CHAPTER VI.


As the summer lengthened into early autumn, Sam Kimper became more and
more troubled by the necessities of his family. He had been working day
after day in the shop of his acquaintance the shoemaker, when there was
work enough for two, and earned enough to pay for the plainest food.
But casual pay was not sufficient to all the necessities of a family as
large as that for which Sam was responsible, particularly as the return
of the head of the family had reminded every one, from the mother down
to the youngest child except the baby, of a number of needs of which no
one seemed to have thought before.

Mrs. Kimper herself, who was a feeble creature at best, shivered at
every wind that penetrated the broken windows, and insisted that unless
she had some warm clothing very soon she would fall into a decline.
Tom, who had not yet got his growth, was protruding physically from the
ends of his shirts and trousers, and assured his father that he never
again could get into his last winter's jacket without subjecting
himself to a series of remarks by the boys in the town, which would
make him feel very uncomfortable. Billy, who had gone barefooted all
summer, as was the custom with the boys in town, came home late one
evening and announced triumphantly,--

"Dad, you needn't bother yourself about me any more about shoes. I've
got a pair. See here!"

The head of the family took the new shoes into his hand and examined