Betsy and Billy
Page 6
"Well, I haven't any money to buy a wedding present," said Billy.
"I haven't any money either," said Ellen.
"And I just spent my last fifty cents for a birthday present for Father," said Betsy.
"We'll all have to earn some money," said Billy.
"Yes," said Betsy. "There is no use deciding on a present until we see how much money we have to spend."
"I can earn some if I deliver orders for Mr. Watson, the grocer," said Billy.
"I can earn some minding Mrs. Plummer's twins," said Ellen.
"Well," said Betsy, Til have to find a way to earn some too."
When Billy and Ellen left, Betsy went into the garden. She climbed up on the garden wall. She sat wondering how she could earn some money for Miss Grey's wedding present.
Soon she saw a tall man coming through the weeds and the grass on the other side of the wall. Betsy was so surprised she nearly fell off the wall. She had never seen anyone there before.
The man smiled at Betsy and said, "Hello, there! I am Mr. Jackson. What's your name?"
"My name is Betsy," replied Betsy.
"Well, Betsy, I'm glad to meet you because you are going to be my nearest neighbor. I've just bought this house," said Mr. Jackson, waving his hand toward the old house.
"You have?" said Betsy, in great surprise. "And will there be a garden on the other side of the wall?"
"Yes, indeed," said Mr. Jackson. "Someday there will be a garden but just now I have to fix up the house. It's a sight."
"It certainly is," said Betsy.
"And now," said Mr. Jackson, "I'll tell you why I came over to speak to you. Do you happen to have an older brother?"
"No," replied Betsy, "but I have a baby sister."
Mr. Jackson laughed. "I'm afraid your baby sister won't be able to help me out," he said.
"You see," he went on, "there will be workmen in the house and I would like to find a boy who would be willing to go over to the house every day, after the workmen are gone. I want him to make sure that the front door and the back door have been locked. Do you know any boy around here who would do that for me? I'll pay him five cents a day."
Betsy looked up at the old house that gave her the creeps. Five cents a day, she thought. How she would love to make five cents a day! But would she have the courage to go up to the doors of the old house? She wondered about that.
Mr. Jackson stood waiting for Betsy to answer.
After thinking a few moments longer, Betsy said, "Do you think I could do it?"
"Why, of course you could do it," said Mr. Jackson.
"All right," said Betsy. "I'll do it. When do you want me to begin?"
"Tomorrow," said Mr. Jackson. "The workmen leave at five o'clock. You try the doors about quarter past five. And thank you very much indeed. I'll be back next week to pay you."
"You're welcome," said Betsy, as Mr. Jackson walked away.
Betsy scrambled down off the wall and rushed into the house to find Mother.
"Mother! Mother!" she cried. "What do you think! Somebody has bought the old house! His name is Mr. Jackson and there are going to be workmen fixing the house and Mr. Jackson is going to pay me five cents a day for seeing that the workmen leave the front door and the back door locked." Betsy ran out of breath when she got this far.
"Well, that is good news," said Mother.
"And maybe I'll earn enough money to buy Miss Grey's wedding present," said Betsy.
The next day Betsy could hear the hammers and saws of the workmen. She could see men on the roof and a man fixing the chimney. Betsy thought the house looked more cheerful now that the workmen were in it. But at five o'clock, when the workmen left, it looked just as gloomy as ever. Betsy felt that her courage was running right out of her fingers and toes. By quarter past five she wondered how she could ever have enough courage to go over and try the doors.
The thought came to her to ask Mother to do it. But that wouldn't be earning the five cents, thought Betsy. And I don't want Mother to think that I'm a fraidie-cat....
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CAROLYN HAYWOOD (1898-1990) was born in Philadelphia and began her career as an artist. She hoped to become a children's book illustrator, but at an editor's suggestion, she began writing stories about the everyday lives of children. The first of those, "B" Is for Betsy, was published in 1939, and more than fifty other books followed. One of America's most popular authors for children, Ms. Haywood used many of her own childhood experiences in her novels. "I write for children," she once explained, "because I feel that they need to know what is going on in their world and they can best understand it through stories."
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