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It is difficult to conceive of an Atlas choosing to burden himself with the world, but there are temperaments that seek responsibilities just as there are those, like Mr. Snawdor, who refuse them. Through endless discomforts, Uncle Jed had stayed on, coaxing Mr. Snawdor into an acceptance of his lot, helping Mrs.
Snawdor, with scornful reference to Nance's improved appearance. "You might just as well come off them high stilts an' stop puttin' on airs, Dan Lewis has been up to Clarke's goin' on four years now. I hear they're pushin' him right along." Nance stopped drumming on the window-pane and became suddenly interested.
Smelts who had borrowed it some days before from Mrs. Lavinski, and the result was not what Mrs. Purdy predicted. "If ever I ketch you up to sech fool tricks again," scolded Mrs. Snawdor, who had been called to the rescue, "I'll skin yer hide off! You've no need to take yer hair down except when I tell you. You kin smooth it up jus' like you always done."
Snawdor shook his head. "I might if I was willin' to buy junk. But you know where them boys gets their stuff." Nance nodded wisely. "The gang bust into a empty house last night an' cut out all the lead pipes. I seen 'em comin' home with it." Mr. Snawdor rose and went to the window. "There ain't no chance fer a honest man," he said miserably. "I'm sick o' livin', that's whut I am.
She had been down with what was thought to be chicken-pox for a week, but the other children had been sworn to secrecy under the threat that the doctor would scrape the skin off their arms with a knife if they as much as mentioned Fidy's name. It was a culmination of a battle that had raged between Mrs. Snawdor and the health authorities for ten years, over the question of vaccination.
"Well, I was threatenin' her the other day, if she didn't behave herself, I was goin' to start her in again." "I ain't been sence Christmas," volunteered Nance, still sniffling. "You shet yer mouth," requested Mrs. Snawdor with great dignity. "Why hasn't she been to school since Christmas?" the judge proceeded sternly. "Well, to tell you the truth, it was on account of Mr. Snawdor.
The result was a stormy interview between him and her stepmother which removed all further cause of jealousy on the part of Mr. Snawdor, and gave Nance a record for perfect attendance. Having attained this distinction, she was fired to further effort.
Snawdor in a tone that implied a conspiracy on the part of poor Fidy and her Maker to interfere with her plans. "When I come in ten minutes ago, she was tryin' to eat the sheet." "Didn't you give her the medicine the doctor left last time?" "There ain't a drop left. Mr. Snawdor took every bit of it." "Where's the bottle? We must get it filled." "What's the use? It ain't no good.
"He never had no sunshine, nor fresh air, nor nothin'. You can't expect a baby to live where a sweet-potato vine can't!" "He's better off than me," said Mr. Snawdor, "what with the funeral, an' the coal out, an' the rent due, I'm at the end of my rope. I told her it was comin'. But she would have a white coffin an' six hacks. They'll have to set us out in the street fer all I can see!"
Memories of a little, tow-headed, independent girl coming and going in Calvary Alley, now lugging coal up two flights of stairs, now rushing noisily down again with a Snawdor baby slung over her shoulder, now to snatch her part in the play. Nance, who laughed the loudest, cried the hardest, ran the fastest, whose hand was as quick to help a friend as to strike a foe!
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