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SKETCHES. 391
my son. When God has given us health and strength to
strive and work” —
“Yes, but why must one strive and work?” interrupted
Anders in a sullen tone.
“My dear boy, how can you ask so?” she said; “one
must live, I should think.”
“ Aud why should one live?” retorted Anders.
The mother was silent, for she could not immediately
find an answer to that question, and it pained her that the
lad so often used such dissatisfied and bitter words.
Anders went on :—
“When one has neither father nor mother, nor money,
nor any thing in the world to live for, it would be just as
well to be dead. One would be out of all bother then.”
“Am I not your mother?” said the widow, while the
tears rose to her eyes.
“You are only my step-mother!” retorted Anders
harshly. “Had you been my mother, you would have
thought more of me than you have done, and I should not
then have had to go in this old coat of my father’s, but you
would have got me a new one.”
“That I would have done, if I could have afforded it,”
answered the widow, blushing from indignation at the un-
just accusation. “ But you know that I was obliged to sell
your father’s best coat, to be able to get him decently
buried. And you know also that Iam busy spinning wool
for a new coat for you.”
“ Aye, but when will it be ready?” said Anders. “You
might have sold the old brute of a horse, Polle, and have.
got money for him, instead of selling father’s best coat.
But you are proud, and waut to keep Polle only to drive to
church with him, although he is of no use, but eats up the
fodder for the cows. The wisest and best thing would be
to sell him.”
“ My son,” said the mother, “ Polle is old and has served
us many years, and therefore I am unwilling to sell him,
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