Little Klein by Anne Ylvisaker

Author:Anne Ylvisaker [Ylvisaker, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5437-5
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Published: 2007-09-03T04:00:00+00:00

Harold was recognized as part of the Klein Boys when he was with his brothers, but on his own he was anonymous. His chin did not clear the counter at Gamble’s Hardware, and he often lost his place in the line at Candy’s Candies when people overlooked him.

Since the Minister incident, Mother Klein worried about Little Klein being pulled into the river by a hooked fish and drowning. While she had not exactly forbidden him to go angling with his brothers, she had managed every time to find some reason he had to stay behind. The garden needed weeding and watering. The floors needed dusting and he was the only one who could get all the way under the davenport.

One day with two quarters in his pocket to buy stamps, Little Klein and LeRoy took the long way to the Lena post office, past the Skelly gas station. On a bench outside the station door, Mr. Holt and Mr. Cutter were muttering over their checkers game. When Mr. Cutter won, as always, Little Klein took LeRoy inside to inquire after any current money-making ventures. Sam was busy with a customer, so he pulled a stool up to the counter and studied the customer’s son, who was fiddling with a deck of cards.

“Pick a card,” the boy said to Little Klein. Little Klein pulled a two of spades.

“Two of spades,” said the boy.

“Lucky guess,” said Little Klein. “Let me try again.”

“King of diamonds.”

“Did you shuffle?”

“Sure, watch. Now pull another one.”

Little Klein consulted LeRoy. “Sniff this, boy. Whaddya think?”

“Hey, humans only!” the boy protested.

Little Klein held his hand over the deck, studying the boy’s eyes as he drew a card.

“Ace of hearts,” pronounced the magician.

“How do you do that?”

“Magic,” said the boy as he walked out the door with his father.

“Did you see that?” Little Klein asked Sam.

“It’s just a trick. Anyone can learn tricks,” said Sam. “Don’t have chores for you today, buddy. The shelves are all dusted and no deliveries till later in the week. Sorry.” He reached under the counter, then tossed a dog biscuit to LeRoy.

“That’s okay,” said Little Klein glumly. As he walked, he imagined himself pulling the card trick on his brothers.

“How’d you do that?” they’d ask in amazement.

“Magic,” he’d say with a modest shrug. His brothers would bring him along to perform for their friends.

“How’d he do that?” they’d ask in hushed voices.

“Magic,” the Bigs would say as Little Klein pulled a quarter from behind Lucy McCrea’s ear.

When school started back in the fall, the kids would gather around him at recess while he showed off a new trick. Instead of Twig, they’d call him Whiz or Shark or Sly. The Bigs would be known as Sly’s brothers.

Gamble’s Hardware was next to the post office. Little Klein told LeRoy to stay and wrestled with the temptation to open the door. He was supposed to go to the post office, buy fifteen stamps with the quarters, and then go straight home with a nickel change. Having already detoured past the filling station, he knew he should move on.

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