Running To Waste

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Baker George Melville. Running To Waste

CHAPTER I. STOLEN SWEETS

CHAPTER II. FALLEN FORTUNES

CHAPTER III. MRS. THOMPSON’S CROSS

CHAPTER IV. BECKY SLEEPER’S CHARITY

CHAPTER V. IN SCHOOL AND OUT

CHAPTER VI. BECKY’S LAST FROLIC

CHAPTER VII. MRS. THOMPSON DISOBEYS ORDERS

CHAPTER VIII. BECKY’S NEW BIRTH

CHAPTER IX. TEDDY SLEEPER DINES OUT

CHAPTER X. THE ROMANCE OF A POOR OLD MAID

CHAPTER XI. BECKY BEARDS THE LION IN HIS DEN

CHAPTER XII. AMONG THE WOODPECKERS

CHAPTER XIII. DELIA SLEEPER’S SHIP COMES IN

CHAPTER XIV. TWO YEARS AFTER

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“A stern chase is a long chase;” so, leaving Captain Thompson in pursuit of the fugitive, we will take the liberty of passing through his premises to the main street. At the left of the church, opposite his house, another road ran down a steep hill, crossed Rogue’s River, by a bridge, ran up another hill, and wound round into the Foxtown road. At the top of the second hill stood a small brown house, by no means attractive in appearance, being destitute of paint, climbing vine, flowers, or other ornamentation. It had not even the virtue of neatness to recommend it. The gate was off its hinges, and lay in the road. A crazy barn close by had a pitch towards the river, as though from sheer weakness it was inclined to lie down for rest, while the scanty patch of cabbages and beets, the potato hills, few and far between, and the rickety bean-poles, all had a starved and neglected appearance.

This was known as the “Sleeper Place,” being occupied by Mrs. Sleeper and the young people, Rebecca and Edward, better known as Becky and Teddy. Inside, the house was not much more attractive than the outside. On the lower floor were four rooms, separated by the entry, from which a flight of stairs, hidden by a door, led to the garret above. On one side was a kitchen, with a door leading into Mrs. Sleeper’s bed-room at the back. On the other side was a sitting-room, with a door leading to a bed-room back of that, known as Becky’s room. Teddy’s quarters were above, under the roof. The house was scantily furnished with old-fashioned furniture and home-made carpets, all of which had seen their best many years before, and now showed veteran scars of long service.

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“Don’t say that, don’t say that! Cyrus will come back – I know he will.”

“If he’s alive. But don’t be too hopeful. There’s been a heap of mortality among the miners; and if he’s alive, we should have heard from him afore this. Chances are agin him. So you’d better be resigned. Yes, you’d better give him up, put on mourning for a year, and then look round, for the money’s gone.”

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