Poor Little Rich Girl by Katie Flynn Page B

in cast-off clothing far too big for her, for she had an elder sister who had married a plumber and was therefore in comfortable circumstances and able to pass on to her younger and less fortunate sister a good many of her outworn garments.
    Ben admired his mother for she was a hard worker, having to bring up her family with very little assistance from her husband. Bob Bailey was suffering from lung disease and spent most of the day lying on a makeshift couch in the front room, trying to stuff and address envelopes or do accounts for small local businesses. Despite the money which the older boys brought in, Ben knew that his mother took on any job which would add to the family’s income, cleaning offices and shops, taking in washing and earning whatever she could. Ben knew she was putting money away each week against the time when his father’s illness grew worse and the doctor’s bills became more frequent.
    Phyllis, of course, was too young to help much anyway, and Ben did the best he could by doing the messages for his mother, fetching coal and water into the house, preparing vegetables and performing similar household tasks. He also delivered his father’s work when it was completed, but so far he had not managed to obtain a paying job of his own. Now, with the comfortable assurance that he would soon be able to contribute something to the household expenses, thanks to Mr Madison, he took his place at the table and awaited the opportunity to reveal his wonderful news.
    When they were all settled with steaming platesbefore them – it was blind scouse, Ben noted without surprise – Mrs Bailey asked Ben how the kittens were doing. ‘I were that sorry I couldn’t offer ’em a home,’ she said remorsefully, digging a spoon into her stew, ‘but you know how it is, our Ben, it’s a struggle for your dad and meself to make ends meet wi’out addin’ another half dozen mouths to feed.’
    ‘They’s doin’ fine,’ Ben said, through a mouthful of scouse. ‘The man in the pet shop took ’em – well, I telled you that last night – and he’s already sold the littl’un. In fact, you could say I sold the kitten, ’cos there were this girl, lookin’ in the window …’
    Ben told the whole story, right from the beginning, though he omitted the offer of a job, saving that for a triumphant surprise later. The family listened with deep interest, even Phyllis refraining from interrupting, until his tale was told and then his father, from his place by the fire, remarked: ‘India, d’you say, our Ben? I’ve always had a hankering to visit that country. And you say both them girls had lived in India all their lives? Well, blow me down. They’ll have seen tigers, elephants, snake charmers – all sorts of wonders.’ He sighed deeply. ‘I wish they was living near enough to come a-visiting for I’d dearly love to chat with them, hear their adventures. Did they tell you anything, our Ben?’
    ‘Norra lot,’ Ben said regretfully. ‘But I knows where they live and I’m going to keep my eye on that kitten, same as I will with the others when they’re sold, so I’ll mebbe get friendly with ’em. If I do, I’ll try and bring one or other round some time, so you can have a yarn.’
    ‘I doubt they’d come round here …’ Mr Bailey was beginning doubtfully, when his wife cut in.
    ‘Posh folks don’t mix wi’ the likes of us,’ she saidbriskly. ‘But kids is kids. If that little gal doesn’t have pals, then she’ll be grateful for a decent lad to take her around, like.’ She turned in her chair to smile fondly at her husband. ‘So I wouldn’t be at all surprised if young missy whatsername was to turn up here, bright as a button, to fetch our Ben one fine day.’
    ‘She don’t know where I live,’ Ben pointed out. He felt the conversation was getting out of hand. After all, Miss Elliott and young Lonnie were simply the buyers of one of his kittens. Mr Madison, on the other hand, was his future