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  HALF AND HALF, Lensey Namioka

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  Copyright © 1951 by Follett Publishing Company

  Copyright renewed 1979 by Ralph Taylor

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  eISBN: 978-0-307-78683-8

  Reprinted by arrangement with the Agents for the ALL-OF-A-KIND FAMILY Series by Sydney Taylor, GRM Associates, Inc., 290 West End Avenue, New York, NY 10023; 212-874-5964.

  v3.1

  To my mother and father, who made it possible;

  To my husband, who made it probable.

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  The Library Lady

  Dusting Is Fun

  Rainy Day Surprise

  Who Cares If It’s Bedtime?

  The Sabbath

  Papa’s Birthday

  Purim Play

  Sarah In Trouble

  Mama Has Her Hands Full

  Fourth of July

  Family Outing

  Succos

  A New Charlie

  “THAT SLOWPOKE SARAH!” Henny cried. “She’s making us late!”

  Mama’s girls were going to the library, and Henny was impatient.

  “If it was Charlotte, I could understand,” said Ella, who was the eldest and very serious. “I’d know Charlotte was off dreaming in some corner. But what can be keeping Sarah?”

  “All the best books will be gone,” complained Henny. “Maybe she forgot it’s Friday.”

  “No!” interrupted Charlotte. “Not Sarah!”

  No, not Sarah, nor any of the girls could forget that Friday was library day.

  Almost no East Side child owned a book when Mama’s children were little girls. That was an unheard-of luxury. It was heavenly enough to be able to borrow books from the public library and that was where the children always went on Friday afternoons. Right after school, they rushed off happily to get fresh reading material for the week end. Even Gertie who was not yet old enough to “belong” took the weekly trip to look at the picture magazines.

  Where was Sarah? Mama was beginning to be concerned too. It wasn’t like the child to be late.

  At last footsteps could be heard on the creaky back steps. Henny ran to open the kitchen door and poked her head out. “Here she comes,” she called.

  “Well, it’s about time,” said Ella. “Come on, let’s get our books.”

  Henny opened the door wider. “What’s the matter?” her sisters heard her asking.

  A woebegone little figure, face streaked with tears, walked slowly into the kitchen.

  “Mama,” piped up Gertie, “Sarah’s crying.”

  “Sarah, what’s the matter? What’s happened?”

  Sarah didn’t answer. Walking over to the hard brown leather couch, she threw herself face downward, weeping bitterly. Her sisters gathered in a little group around her.

  Mama came over and sat down beside Sarah. Gently she stroked her hair and let the child weep. After a while she said softly, “Sarah, tell us what happened.”

  Between sobs, the muffled words came slowly, “My — library book — is — lost.”

  Lost! The children looked at each other in dismay. Such a thing had never happened in the family before. “Ooh — how awful!” Ella said, and then was sorry that the words had escaped her for they seemed to bring on a fresh burst of tears.

  “Now, now, stop crying, Sarah,” Mama said. “You’ll only make yourself sick. Come, we’ll wash your face and then you’ll tell us all about it.”

  Obediently Sarah followed Mama to the kitchen sink.

  “Does it mean we can’t go to the library ever again?” Charlotte whispered to Ella.

  Ella shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

  “Maybe we could change over to another branch,” suggested Henny.

  The cold water felt good on Sarah’s flushed face. She was quiet now and could talk.

  “It wasn’t really me that lost the book. It was my friend, Tillie. You know how Tillie never takes a book out herself, but she’s always wanting to read mine. When I told her about Peter and Polly In Winter, she begged me to lend it to her. She promised she’d give it back to me on Friday.

  “When I asked her for it today, she said that she put it in my desk yesterday, but Mama, she didn’t! She really didn’t!”

  “Are you sure?” asked Mama. “Maybe you left it in school.”

  “I looked a thousand times. That’s why I came so late. I kept hunting and hunting all over the schoolroom.”

  “Maybe you brought it home with you yesterday and left it here in the house.”

  “Then it should be on the shelf under the whatnot,” Ella said.

  Hopefully, everybody rushed over to the whatnot where the library books were kept, but alas, there was no Peter and Polly book there today.

  “I cleaned the house pretty thoroughly this morning,” said Mama. “I don’t remember seeing the book anywhere. But let’s all look again anyway.”

  How anxiously everyone searched. The children peered into every corner of the two bedrooms and they poked under beds and dressers. No one believed it was in the front room, but still they searched it diligently. They searched and searched until they had to agree that it was useless to continue.

  When they were back in the kitchen again, Sarah said tearfully, “How can I go and tell the library that the book is lost?” She was ready to cry again.

  “I’m afraid they won’t let you take out any more books until we pay for this one,” Mama worried. “And a book costs a lot of money.”

  “But Tillie lost the book,” argued Sarah. “She should pay.”

  “We can’t be sure of that,” Mama said. “Tillie claims she returned it. Maybe someone else took it.”

  “No library could make me pay for any old book.” Henny was just trying to cover up how bad she felt too.

  “I’m afraid the library will expect you to pay for it. And it’s only right,” continued Mama. “You borrowed the book and that makes you responsible. The library lets you borrow the book and you’re not supposed to lend it to anybody else. I know you wanted to be kind
to Tillie, but if Tillie wants to read a library book, then she should take out her own. I wish I could help you pay for this, but you know, Sarah, there’s no money for such things.”

  “But Mama, will you come with me and talk to the library lady?”

  Mama shook her head. “No, Sarah, that’s something you must do yourself. If you explain just how it happened, I’m sure the library lady will understand that you didn’t mean to be careless. Find out what you have to do, and we’ll talk about it when you get back. Now you’ll all have to hurry. There’s not much time left before supper. So, the rest of you, see if you can choose your books quickly today.”

  Mama had said to hurry but Sarah’s feet wouldn’t walk. They felt like lead. In her chest was a lump of lead too. Ella put her arm around Sarah’s shoulder. Even Gertie forsook her idol Charlotte and came over to Sarah. She slipped her little hand into Sarah’s, her brown eyes large in sympathy.

  A branch of the New York Public Library was only a few blocks from their home; soon the familiar brown building came into view. Through the high door and up the staircase they went. With each step, Sarah grew more despairing. They’ll take my card away, she thought. I just know they will. I’ll never be able to take out any more books.

  Once inside the room, Sarah hung back, fearing to join the line at the “in” desk. She looked back down the staircase longingly. It would be so easy to run down the stairs and out into the street and just never come back.

  “Come on, Sarah,” Ella said. “Let’s get it over with.” Gently she pulled Sarah towards the desk and the five children fell in line.

  Henny nudged Sarah. “Look,” she said, “isn’t that a new library lady? She’s pretty!” she added.

  Sarah studied the new library lady anxiously. She looked so fresh and clean in a crisp white shirtwaist with long sleeves ending in paper cuffs pinned tightly at the wrists. Her hair is light, just like mine, Sarah said to herself. And she has such little ears. I think she has a kind face. She watched as the librarian’s slender fingers pulled the cards in and out of the index file. How does she keep her nails so clean, Sarah wondered, thinking of her own scrubby ones.

  It was Ella’s turn to have her book stamped. The library lady looked up and Sarah could see the deep blue of her eyes. The library lady smiled.

  She has dimples, Sarah thought. Surely a lady with dimples could never be harsh.

  The smile on the library lady’s face deepened. In front of her desk stood five little girls dressed exactly alike.

  “My goodness! Are you all one family?”

  “Yes, all one family,” Henny spoke up. “I’m Henrietta, Henny for short; I’m ten. Ella’s twelve, Sarah is eight, Charlotte is six, and Gertie is four.”

  “A steps-and-stairs family!” The library lady laughed and the tiny freckles on her pert nose seemed to laugh with her.

  “That’s a good name for us,” Ella said. “Some people call us an all-of-a-kind family.”

  “All of a very nice kind,” smiled the library lady. “And you have such nice names! I’m Miss Allen, your new librarian. I’m very glad to meet you.”

  Her eyes travelled over the five little girls. Such sad-looking faces. Not a smile among them.

  “Better tell the teacher what happened,” Charlotte whispered to Sarah.

  “She’s not a teacher, silly. She’s a library lady.” Henny’s scornful reply was loud enough for Miss Allen to hear. The dimples began to show again.

  Sarah stepped forward. “Library lady,” she began, twisting and untwisting the fingers of her hands.

  Miss Allen looked at Sarah and suddenly noticed the red-rimmed eyes and the nose all swollen from weeping. Something was wrong. No wonder the faces were so unhappy.

  “Let me see, now. Which one are you?” she asked.

  “Sarah,” the little girl replied and the tears began to swim in her eyes.

  The library lady put her hand under the little girl’s chin and lifted it up. “Now, now, Sarah. Nothing can be that bad.”

  Sarah said tearfully, “Yes, it can. I — I —” She couldn’t go on.

  “Here.” Ella put a handkerchief to her sister’s nose.

  Miss Allen went on speaking as if she did not notice anything unusual. “Did you enjoy your book?”

  Sarah’s voice broke. “I loved it. But nobody else will ever be able to read it again …”

  “She means she lost it!” Henny blurted out.

  “She didn’t lose it. It was Tillie.” Charlotte rushed to Sarah’s defense.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” said the library lady, looking bewilderedly from one to the other. “Who is Tillie?”

  Thereupon Ella unfolded the whole story and the library lady listened sympathetically.

  “Mama says I must pay for the book and I’m going to — every cent.” Sarah was trembling. “But I don’t have enough money now.”

  “How much will she have to pay?” Ella asked.

  “I’ll have to look it up in the catalogue,” Miss Allen answered. She pulled out a big book and began to look through its pages. It really was a shame that this had happened. She knew that the people who lived on the East Side had to count their pennies carefully. Even a small sum would seem like a fortune to these children.

  Her heart went out to the little group. How sincere they were and how anxious to do the right thing. She wished that she could pay for the book herself. But she could not risk hurting either the children or their parents by making the offer.

  She made her voice as cheerful as she could. “Well, it’s not nearly as bad as I thought. Let’s see now. Do you have any spending money, Sarah?”

  “A penny a day … and I can save my pennies. I don’t care for candy anyway.” She added quickly, “I have seventeen cents saved up in my penny bank.”

  Seventeen cents! thought the library lady. How can I tell her that the book costs a dollar? “Is that all you have?”

  Sarah nodded shyly. “Yes.”

  “She was going to buy a doll.” Gertie’s voice filled the silence. “A doll with real hair.”

  The library lady looked at the sad little figure for a moment.

  “Sarah,” she said, “the book costs a dollar. If you pay the seventeen cents the next time you come, you will owe eighty-three cents. After that, I will make a special arrangement so you can pay one penny each week. I know it will take a very long time to pay the whole amount but you can save for your doll at the same time.”

  Sarah’s eyes opened wide in unbelief. “You mean, I can save for my doll and still pay for the book?”

  “That’s right,” said the library lady, and they both smiled.

  Meanwhile the other children were whispering among themselves. Finally Ella spoke up. “Could we help pay? Each of us can bring a penny every week. We’ve collected three cents right now.”

  Henny said shamefacedly, “I already spent my penny today but I promise I’ll bring it next week like the others.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea! Sarah must be very proud to have such thoughtful sisters.”

  Sarah was proud. She gave them each a hug. “And when I get my doll, you can all play with her.”

  “Isn’t it nice to have a family to share your troubles?” asked the library lady.

  “Have you any sisters?” Sarah asked shyly.

  “No, dear. Nor brothers. I’m the only one.”

  “Isn’t that lonesome?” Charlotte asked. The children all felt sorry for the library lady now.

  “Yes, dear, it is lonesome. But come now, aren’t you going to take out any books today?”

  “Can Sarah take out a book too?” questioned Henny.

  “Yes, she can, so long as you’ll be paying for the lost book.”

  Sarah clasped her hands together joyfully. “Oh, thank you! I think you’re the nicest, kindest library lady in the whole world.”

  Miss Allen’s smile was warm and friendly. “Run along now, dear, and get your book.”

  As she worked, Miss Allen found herse
lf watching the five little girls. How quaint they were in their stiffly starched white aprons over dark woolen dresses. They looked for all the world like wide-open umbrellas.

  Had she been able to peek under those dresses, she would have understood why they billowed out in such a manner. Underneath were three petticoats, a woolly, flannel one first, a simple cotton one next, with both of these topped by a fancy muslin garment which was starched to a scratchy crispness. In order to save money, Mama made those petticoats herself. Still further underneath was long woolen underwear, over which were pulled heavy knitted woolen stockings, making thin legs look like well-stuffed frankfurters. How the girls hated those stockings! They itched so! And they never wore out! Mama knitted them herself on long needles and she could always reknit the holes the children made.

  Miss Allen could see that the stockings were bothering Sarah. She looked very comical as she kept rubbing one leg against the other. Clutching her new book tightly to her, she made her way back to the desk.

  “Come on, everybody. It’s late,” Ella warned.

  The children quickly chose their books and gave them to the library lady for stamping.

  They raced home on happy feet. They couldn’t wait to tell Mama that their beloved Friday afternoons at the library were not going to be spoiled after all.

  AFTER BREAKFAST Monday morning, Mama said, “Henny, put aside your book. It’s your turn to dust the front room today.”

  “Mama, let Ella do it,” Henny said. “I have to finish my homework.”

  “I will not,” retorted Ella, her black eyes snapping. “It’s your turn. I did it yesterday.”

  “Ella is right,” Mama said. “You should have done your homework yesterday instead of leaving it until the last moment. You’ll have to do it.”

  “Then let Charlotte do it. She hasn’t done a thing all morning. I’ve got to finish my homework.”

  “Charlotte will help dry the breakfast dishes this morning. That’s her job today. Your job today is to dust the front room.”

  “All right, then. I’ll have a swell excuse when the teacher asks me why I haven’t finished my homework. I’ll say my mother took up all my time with dusting.” Henny tossed her blonde curls defiantly. How her sisters envied her those curls!