Read "Tilda Jane, an Orphan in Search of a Home" by Marshall Saunders online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
The young man said nothing more at the time, but ten minutes later, when he was thoughtfully smoking a long brown pipe, and 'Tilda Jane sat in a chair beside him, rocking her dog, he called out to Mrs. Minley, who was hovering about the room. "Sit down, Mrs. Minley. P'raps you can get this little girl to talk; I can't."
'Tilda Jane turned sharply to him. "Oh, mister, I'd do anything for you. I'll talk."