poor and proud-第2章

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〃Hain't　got　none；　but　I'll　give　you　a　piece　of　my　fish　line；　if　you　want；〃　replied　the　bully；　who　was　now　unusually　obliging。

〃There's　a　piece　of　spunyarn；　that's　just　the　thing　I　want；〃　and　Tommy　ran　half　way　up　the　pier　to　the　bridge；　picked　up　the　line；　and　commenced　stringing　the　flounders　on　it。

〃I　don't　want　them　all；　Tommy；　only　give　me　two　or　three。　I　never　shall　forget　you；　Tommy；〃　said　Katy；　her　eyes　suffused　with　tears　of　gratitude。

〃I'm　sorry　things　go　so　bad　with　you；　Katy；　and　I　wish　I　could　do　something　more　for　you。〃

〃I　don't　want　anything　more。　Don't　put　any　more　on　the　string。　There's　six。　We　can't　eat　any　more。〃

〃Well；　then；　I'll　bring　you　some　more　to…morrow；〃　replied　Tommy；　as　he　handed　her　the　string　of　fish。　〃Stop　a　minute；　here's　a　first…rate　tom…cod；　let　me　put　him　on；〃　and　he　took　the　string　and　added　the　fish　to　his　gift。

〃I　never　shall　forget　you；　Tommy；　I　shall　only　borrow　the　two　cents；　I　will　pay　you　again　some　time；〃　said　she；　in　a　low　tone；　so　that　Johnny　could　not　hear　her。

〃Never　mind　'em；　Katy。　Don't　go　hungry　again　for　a　minute。　Come　to　me；　and　I'll　help　you　to　something　or　other。〃

〃Thank　you；　Tommy；〃　and　with　a　lighter　heart　than　she　had　brought　with　her；　she　hastened　up　the　pier；　no　doubt　anticipating　a　rich　feast　from　the　string　of　fish。

The　pier　of　the　new　South　Boston　bridge　was　then；　as　now；　a　favorite　resort　for　juvenile　fishermen。　Flounders；　tom…cod；　and　eels；　to　say　nothing　of　an　occasional　sculpin；　which　boys　still　persist　in　calling　〃crahpies；〃　or　〃crahooners；〃　used　to　furnish　abundant　sport　to　a　motley　group　of　youngsters　wherein　the　sons　of　merchants　mingled　democratically　with　the　dirty；　ragged　children　of　the　〃Ten…footers〃　in　the　vicinity。　The　pier　was　neutral　ground；　and　Frederic　Augustus　made　a　friend　of　Michael　or　Dennis；　and　probably　neither　was　much　damaged　by　this　free　companionship；　for　Michael　or　Dennis　often　proves　to　be　more　of　a　gentleman　in　his　rags　and　dirty　face　than　Frederic　Augustus　in　his　broadcloth　and　white　linen。

Katy　walked　as　fast　as　her　little　feet　would　carry　her；　till　she　came　to　a　court　leading　out　of　Essex　Street。　The　bells　were　ringing　for　one　o'clock　as　she　entered　the　grocery　at　the　corner　and　purchased　the　two…cent　roll　which　Tommy　Howard's　bounty　enabled　her　to　add　to　her　feast。　Elated　with　the　success　of　her　mission；　she　quickened　her　pace　up　the　court　to　a　run；　rushed　into　the　house　and　up…stairs　to　her　mother's　room　with　as　much　enthusiasm　as　though　she　had　found　a　bag　of　gold；　instead　of　having　obtained　a　very　simple　dinner。

〃O；　mother；　I've　got　a　lot　of　flounders　and　some　bread　for　you！〃　exclaimed　she；　as　she　bolted　into　the　room。

〃Then　you　have　money；〃　said　a　cold　voice　in　the　chamber；　and　Katy　perceived；　standing　near　the　bed　on　which　her　mother　lay；　a　man　who　was　no　stranger　to　her。

It　was　Dr。　Flynch；　but　let　not　my　young　reader　make　a　mistake。　He　was　no　good　Samaritan；　who　had　come　to　pour　oil　and　wine　into　the　wounds　of　the　poor　sick　woman；　not　even　a　physician；　who　had　come　to　give　medicine　for　a　fee；　to　restore　her　to　health　and　strength。　It　is　true　he　was　called　a　doctor；　and　he　had　been　a　doctor；　but　he　did　not　practice　the　healing　art　now。　If　he　had　failed　to　make　a　physician；　it　was　not　because　his　heart　was　so　tender　that　he　could　not　bear　to　look　upon　pain　and　suffering。　He　was　the　agent　of　Mrs。　Gordon；　a　widow　lady；　who　owned　the　house　in　which　Katy's　mother　lived。　He　collected　her　rents；　and　transacted　all　her　business；　and　as　far　as　dollars　and　cents　were　concerned；　he　had　certainly　been　a　faithful　servant。　Dr。　Flynch　was　a　prudent　and　discreet　man；　and　did　not　hurt　the　feelings　of　the　good　lady　who　employed　him　by　telling　her　about　the　difficulties　he　encountered　in　the　discharge　of　his　duty；　or　by　describing　the　harsh　and　even　cruel　means　to　which　he　was　sometimes　obliged　to　resort；　in　order　to　obtain　the　rent　of　poor　tenants。

〃Mrs。　Redburn；〃　said　Dr。　Flynch；　when　he　had　heard　the　exclamation　of　Katy；　〃you　have　told　me　a　falsehood。　You　said　you　had　no　money；　not　a　cent。　Where　did　you　get　that　roll；　child？〃

〃At　the　store　at　the　corner　of　the　court；〃　replied　Katy；　abashed　by　the　cold　dignity　of　the　agent。

〃Precisely　so；　Mrs。　Redburn；　but　you　do　not　buy　bread　without　money。　You　have　attempted　to　deceive　me。　I　have　pitied　you　up　to　the　present　time；　and　indulged　you　in　the　non…payment　of　your　rent　for　over　a　week　I　can　do　so　no　longer；　for　you　have　told　me　a　falsehood。〃

〃No；　sir；　I　have　not；〃　pleaded　the　sick　woman。

〃Your　child　buys　bread。〃

〃I　did　not　give　her　the　money。〃

〃Where　did　you　get　the　money　to　buy　that　roll　with？〃　demanded　Dr。　Flynch；　turning　sharply　to　Katy。

〃Tommy　Howard　gave　it　to　me。〃

〃Who　is　Tommy　Howard？〃

〃He　lives　on　the　other　side　of　the　court。〃

〃Very　probable　that　a　dirty；　ragged　boy　gave　her　the　money！　This　is　another　false…hood；　Mrs。　Redburn。　I　lament　that　a　person　in　your　situation　should　have　no　higher　views　of　Christian　morality　than　to　lie　yourself；　and　teach　your　child　to　lie；　which　is　much　worse。〃

The　poor　woman　burst　into　tears；　and　protested　that　she　had　told　the　truth；　and　nothing　but　the　truth；　declaring　that　Katy　was　a　good　girl；　that　she　had　eaten　nothing　that　day；　and　would　not　tell　a　lie。　Dr。　Flynch　was　a　man　of　method；　and　when　a　tenant　did　not　pay　the　rent；　it　was　his　purpose　to　get　rid　of　that　tenant　in　the　quietest　way　possible。　In　the　present　case　there　was　a　difficulty；　and　public　opinion　would　not　justify　him　in　turning　a　sick　woman　out　of　the　house；　but　if　she　lied；　had　money　concealed；　and　would　not　pay　her　rent；　it　would　alter　the　matter。　As　he　wished　to　believe　this　was　the　case；　he　had　no　difficulty　in　convincing　himself；　and　thus　quieting　his　poor　apology　for　a　conscience。

Besides　being　a　man　of　method；　Dr。　Flynch　was　a　man　of　upright　walk　and　conversation；　at　least；　he　passed　for　such　with　those　who　did　not　know　anything　about　him。　If　Mrs。　Gordon　should　happen　to　hear　that　he　had　turned　out　the　sick　woman；　he　could　then　inform　her　how　feelingly　he　had　pointed　out　to　her　the　wickedness　of　her　conduct；　which　he　thought　would　sound　exceedingly　well。

〃Mrs。　Redburn；〃　he　continued；　〃I　will　give　you　till　this　time　to…morrow　to　get　out　of　the　house；　if　you　are　not　gone　then；　I　shall　be　under　the　painful　necessity　of　removing　your　goods　into　the　street。　Good　morning；〃　and　Dr。　Flynch　turned　upon　his　heel；　and　walked　out　of　the　room。

〃My　poor　child！　what　will　become　of　us？〃　sobbed　the　sick　woman；　as　she　grasped　Katy's　hand；　and　pressed　it　to　her　bosom　with　convulsive　energy。

〃Don't　cry；　mother；　something　can　be　done。　I　will　go　and　see　Mrs。　Gordon；　and　beg　her　to　let　you　stay　here。〃

〃You　must　not　do　that；　Dr。　Flynch　told　me；　if　I　troubled　her　about　the　house；　I　should　not　stay　in　it　another　minute；　even　if　I　paid　the　rent。〃

〃He　is　a　bad　man；　mother；　and　I　don't　believe　Mrs。　Gordon　knows　what　he　does　here。〃

〃There　is　one　thing　more　we　can　do；　Katy；〃　continued　Mrs。　Redburn；　wiping　away　her　tears；　and　taking　from　under　her　pillow　a　heavy　silver　watch。　〃This　was　your　father's；　but　we　must　sell　it　now。　It　is　all　we　have　left。〃

〃I　should　hate　to　have　that　sold；　mother。〃

〃We　must　sell　it；　or　pawn　it。〃

〃We　will　pawn　it　then。〃

〃How　shall　we　do　it？　I　have　not　strength　to　rise；　and　they　will　cheat　you　if　you　offer　it。〃

〃I　will　tell　you　what　I　can　do；　mother；　I　will　get　Simon　Sneed　to　go　with　me　to　the　pawnbroker's　shop。　He　is　very　kind　to　me；　and　I　know　he　will。　He　comes　home　to　dinner　at　two　o…clock。〃

This　plan　was　agreed　to；　and　Katy　then　went　to　work　to　clean　and　cook　the　flounders。



CHAPTER　II。

THE　HISTORY　OF　THE　SILVER　WATCH。


Katy　Redburn　was　only　eleven　years　old；　and　not　a　very　accomplished　cook；　but　as　the　children　learn　faster　in　the　homes　of　the　poor　than　in　the　dwellings　of　the　rich；　she　had　a　very　tolerable　idea　of　the　management　of　a　frying…pan。　The　operation　of　cleaning　the　flounders　was　the　greatest　trial；　for　the　skin　of　the　fish　has　to　be　removed。　She　cut　her　fingers　with　the　knife；　and　scratched　and　pricked　her　hands　with　the　sharp　bones；　but　she　was　resolute；　and　finally　accomplished　the　task　to　her　entire　satisfaction。　An　occasional　direction　from　her　mother　en