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Main > Fairy tale > All authors > Frank Baum > Fairy tale "Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work"

Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work

Yesterday your hired

men painted all the front o' my fence--painted it white--not only where

th' signs was, but th' whole length of it. We didn't ask it done, but

they jes' done it. I watched 'em, an' Nell says if we on'y had th' money

thet was wasted on thet paint an' labor, we might find our Lucy. 'It's a

shame,' says Nell, 'all thet 'lection money bein' thrown away on paint

when it might save our poor crazy child.' I hope it ain't wrong, sir;

but thet's what I thought, too. So we laid plans fer me to come here

today. Ef I kin get a-hold o' any o' thet money honest, I want to do

it."

"Have you got a horse?" asked Kenneth.

"Not now. I owned one las' year, but he died on me an' I can't get

another nohow."

"Did you walk here?" asked Beth.

"Yes, miss; o' course. I've walked the hull county over a-tryin' to find

Lucy. I don' mind the walking much."

There was another pause, while old Will Rogers looked anxiously at the

boy and the girl, and they looked at each other. Then Beth took out her

purse.

"I want to hire your services to help us in the election," she said,

briskly. "I'll furnish you a horse and buggy and you can drive around

and talk with people and try to find Lucy at the same time. This twenty

dollars is to help you pay expenses. You needn't account for it; just

help us as much as you can."

The old man straightened up and his eyes filled again.

"Nell said if it was a matter o' charity I mustn't take a cent," he

observed, in a low voice.

'"It isn't charity. It's business. And now that we know your story we

mean to help you find your girl. Anyone would do that, you know. Tell

me, what is Lucy like?"

"She's like Nell used to be."

"But we don't know your wife. Describe Lucy as well as you can. Is she

tall?"

"Middlin', miss."

"Light or dark?"

"Heh?"

"Is her hair light or dark colored?"

"Middlin'; jes' middlin', miss."

"Well, is she stout or thin?"

"I should say sorter betwixt an' between, miss."

"How old is Lucy?"

"Jes' turned eighteen, miss."

"Never mind, Beth," interrupted the boy; "you won't learn much from old

Will's description.

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