A New Home for Lily Read Online Free PDF Page B

be as old as Great-Grandma. So sad, so sad.
    Lily glanced up to see if Mama might need a handkerchiefto wipe away her tears. But no! Mama’s eyes were smiling. In fact, it looked as if she were trying not to laugh. “Oh, Lily. That’s only a very silly superstition. The mirror only shows a reflection of who looks into it. It doesn’t have any special powers. It’s just a mirror. You don’t have to worry about seeing an old wrinkled woman in it until you are old and wrinkled.”
    Mama bit on her lip as if she was trying very hard to hold back a smile. She turned back to the frying pan where several pieces of bacon sizzled and popped. Instantly, Lily felt light and happy. And very hungry. She wasn’t going to die soon after all. She would get to keep all her toys and books and never have to worry about looking in that mirror again.
    She wondered if all those other things she had heard from her new friends were only silly superstitions. Probably so. But she thought she would still step on her skirt while going up the stairs at least once every year. Just in case.

    Papa had found a job with a construction crew only a few days after moving to Pennsylvania. Unlike in New York, he didn’t work on Saturdays. That made Lily happy. That was the second good thing about moving to Pennsylvania. The first good thing was making friends with Beth. Those were the only two things on her list.
    On Saturdays, Lily and Joseph were Papa’s little helpers as he worked on the house. Lily loved to watch and help Papa with all the interesting things that he did.
    Earlier that week, Lily and Joseph had come home from school and had seen that someone had delivered a big, empty propane tank. It was set under the big spruce tree beside thehouse. Lily and Joseph liked to climb on top of the tank to slide over the side. It was only a short ride, but it was fun.
    On this particular Saturday, Papa was putting gauges on top of the tank. He told them that he didn’t want them to climb on it any longer. He didn’t want them to touch the gauges. “The best way to make sure that doesn’t happen is to stay off the tank.”
    Papa dug a ditch across the yard to the little gas engine. He placed another compressor behind the engine. Once it was hooked up, he started the engine and pumped air into the propane tank until he was satisfied there was enough pressure.
    Lily grew bored watching Papa work on the propane tank. It wasn’t as interesting as fixing the refrigerator. You could see ice, but you couldn’t see air.
    When the tank was full of compressed air, Papa took the lid off the water well. He started to pull at the pipes and wires that were attached to the electric pump that pumped water to the house. It was hard work. Soon, Papa gave up trying to do this project by himself. He went inside and sat at his desk to write a note. He handed it to Lily. “Run to Grandpa Miller’s and give this to him.”
    Lily hurried down the road to Grandpa Miller’s house and handed him the note at the door. He read it and said, “If you can wait a little, I’ll walk back with you.”
    Lily would never mind waiting for Grandpa. It would be special to have time alone with her grandfather. Soon, Grandpa finished his task, plucked his hat and coat from the wall peg, and the two were on their way.
    Grandpa walked with a purpose. He did everything with a purpose. Lily did the best she could to keep up, but her short legs had to take two steps for every one of his long,graceful strides. She chattered happily as they strolled down the road. Grandpa pointed out some birds that Lily had never noticed. He knew about all kinds of things—birds and wildlife and trees and clouds. Sometimes, Lily thought that Grandpa knew everything, even more than Papa. The walk didn’t take nearly long enough. It was the first time she had ever wished Grandpa lived farther away, so they could walk longer