Riverdale centre was largely engaged in the manufacturing of boots and shoes, and this business gave employment to a large number of men and women.

Mrs. Bright had for several years “closed” shoes—­which, my readers who do not live in “shoe towns” may not know, means sewing or stitching them.  To this business she applied herself with renewed energy.  There was a large hotel in Riverdale centre, where several families from Boston spent the summer.  By the aid of Squire Lee, she obtained the washing of these families, which was more profitable than closing shoes.

By these means she not only supported her family very comfortably, but was able to save a little money towards paying for the house.  Mr. Hardhand, by the persuasions of Squire Lee, had consented to let the widow keep the house, and pay for it as she could.

John Bright had been dead four years at the time we introduce Bobby to the reader.  Mrs. Bright had paid another hundred dollars towards the house, with the interest; so there was now but one hundred due.  Bobby had learned to “close,” and helped his mother a great deal; but the confinement and the stooping posture did not agree with his health, and his mother was obliged to dispense with his assistance.  But the devoted little fellow found a great many ways of helping her.  He was now thirteen, and was as handy about the house as a girl.  When he was not better occupied, he would often go to the river and catch a mess of fish, which was so much clear gain.

The winter which had just passed, had brought a great deal of sickness to the little black house.  The children all had the measles, and two of them the scarlet fever, so that Mrs. Bright could not work much.  Her affairs were not in a very prosperous condition when the spring opened; but the future was bright, and the widow, trusting in Providence, believed that all would end well.

One thing troubled her.  She had not been able to save any thing for Mr. Hardhand.  She could only pay her interest; but she hoped by the first of July to give him twenty-five dollars of the principal.  But the first of July came, and she had only five dollars of the sum she had partly promised her creditor.  She could not so easily recover from the disasters of the hard winter, and she had but just paid off the little debts she had contracted.  She was nervous and uneasy as the day approached.  Mr. Hardhand always abused her when she told him she could not pay him, and she dreaded his coming.

It was the first of July on which Bobby caught those pouts, caught the horse, and on which Tom Spicer had “caught a Tartar.”

Bobby hastened home, as we said at the conclusion of the last chapter.  He was as happy as a lord.  He had fish enough in his basket for dinner, and for breakfast the next morning, and money enough in his pocket to make his mother as happy as a queen, if queens are always happy.

The widow Bright, though she had worried and fretted night and day about the money which was to be paid to Mr. Hardhand on the first of July, had not told her son any thing about it.  It would only make him unhappy, she reasoned, and it was needless to make the dear boy miserable for nothing; so Bobby ran home all unconscious of the pleasure which was in store for him.