poor and proud-第21章

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〃Katy；〃　said　her　mother；　who　was　sitting　in　her　rocking…chair；　by　the　fire。

〃What；　mother？〃

〃Come　here　a　moment。〃

Katy　crossed　the　room　to　her　mother；　to　hear　what　she　wished　to　say。

〃You　must　not　talk　to　her　in　that　style；〃　said　Mrs。　Redburn；　in　a　tone　so　low　that　Ann　could　not　hear　her。

〃Why　not；　mother？　I　was　only　telling　her　how　to　do。〃

〃But　you　speak　in　that　tone　of　superiority　which　no　one　likes　to　hear。　You　are　but　a　child；　as　she　is；　and　she　will　not　listen　to　such　advice　from　you。〃

Katy　wondered　what　her　mother　would　have　thought　if　she　had　heard　what　she　said　to　Ann　the　day　before。　Yet　she　was　conscious　that　she　had　〃put　on　airs；〃　and　talked　like　a　very　old　and　a　very　wise　person。

〃I　suppose　you　would　like　to　go　out　again　this　afternoon；〃　resumed　Katy；　joining　her　assistant　again。

〃I　don't　care　if　I　do。〃

〃Well；　come　this　afternoon；　and　you　shall　have　some　more　candy；〃　and　Ann　ran　home　to　get　her　dinner。

〃I　think　my　plan　will　work　well；　mother；〃　said　Katy；　when　she　had　gone。

〃It　has　so　far；　but　you　must　not　be　too　sure。〃

〃I　mean　to　go　out　after　dinner　and　hunt　up　some　more　girls；　for　you　see　I　shall　have　no　candy　to　sell　myself　this　afternoon；　when　I　have　given　Ann　two　dozen　sticks。〃

〃I　hope　you　will　not　attempt　to　lecture　them　as　you　did　her。〃

〃Why；　mother；　I　know　all　about　the　business　and　they　don't　know　anything。〃

〃I　doubt　not　you　are　competent　to　advise　them；　but　the　manner　in　which　you　address　them　is　more　offensive　than　the　matter。　Your　knowledge　of　the　business　makes　you　treat　them　as　inferiors。　You　must　not　think　too　much　of　yourself；　Katy。〃

〃No　danger　of　that；　mother。〃

〃I　am　afraid　there　is。　Persons　in　authority；　who　are　gentle　and　kind；　and　do　not　act　like　superiors；　are　more　promptly　obeyed；　and　more　loved　and　respected；　than　those　who　are　puffed　up　by　their　office；　and　tyrannical　in　their　manners。〃

〃But　I　am　not　a　person　in　authority；　mother；〃　laughed　Katy。

〃You　will　be；　if　you　employ　a　dozen　girls　to　sell　candy　for　you。〃

After　Katy　had　eaten　her　dinner；　and　fitted　out　Ann　Grippen；　she　left　the　house　in　search　of　some　more　assistants。　She　was　well　known　to　all　the　boys　and　girls　in　the　neighborhood；　and　when　she　stated　her　object　to　one　and　another　of　them；　she　was　readily　understood。　To　help　her　cause；　it　had　begun　to　be　known　that　Ann　Grippen　had　been　seen　with　a　clean　face；　selling　candy　in　the　street。　She　had　no　difficulty；　therefore；　in　procuring　the　services　of　half　a　dozen　girls；　who　were　delighted　with　the　plan　especially　when　Katy　informed　them　of　Ann's　success。

On　her　return　home；　she　found　that　Simon　Sneed　had　called　to　see　her；　and　she　immediately　hastened　to　his　house。　When　she　knocked；　he　came　to　the　door　and　invited　her　into　the　palor。

〃Well；　Katy；　I　have　hit　upon　something；〃　said　he。

〃I　am　glad　you　have。〃

〃I　went　down　town　after　I　saw　you；　and　hearing　of　a　place　in　Tremont　Row；　I　went　to　apply　for　it。〃

〃Did　you　get　it？〃

〃Not　yet；　but　I　hope　to　get　it。　They　agreed　to　give　me　three　dollars　a　week　if　everything　proved　satisfactory；　but　they　wanted　a　recommendation　from　my　last　employers。〃

〃Of　course　they　will　give　you　one。〃

〃No；　they　would　not；　they　were　offended　because　I　left　them。〃

〃Then　you　asked　them？〃

〃Yes；　I　went　after　one　this　afternoon；　and　they　would　not　give　it　to　me。　I　did　not　much　expect　they　would；　and　so　I　informed　Messrs。　Runn　&　Reed；　the　firm　to　which　I　have　applied　for　an　engagement。　I　told　them　exactly　how　the　case　stood；　that　I　had　demanded　higher　wages；　and　the　Messrs。　Sands　were　angry　with　me　for　doing　so；　and　for　that　reason　refused　the　testimonial。　They　saw　through　it　all；　and　understood　my　position。　When　I　spoke　to　them　about　my　friend　the　mayor；　they　looked　surprised；　and　said　a　recommendation　from　him　would　satisfy　them。　So　you　see　just　how　I　am　situated。〃

〃Why　don't　you　go　to　him　at　once；　and　ask　him　for　the　recommendation？〃　said　Katy　wondering　why　he　hesitated　at　so　plain　a　case。

But　Master　Simon　had　some　scruples　about　doing　so。　He　was　old　enough　to　know　that　it　was　rather　a　delicate　business　to　ask　a　man　in　a　high　official　station　for　a　testimonial　on　so　slight　an　acquaintance。　The　mayor　was　interested　in　Katy；　though　she　did　not　presume　to　call　him　her　friend。　She　had　twice　called　upon　him；　and　she　might　again。

〃I　don't　like　to　ask　him；　Katy。　I　feel　some　delicacy　about　doing　so。〃

〃I　should　just　as　lief　ask　him　as　not；　if　I　were　you。　I　am　afraid　you　are　too　proud；　Master　Simon。〃

〃I　am　proud；　Katy：　that's　just　it。　I　was　born　to　be　a　gentleman；　but　I　submit　to　my　lot。　I　am　willing　to　sell　my　talents　and　my　labor　for　money。　If　I　can　once　get　in　at　Runn　&　Reed's；　I　am　sure　they　will　appreciate　me；　and　consider　it　a　lucky　day　on　which　they　engaged　me。〃

〃If　you　want　me　to　go　to　the　mayor's　house　with　you；　I　will；〃　said　Katy；　who　did　not　clearly　comprehend　Simon's　wishes。

〃Well；　I　think　I　will　not　go　myself；〃　replied　Simon。

〃Why　not？〃

〃I　do　not　like　to　place　myself　in　a　humiliating　posture　before　great　men。　If　I　were　mayor　of　Boston；　I　should　like　to　do　him　the　favor　which　I　ask　for　myself。　When　I　am〃

〃You　haven't　asked　him；　Master　Simon。〃

〃In　a　word；　Katy；　I　want　you　to　ask　him　for　me。　You　will　do　me　a　great　favor。〃

〃I　will；〃　replied　Katy；　promptly。

〃The　mayor　is　a　very　fine　man；　kind…hearted；　and　willing　to　help　everybody　that　deserves　help；　and　if　he　were　not　my　friend；　I　should　feel　no　delicacy　in　asking　him　myself。　You　can　state　the　case；　and　inform　him　who　I　am；　and　what　I　am；　that　you　know　me　to　be　honest　and　faithful。　You　can　tell　him；　too；　that　I　am　a　gentlemanly　person；　of　pleasing　address。〃

〃But　I　can't　remember　all　that；〃　interposed　Katy。

〃Tell　him　what　you　can　recollect；　then。　He　is　an　easy；　good…natured　man；　and　will　give　you　the　testimonial　at　once。〃

〃Suppose　you　write　a　paper；　just　such　as　you　want；　Master　Simon。　Then　he　can　copy　it。〃

〃Well　I　will　do　that。〃

Simon　seated　himself　at　a　table；　and；　after　considerable　effort；　produced　the　following　piece　of　elegant　composition；　which　he　read　to　Katy：

〃To　whom　it　may　concern：

〃This　may　certify　that　I　have　been　for　some　time　acquainted　with　my　friend　Mr。　Simon　Sneed；　and　I　believe　him　to　be　an　honest　and　faithful　young　man；　of　gentlemanly　bearing；　pleasing　address；　and　polite　manners；　who　will　be　an　honor　and　an　ornament　to　any　establishment　that　may　be　so　fortunate　as　to　secure　his　valuable　services；　and　I　cheerfully　recommend　him　to　any　person　to　whom　he　may　apply　for　a　situation。　Mayor　of　Boston。〃

〃I　have　left　a　blank　space　for　his　honor's　signature；〃　continued　Master　Simon；　when　he　had　read　the　modest　document。　〃What　do　you　think　of　it；　Katy？〃

〃It　is　very　fine。　What　a　great　scholar　you　must　be！　I　should　think　you'd　write　a　book。〃

〃Perhaps　I　may　one　of　these　days。〃

〃I　will　go　right　up　to　the　mayor's　house　now；〃　said　Katy；　as　she　bade　him　good　afternoon。

Before　she　went；　she　returned　home　and　nicely　enclosed　six　sticks　of　candy　in　white　paper　as　a　present　for　Freddie；　the　mayor's　little　son。　On　her　way　up　to　Park　Street　she　opened　Simon's　paper；　and　read　it。　It　sounded　funny　to　her；　with　its　big　words　and　fine　sentences；　and　then　what　a　puffing　Master　Simon　had　given　himself！　She　even　began　to　wonder　if　there　was　not　something　about　her　gentlemanly　friend　which　was　not　all　right。

She　reached　the　mayor's　house；　and　as　it　was　his　time　to　be　at　home；　she　was　conducted　to　the　library。

〃Ah；　Katy；　I　am　glad　to　see　you；〃　said　he；　taking　her　hand。

〃Thank　you；　sir。　I　have　brought　this　candy　for　Master　Freddie。〃

〃You　are　very　good；　and　I　suppose　you　are　so　proud　that　I　must　not　offer　to　pay　you　for　it。〃

〃If　you　please；　don't；　sir；〃　replied　Katy；　unconsciously　taking　Master　Simon's　testimonial　from　her　pocket。　〃I　don't　want　you　to　pay　me　in　money；　but　you　may　pay　me　in　another　way；　if　you　please。〃

〃May　I？　What　have　you　in　your　hand？〃

〃A　paper；　sir。　You　remember　Master　Simon　Sneed？〃

〃No；　I　don't。〃

〃The　young　man　at　Sands　&　Co。's。〃

〃O；　yes；　the　young　gentleman　that　uses　so　many　long　words。〃

〃He　has　left　his　place；　and　wants　to　get　another。〃

〃He　has　left　it？　Why　was　that？〃

〃He　asked　for　more　wages。　He　has　found　another　place