Only an Irish Boy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 199 pages of information about Only an Irish Boy.

Only an Irish Boy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 199 pages of information about Only an Irish Boy.

“Just so.”

The ladies, who never did things by halves, selected the best pair in the store, and paid for them.  When Andy had returned from skating, Priscilla said:  “How did you like the skating, Andrew?”

“It was bully,” said Andrew, enthusiastically.

“Whose skates did you borrow?”

“Alfred Parker’s.  They were too small for me, but I made them do.”

“I should suppose you would like to have a pair of your own.”

“So I should, but I can’t afford to buy a pair, just yet.

“I’ll tell you what I want to do, and maybe you’ll help me about buyin’ it.”

“What is it, Andrew?”

“You know Christmas is comin’, ma’am, and I want to buy my mother a nice dress for a Christmas present—­not a calico one, but a thick one for winter.”

“Alpaca or de laine?”

“I expect so; I don’t know the name of what I want, but you do.  How much would it cost?”

“I think you could get a good de laine for fifty cents a yard.  I saw some at the store this afternoon.”

“And about how many yards would be wanted, ma’am?”

“About twelve, I should think.”

“Then it would be six dollars.”

“Just so,” said Sophia, who thought it about time she took part in the conversation.

“I’ve got the money, ma’am, and I’ll give it to you, if you and Miss Sophia will be kind enough to buy it for me.”

“To be sure we will, Andrew,” said Priscilla, kindly.  “I am glad you are such a good son.”

“Just so, Andrew.”

“You see,” said Andy, “mother won’t buy anything for herself.  She always wants to buy things for Mary and me.  She wants us to be well-dressed, but she goes with the same old clothes.  So I want her to have a new dress.”

“You want her to have it at Christmas, then?”

“Yes, ma’am, if it won’t be too much trouble.”

“That is in two days.  To-morrow, Sophia and I will buy the dress.”

“Thank you.  Here’s the money,” and Andy counted out six dollars in bills, of which Miss Priscilla took charge.

The next day they fulfilled their commission, and purchased a fine dress pattern at the village store.  It cost rather more than six dollars, but this they paid out of their own pockets, and did not report to Andy.  Just after supper, as he was about to go home to spend Christmas Eve, they placed the bundle in his hands.

“Isn’t it beautiful!” he exclaimed, with delight.  “Won’t mother be glad to get it?”

“She’ll think she has a good son, Andrew.”

“Shure, I ought to be good to her, for she’s a jewel of a mother.”

“That is right, Andrew.  I always like to hear a boy speak well of his mother.  It is a great pleasure to a mother to have a good son.”

“Shure, ma’am,” said Andy, with more kindness of heart than discretion, “I hope you’ll have one yourself.”

“Just so,” said Sophia, with the forced habit upon her.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Only an Irish Boy from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.