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Jed, The Poorhouse Boy

Creator: Horatio Alger (author)
Date: 1899
Publisher: The John Winston Company. Philadelphia
Source: Available at selected libraries
Figures From This Artifact: Figure 2

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Page 27:

1309  

"I beg your pardon, Maria, but please credit me with a little good sense."

1310  

Miss Holbrook went up to the room assigned her with an offended expression, and had nothing further to say about Jed that evening.

1311  

The next morning Jed reported for duty just as Mr. Holbrook was leaving for his journey.

1312  

"Look after Chester while I am gone, Jed," said Mr. Holbrook pleasantly. "This is my sister, Miss Maria Holbrook, who will take my place here while I am gone."

1313  

Jed took off his hat politely, and Miss Holbrook honored him with a slight inclination of her head and a forbidding look.

1314  

"Good-by, Maria! I will telegraph you on my arrival in Chicago."

1315  

"Good-by, brother!" You need have no apprehensions about Chester while I am here."

1316  

"I shall rest quite easy. Between you and Jed I am sure he will come to no harm."

1317  

Miss Holbrook pursed up her mouth at the conjunction of her name with Jed's, but said nothing.

1318  

"Shall I go and take a walk with Jed?" asked Chester.

1319  

"Yes, in a moment. I wish to speak to the young man first."

1320  

"What young man?"

1321  

"Jedediah."

1322  

"Jedediah!" echoed Chester with a merry laugh. "How funny that sounds!"

1323  

"I apprehend that Jedediah is your right name," said Miss Holbrook severely.

1324  

"I suppose so," answered Jed.

1325  

"You suppose so?"

1326  

"I mean that I have always been called Jed. I don't remember ever having been called by the full name."

1327  

"Don't your parents call you so?"

1328  

"My parents are not living."

1329  

"When did they die?"

1330  

Jed looked troubled.

1331  

"When I was a baby," he answered gravely.

1332  

"Indeed! Then who brought you up?"

1333  

"Mr. and Mrs. Avery."

1334  

"Were they any relations of yours?"

1335  

"No, but they were very kind to me."

1336  

"Come along, Jed! There's the steamboat just leaving the pier!" called Chester impatiently.

1337  

Without waiting to be further questioned Jed answered the call of his young charge. He was glad to get away, for he felt that the spinster might ask him some questions which he would find it difficult to answer.

1338  

CHAPTER XVII.
Jed Meets an Old Acquaintance

1339  

JED was not long in finding that Chester's aunt looked upon him, if not with hostility, at least with distrust. This was an unpleasant discovery. Mr. Holbrook had always appeared to have confidence in him, and approved his management of his son.

1340  

While Chester and Jed were walking on the beach Miss Holbrook took a seat upon the bluff and watched them through her spectacles, as Jed could not help seeing.

1341  

"I say, Jed," asked the little boy, "how do you like Aunt Maria?"

1342  

"I don't feel very well acquainted with her yet," answered Jed cautiously.

1343  

"I don't like her!" said Chester emphatically.

1344  

"Why not?"

1345  

"Oh, she's always scolding and finding fault. Papa says it's because she's an old maid."

1346  

Jed smiled.

1347  

"I wish papa had not sent for her," went on Chester. "We could get along well enough without her."

1348  

"I think we should get along very well together, Chester."

1349  

"I am sure we should. Have you got any old maid aunts?"

1350  

"Not that I know of," replied Jed soberly, as he had forced upon him the thought of his solitary condition.

1351  

"Then you are lucky. I'll give you Aunt Maria if you want her."

1352  

"Perhaps she might not consent to be given away, Chester.

1353  

"Half an hour later Jed met with a surprise, and one not altogether agreeable.

1354  

"Hello! you here!" exclaimed an amazed voice that sounded familiar to Jed.

1355  

He looked up and saw Percy Dixon approaching.

1356  

"Oh, it's you, Percy?" he said. "When did you arrive?"

1357  

"This morning. Father and I are staying at the Spray House."

1358  

This was the largest hotel, and Percy mentioned the name with evident pride.

1359  

"It is a nice hotel," responded Jed.

1360  

"I should say so. Why, it's the most expensive one here. But you haven't told me how you came here."

1361  

"I have been here for some weeks."

1362  

"Where do you live?"

1363  

"I have a room in the village, but I take my meals at the Spray House."

1364  

"You take your meals at the Spray House?" ejaculated Percy.

1365  

"Yes."

1366  

"How can you afford it?"

1367  

"This boy's father pays my board. I look after Chester."

1368  

"What's your name?" asked Chester, who was by no means bashful.

1369  

"Percy Dixon," answered Percy politely, for he judged that Chester belonged to a rich family .

1370  

"So you know Jed?"

1371  

"Yes. I have that honor," returned Percy with a curl of the lip.

1372  

"When did you leave off acting?" he asked, turning to Jed.

1373  

"At the end of the season. Few dramatic companies play during the summer."

1374  

"Are you going to play with them again?"

1375  

"I don't know yet. The boy whose place I took may be ready to take his own part in the fall."

1376  

"I saw your old friends Mr. and Mrs. Fogson just before I came away," said Percy significantly. "Wouldn't you like to know how they are?"

1377  

"No; I feel no particular interest in them."

1378  

"They are interested in you. Fogson says he's bound to get you back some time."

1379  

"I don't care to talk of them," said Jed coldly.

1380  

"Are you going in bathing?" asked Chester.

1381  

"Yes, I think so. Do you go in?"

1382  

"Shall we go in, Jed?" asked the little boy.

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