper; she did not sing at all over thedishwashing. She watched every step on the street, and turned pale atthe sound of passing voices. She put the little girls to bed, and criedover their gay chatter. She coaxed her sad-faced mother to go to bedat last, and drew a long sigh of relief when she went into her bedroomand shut the door. It had been so dreadful to hear her say: "I told youso; I knew just how it would be. They will both come staggering home.It's of no use."

  Nettie did not believe it. She believed that work somewhere was holdingthem; people often had extra work to do, or were sent on errands, butshe went at last over to the woodhouse chamber; it would not do to keepthe Smiths up longer. Instead of making ready for bed, she kneeled downbefore the little window which gave her a view of the next house, andwatched and waited. They came at last; father and son; not together.Norm came first, and stumbled, and shuffled, and growled; his voice wasthick, and the few words she could catch had no connection or sense. Hehad too surely been drinking. But he was not so far gone as the father._He_ had to be helped along the street by some of his companions; hecould not hold himself upright while they opened the door. And whenthe gentle wind blew it shut again, he swore a succession of oathswhich made Nettie shudder and bury her face in her hands. But shedid not cry. It was the first time in her young life that her heartwas too heavy for tears. She drew great deep sighs as she went about,at last, preparing for bed; she wished that the tears would come, forthe choking feeling might be relieved by them; but the tears seemeddried. She tossed about on her neat little bed, in a sorrow very unlikechildhood. Poor, disappointed Nettie!

  The sun shone brightly the next morning, but there was no brightness inthe little girl's heart. She was early down stairs, and stole away tothe next house without seeing anybody. Mrs. Decker was up, with a faceas wan as Nettie's.

  "Well," she said, in a hopeless tone, "it's all over. Did you hear themcome in last night? Both of 'em. If it had been one at a time, we couldhave stood it better; but both of 'em! I _did_ have a little hope, assure as you live. Your pa seemed so different by spells, and Norm, heseemed to like you, and to stay at home more, and I kind of chirked upand thought may be, after all, good times was coming to me; but it'sall of no use; I've give up; and it seems to me it would have beeneasier to have stayed down, than to have crept up, to tumble back.

  "Not that I'm blaming you, child," she said, "you did your best, andyou did wonders; and I think sometimes, maybe if I had made such abrave shift as that in the beginning, things wouldn't have got wherethey have. But I didn't, and it's too late now."

  Not a word had Nettie to say. It was a sad breakfast-time. Mr. Deckershambled down late, and had barely time to swallow his coffee very hot,and take a piece of bread in his hand, for the seven o'clock bells wereringing, and punctuality was something that was insisted on by hisforeman. Norm came later, and ate very little breakfast, and lookedmiserable enough to be sent back to bed again. Nettie only saw himthrough a crack in the door; she stayed out in the little back yard,pretending to put it in order. He made his stay very short, and wentaway without a word to mother or sister; and the heavy burden of lifewent on. Mrs. Decker prepared to do the big ironing which yesterdayshe had been glad over, because it would give them a chance to havean extra comfort added to the table; but which to-day seemed of verylittle importance.

  Nettie washed the dishes, and wished she was at Auntie Marshall's,and tried to plan a way for getting there. What was the use of stayinghere? Hadn't she tried her very best and failed? didn't the mother sayit was harder for her than though they hadn't tried at all?

  In the course of the morning, Mrs. Smith sent in a basket of corn.Sarah Jane brought it. "Some folks on a farm that mother ironed for,when they lived in town, sent her a great basket full; heaps more thanwe can use, and mother said it would be just the thing for your menfolks; they always like corn, you know."

  Mrs. Decker took the basket without a smile on her face. "Your motheris a very kind woman," she said, "the kindest one I ever knew; in fact,I haven't known many kind people, and that's the truth. She has doneall she could to help us, but I don't know as we can be helped; itseems as though some people couldn't."

  Sarah Jane went back and told her mother that Mrs. Decker seemeddreadful downhearted and discouraged; and Mrs. Smith replied with asigh that she didn't know as she wondered at it; poor thing! Nettiemade the dinner as nice as she could. Mr. Decker ate with a relish,and said the corn was good, and he had sometimes thought that the bitof ground back of the house might be made to raise corn; and Nettiebrightened a little, and looked over at Norm and was just going to say,"Let's have a garden next summer," when he spoiled it by declaring thathe wouldn't slave in a garden for anybody. It was hard enough to workten hours a day. Then his father told him that he guessed he did nothurt himself with work; and he retorted that he guessed they neitherof them would die with over-work; and his father told him to hold histongue. In short, nothing was plainer than that these two were ashamedof themselves, and of each other, and were much move irritable thanthey had been for several days.

  The afternoon work was all done, and Nettie had just hung up herapron, and wondered whether she should offer to iron for awhile, orrun away to the woodhouse chamber, and write to Auntie Marshall, whenJerry appeared in the door. She had not seen him since the sorrow ofthe night before had come upon them; Nettie thought he avoided comingin, because he too was discouraged. Her face flushed when she heardhis step, and she wished something would happen so that she need notturn around to him. She felt so ashamed of her own people, and of hisefforts to help them. His voice, however, sounded just as usual.

  "Through, Nettie? Then come out on the back step; I want to talk withyou."

  "There is no use in talking," she said, sadly. But she followed himout, and sat down listlessly on the broad low step, which the jog inMr. Smith's house shaded from the afternoon sun.

  Jerry took no notice of the words if indeed he heard them.

  "I heard some news this morning," he began. "Two of the older boys atthe corner, that one in Peck's store, you know, and the one next doortold me that a lot of fellows were going off to-night on what he calleda lark. They have hired a boat, and are going to row across to DuckIsland, and catch some fish and have a supper in that mean little holewhich is kept on the island; they mean to make an all-night of it. Idon't know what is to be done next; play cards, I suppose; they do,whenever they get together, and lots of drinking. It is a dreadfulplace. Well, I heard, by a kind of accident, that they thought ofasking Norm to join 'em. At first they said they wouldn't, because hewouldn't be likely to have any money to help pay the bills; but thenthey remembered that he was a good rower, and thought they would gethis share out of him in that way; and I say, Nettie, let's spoil theirplans for them."

  "How?" asked Nettie, drearily.

  Jerry talked on eagerly. "I have a plan; I rented a boat for thisafternoon, and was going to ask Mrs. Decker to let me t
ake you andthe chicks for a ride, and I meant to catch some fish for our supper;but this will be better. I propose to invite Norm and two fellowsthat he goes with some, to go out with me, fishing. I have a splendidfishing rig, you know, and I'll lend it to them, and help them to havea good time, and then if you will plan a kind of treat when we getback--coffee, you know, and fish, and bread and butter, we could havea picnic of our own and as much fun as they would get with that seton the island. I believe Norm would go; he is just after a good time,you see, and if he gets it in this way, he will like it as well, maybebetter, than though he spent the night at it and got the worst ofhis bargain. Anyhow, it is worth trying; if we can save him from thisnight's work it will be worth a good deal. Don't you think so?"

  Instead of the hearty, "yes, indeed," which he expected, Nettie saidnot a word; and when he turned and looked at her, to learn what was thematter, her face was red and the tears were gathering in her eyes.

  "Don't you know what has happened?" she asked at last. "I thought Iheard you in your room last night when he came home."

  "Yes," said Jerry, speaking gravely, "I was up. What of it?"

  "What of it? O Jerry!" and here the tears which had been choking poorNettie all day had it their own way for a few minutes. She had notmeant to cry; but she felt at once how quickly the tears relieved thelump in her throat.

  "I don't mean that, exactly," Jerry said, after waiting a minute forthe sobs to grow less deep, "of course it was a great trouble, and Ihave been so sorry for Mrs. Decker all day that I wanted to stay away,because I could not think of the right thing to say; but it's onlyanother reason why we should work and plan in all ways to get ahead ofthem and save Norm."

  "O Jerry! don't you think it is too late?"

  "Too late! What in the world can you mean? Has anything happened to-daythat I haven't heard of? Where is Norm? Has he gone away anywhere?"

  "O, no," said Nettie, "he has gone to work; but I mean--Imeant--doesn't it all seem to you of no use at all? After we worked sohard and got everything nice, and he seemed so pleased, and stayed athome all the evening and talked with us, and then the very next nightto come home like that!"

  Jerry stared in blank astonishment.

  "I don't believe I understand," he said at last. "You did not thinkthat Norm was going to reform the very minute you did anything pleasantfor him, did you?"

  "N-no," said Nettie slowly, "I don't suppose I did; but it all seemedso dreadful! I expected something, I hardly know what, and I could nothelp feeling disappointed and miserable." Nettie's face was growingred; she began to suspect she might be a very foolish girl.

  "Why, that is queer," said Jerry. "Now I am not disappointed a bit.I am sorry, of course, but I expected just that thing. Why, Nettie,they go after men sometimes for months and years before they get realhold and are sure of them. There is a lawyer in New York that fathersays kept three men busy for five years trying to save him. They didn'tsucceed, either, but they got him to go to the One who could save him.He is a grand man now. Suppose they had given up during those fiveyears!"

  "Do you think it may take five years to get hold of Norm?" There weretears in Nettie's eyes, but there was a little suggestion of a smile onher face, and she waited eagerly for Jerry's answer.

  "I'm sure I hope not," he said, "but if it does, we are not to give himup at the end of five years; nor _before_ five years, that is certain."

  Nettie wiped the tears away, and smiled outright; then sat still indeep thought for several minutes. Then she arose, decision and energyon her face.

  "Thank you, Jerry; I wish you had come in this morning. I have been agoose, I guess, and I almost spoiled what we tried to do. We'll getup a nice supper if you can get Norm and the others to come. I don'tbelieve they will, but we can try. We have coffee enough to make a nicepot of it, and Mrs. Smith sent us some milk out of that pail from thecountry that is almost cream. I will make some baked potato balls, theyare beautiful with fish; all brown, you know; and I was going to makea johnny-cake if I could get up interest enough in it. I'm interestednow, and I shouldn't wonder if I staid so," and she blushed and laughed.

  "You see," said Jerry, "you must not expect things to be done in aminute. Why, even God doesn't do things quickly, when he could, as wellas not. And he doesn't get tired of people, either; and that I think isqueer. Have you ever thought that if you were God, you would wipe mostall the people out of this world in a second, and make some new oneswho could behave better?"

  "Why, no," said Nettie, wonderment and bewilderment struggling togetherin her face, this strange thought sounded almost wicked to her. "Well,I do," said Jerry sturdily; "I have often thought of it; I believealmost any _man_ would get out of patience with this old world, fullof rum saloons, and gambling saloons and tobacco. I think it is such agood thing that men don't have the management of it.

  "I'll tell you what it is, Nettie, we shall have a pretty busyafternoon if we carry out our plans, won't we? Suppose you go and talkthe thing up with your mother, and I will go and see what Norm says.Or, hold on, suppose we go together and call on him; I'll ask him to gofishing, and you ask him to bring his friends home to eat the fish. Howwould that do?"

  It was finally agreed that that would do beautifully, and Jerry went tosee whether his long flat stick fitted, while Nettie ran to her mother.Mrs. Decker was ironing, her worn face looking older and more worn,Nettie thought, than she had ever seen it before. Poor mother! Why hadnot she helped her to bear her heavy burden, instead of almost sulkingover failure?

  "O, mother," she began, "Jerry has a plan, and we want to know what youthink of it; he has heard of things that are to be done this evening."And she hurried through the story of the intended frolic on the island,and the fishing party that was, if possible, to be pushed in ahead.Mrs. Decker listened in silence, and at first with an uninterestedface; presently, when she took in the largeness of the plan, she stayedher iron long enough to look up and say:

  "What's the use, child? I thought you and Jerry had given up."

  "O, mother," and the cheeks were rosy red now, "I'm ashamed that I feltso discouraged; Jerry isn't at all; and he thinks it is the strangestthing that I should have been! He says they have to work for years,sometimes, to get hold of people. He knew a man that they kept workingafter for five years, and now he is a grand man. He says we must holdon to Norm if it is five years, though I don't believe it will be. I'mgoing to begin over again, mother, and not get discouraged at anything.It is true, as Jerry says, that we can't expect Norm to reform allin a minute. He says the boys that Norm goes with the most are notbad fellows, only they haven't any homes, and they keep getting intomischief, because they have nowhere to go to have any pleasant times.Don't you think Norm would like it to have them asked home with him tosupper, and show them how to have a real good time? Jerry says the twoboys that he means board at a horrid place, where they have old breadand weak tea for supper, and where people are smoking and drinking inthe back end of the room while they are eating. I am sure I don't knowas it is any wonder that they go to the saloons sometimes."

  Mrs. Decker still held her iron poised in air, on her face a look thatwas worth studying. "Norm hasn't ever had a decent place to ask anybodyto, nor a decent time of any kind since he was old enough to care muchabout it," she said slowly. "I thought I had done about my best, butit may be I'll find myself mistaken. Well, child, let's try it, formercy's sake, or anything else that that boy thinks of. You and himtogether are the only ones that's done any thinking for Norm in years;and if I don't go half-way and more too for anybody that wants to doanything, it will be a wonder."

  In a very few minutes Nettie was in her neat street dress, and the twowere walking down the shady side of the main street, toward Norm'sshop. They passed Lorena Barstow, and though Jerry, without thinking,took off his cap to her, she tossed her head and looked the other way.

  Jerry laughed. "I did not know she was so nearsighted as all that, didyou?" he asked, and then continued the sentence which the sight of herhad in
terrupted. Nettie could not laugh; she was sore over the thoughtthat she had so spoiled Jerry's life for him that his old acquaintanceswould not bow to him on the street.

  Norm was at work, and worked with energy; they stood and looked at himthrough the window for a few minutes. "He works fast," said Jerry, "andhe works as though he would rather do it than not; Mr. Smith says thereisn't a lazy streak in him. He ought to make a smart man, Nettie; and Ishouldn't wonder if he would."

  Then they went in. To say that Norm was astonished at sight of them,would be to tell only half the story. He stood in doubt what to say,but Jerry was equal to the occasion; nothing could have been morematter-of-course than the way in which he told about his plans forgoing fishing, declaring that the afternoon was prime for such work,and that he was tired of going alone. "Wouldn't Norm and his twofriends go too?" Now a ride in a boat was something that Norm rarelyhad. In the first place, boats cost money, and in the second place theytook time. To be sure, after working hours, there was time enough forrowing, but boats were sure to be scarce then, even if money had beenplenty.

  Norm wiped his face with a corner of his work-apron, and admitted thathe would like to go, first-rate, but did not know as he could get away.They were not over busy it was true, neither was the foreman troubledwith good nature; he would be next to certain to say no, if Norm askedto be let off at five o'clock.

  "Let's try him," said Jerry, and he walked boldly to the other side ofthe room where the foreman stood.