Sara 16 The Baker's Shop
One day Sara was sitting thinking. She said to Mr Carrisford , who was now her guardian, "I have been thinking about the children who are not as lucky as I am. I remember giving some buns to a little girl.
She was so hungry. Now you say I have a lot of money so could I use a little of it to help. I could go to see the lady in the baker's shop and ask her to give some food to any hungry children that she sees on the steps or looking in the window. She could send the bills to me. Could I do that?" "Of course," said Mr Carrisford, "That is very kind."
The next day Sara went to the baker's shop with Mr Carrisford. They arrived just as the bun-woman was putting a tray of smoking-hot buns into the window.
When Sara entered the shop the woman turned and looked at her. Then she recognised her and smiled. "I'm sure that I remember you, miss," she said. "But I cannot think when...
"Yes," said Sara; "once you gave me eight buns for sixpence, and--"
"And you gave six of them to a beggar child," said the woman. "I've always remembered it. I couldn't make it out at first."She turned round to Mr Carrrisford and spoke her next words to him.
"There's not many young people that notices a hungry face in that way; and I've thought of it many a time."
Then she said to Sara, "Your cheeks look rosier and you look much better than the last time I saw you."
"I am better, thank you," said Sara. "And--I am much happier--and I have come to ask you to do something for me."
"Me, miss!" exclaimed the bun-woman, smiling cheerfully. "Why, bless you! Yes, miss. What can I do?" And then Sara, asked if she would give food to the poor children and send the bills to her..
"I will be very pleased to do that," said the woman, "I have often given bits of bread to hungry children but I haven't really got very much money myself. I have always wished I could do more."
"I have often thought about the girl I helped," said Sara. I'm sure she was much hungrier than I was."
"She was starving," said the woman. "Many's the time she's told me of it since--how she sat there in the wet, and felt as if she was so hungry she would die."
"Oh, have you seen her since then?" exclaimed Sara. "Do you know where she is?"
"Yes, I do," answered the woman, smiling more good-naturedly than ever. "She's in the back room of this shop. "She's been working for me for a month. She's a very good worker and a great help."
She called to the girl and she came out to meet Sara. She now looked clean and had decent clothes.
"You see," said the woman, "I told her to come when she was hungry, and when she'd come I'd give her odd jobs to do. I found she was willing, and somehow I got to like her. I've asked her to live with me. Her name's Anne. " She opened the door to the back of the shop and called to Anne who came through.
The children stood and looked at each other for a few minutes; and then they shook hands
"I am so glad," Sara said. "And I have just thought of something. Perhaps Mrs. Brown will let you be the one to give the buns and bread to the children. Perhaps you would like to do it because you know what it is to be hungry, too."
"Yes, I would like to do that," said Anne.
Sara and Anne looked at each other. They felt that they were friends already because both of them had at one time been poor and hungry.
THE END
