Free Selected Stories by Henry Lawson

a subscription among her friends with the object of purchasing an alarm clock for the little boy found asleep at Grinder Bros.’ workshop door.
    Later on, it was mentioned, in connection with the touching incident, that the alarm clock had been bought and delivered to the boy’s mother, who appeared to be quite overcome with gratitude. It was learned, also, from another source, that the last assertion was greatly exaggerated.
    The touching incident was worn out in another paragraph, which left no doubt that the benevolent society lady was none other than a charming and accomplished daughter of the House of Grinder.
    It was late in the last day of the Easter holidays, during which Arvie Aspinall had lain in bed with a bad cold. He was still what he called “croopy”. It was about nine o’clock, and the business of Jones’s Alley was in full swing.
    “That’s better, mother, I’m far better,” said Arvie, “the sugar and vinegar cuts the phlegm, and the both’rin’ cough gits out.” It got out to such an extent for the next few minutes that he could not speak. When he recovered his breath, he said:
    “Better or worse, I’ll have ter go to work to-morrow. Gimme the clock, mother.”
    “I tell you you shall not go! It will be your death.”
    “It’s no use talking, mother; we can’t starve—and—sposin’ somebody got my place! Gimme the clock, mother.”
    “I’ll send one of the children round to say you’re ill. They’ll surely let you off for a day or two.”
    “ ‘Taint no use; they won’t wait; I know them—what does Grinder Bros. care if I’m ill? Never mind, mother, I’ll rise above ’em all yet. Give me the clock , mother.”
    She gave him the clock, and he proceeded to wind it up and set the alarm.
    “There’s somethin’ wrong with the gong,” he muttered, “it’s gone wrong two nights now, but I’ll chance it. I’ll set the alarm at five, that’ll give me time to dress and git there early. I wish I hadn’t to walk so far.”
    He paused to read some words engraved round the dial:
    Early to bed and early to rise
    Makes a man healthy and wealthy and wise.
    He had read the verse often before, and was much taken with the swing and rhyme of it. He had repeated it to himself, over and over again, without reference to the sense or philosophy of it. He had never dreamed of doubting anything in print, and this was engraved. But now a new light seemed to dawn upon him. He studied the sentence awhile, and then read it aloud for the second time. He turned it over in his mind again in silence.
    “Mother!” he said suddenly, “I think it lies.” She placed the clock on the shelf, tucked him into his little bed on the sofa, and blew out the light.
    Arvie seemed to sleep, but she lay awake thinking of her troubles. Of her husband carried home dead from his work one morning; of her eldest son who only came to loaf on her when he was out of gaol; of the second son, who had feathered his nest in another city, and had no use for her any longer; of the next—poor delicate little Arvie—struggling manfully to help, and wearing his young life out at Grinder Bros. when he should be at school; of the five helpless younger children asleep in the next room: of her hard life—scrubbing floors from half-past five till eight, and then starting her day’s work-washing!—of having to rear her children in the atmosphere of brothels, because she could not afford to move and pay a higher rent; and of the rent.
    Arvie commenced to mutter in his sleep.
    “Can’t you get to sleep, Arvie?” she asked. “Is your throat sore? Can I get anything for you?”
    “I’d like to sleep,” he muttered, dreamily, “but it won’t seem more’n a moment before—before——”
    “Before what, Arvie?” she asked, quickly, fearing that he was becoming delirious.
    “Before the alarm goes off!”
    He was talking in his sleep.
    She rose gently and put the alarm on two hours. “He can rest now,” she whispered to