Kelly's Chance by Wanda E Brunstetter Read Free Book Online

Papa bellowed. “Start eatin’, or I’m gonna pitch your writing tablet into the stove.”
    Kelly grabbed her spoon. No way could she let her dad carry through with his threat. She’d eat all her soup in a hurry, even if she burned her tongue in the process.
    Awhile later, she was back on the towpath. She’d given the mules some oats in their feedbags, and they were munching away as they plodded dutifully along. Kelly knew they were making good time, and they’d probably pass Mike Cooper’s sometime early this evening. She’d hoped to ask Papa about stopping by the store, but he’d been so cross during lunch, she’d lost her nerve.
    Besides, what reason would she give for stopping? She sure couldn’t tell her dad she wanted to make a few more drawings so Mike could try to sell them. Papa had made it clear the way he felt about Kelly wasting time on her artwork. If she told him her plans, Papa might make good on his threat and pitch her tablet into the stove.
    “If he ever does that, I’ll make another one or find some old pieces of cardboard to draw on,” Kelly fumed.
    A young boy about eight years old crossed Kelly’s path. He carried a fishing pole in one hand and a metal bucket in the other. The child stopped on the path and looked at Kelly as though she was daft. Had he overhead her talking to herself?
    Kelly stopped walking. “Goin’ fishin’?” What a dumb question. Of course he’s goin’ fishin’. Why else would he be carryin’ a pole?
    The freckle-faced, red-haired lad offered Kelly a huge grin, revealing a missing front tooth. “Thought I’d try to catch myself a few catfish. They was bitin’ real good yesterday afternoon.”
    “You live around here?” Kelly questioned.
    “Yep. Up the canal a ways.”
    Kelly’s forehead wrinkled. She didn’t remember seeing the boy before, and she wondered why he wasn’t in school. The youngster’s overalls were torn and dirty, and when Kelly glanced down at his bare feet, she shuddered. It was too cold yet to be going without shoes. Maybe the child was so poor his folks couldn’t afford to buy him any decent footwear.
    “My pap’s workin’ up at Mauch Chunk, loadin’ coal,” the boy said before Kelly could voice any questions.
    “But I thought you said you lived nearby.”
    He nodded. “For the last couple months we’ve been livin’ in an old shanty halfway up the canal.” He frowned. “Don’t see Pap much these days.”
    “Do you live with your mother?” Kelly asked.
    The boy offered her another toothless grin. “Me, Ma, and little Ted. He’s my baby brother. Pap was outa work for a spell, but things will be better now that he’s got a job loadin’ dirty coal.”
    Kelly’s heart went out to the young child, since she could relate to being poor. Of course, Papa had always worked, and they’d never done without the basic necessities. Still, she had no money of her own.
    “Kelly McGregor, why have you stopped?”
    Kelly whirled around at the sound of her dad’s angry-sounding voice. He was leaning over the side of the boat, shaking his fist at her.
    “Sorry, Papa,” she hollered back. “Nice chattin’ with you,” Kelly said to the child. “Hope you catch plenty of fish today.” She gave the boy a quick wave and started off.
    As Kelly led her mules down the rutted path, she found herself envying the freckle-faced boy with the holes in his britches. At least he wasn’t being forced to work all day.
    ***
    Mike pulled a pocket watch from his pant’s pocket. It was almost six o’clock. He needed to close up the store and head on over to the preacher’s place for supper. All day long he’d hoped the McGregors would stop by, but they hadn’t, and he’d seen no sign of their boat. Of course, they could have gone by without him seeing, as there were many times throughout the day when he’d been busy with customers. As tempting as it had been, Mike knew he couldn’t stand at the window all day and watch for Amos McGregor’s