poor and proud-第31章
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must be prized by the poor woman。
〃Mercy； what's this！〃 exclaimed she； starting back； and staggering towards her chair。
〃What is the matter； mother？〃 cried Grace； running to her side。 〃Are you ill？〃
〃No； Grace； that inscription！〃 replied Mrs。 Gordon； faintly； for she seemed very deeply moved； and on the point of swooning。 〃Bring me a glass of water。〃
There was no water in the room； but Michael was in the entry； and was dispatched to procure it。 He returned in a moment； and when Mrs。 Gordon had in some measure recovered from the sudden shock she pointed to the inscription on the back of the watch：
〃M。 G。 to J。 R。 All for the Best。〃
〃What does； it mean； mother？ I do not see anything very strange about that。〃
〃I have seen this watch before；〃 she replied； stopping to think。 〃Where did your mother get this watch； Katy？〃 she asked； as it occurred to her that she might be arriving at a conclusion too suddenly。
〃It was my father's。〃
〃Where did your father get it？ Did you ever hear your mother say？
〃Yes； ma'am； her father； who was a rich Liverpool merchant； gave it to her husband； my father；〃 replied Katy； who felt justified in revealing what her mother had told her to keep secret。
〃Mercy！〃 gasped Mrs。 Gordon； almost overcome by her emotions。
〃What is the matter； mother？ What has all this to do with you？〃 asked Grace； anxiously。
〃Come here； Katy； my child；〃 continued Mrs。 Gordon； as she drew the little candy merchant to her side； and warmly embraced her。 〃Your mother； Katy； is my sister； I have scarcely a doubt。〃
〃Why； mother！ Is it possible？〃 exclaimed Grace。
〃It is even so。 Mrs。 Redburn； whose name we have often heard mentioned without thinking it might be the wife of John Redburn； my father's clerk； is my sister。 I had given her up； and have regarded her as dead for more than ten years。 But； Grace； get my things； and I will go to her at once。〃
〃Is that your portrait； ma'am？〃 asked Katy； pointing to the picture of the mischievous lady。
〃No； child； that is your mother's portrait。〃
〃I almost knew it。〃
〃It was taken when she was only sixteen years old。 She was a gay； wild girl then。 I suppose she is sadly changed now。〃
The thought completely overcame Mrs。 Gordon； and throwing herself upon a sofa； she wept like a child。 She thought of her sister suffering from poverty and want； while she had been rolling in opulence and plenty。 Grace tried to comfort her； but it was some time before she was in a condition to enter the carriage which was waiting at the door。
〃What an adventure； mother！〃 exclaimed Grace； as she seated herself by the side of Katy； and it was evident she had a vein of the romantic in her composition。
〃Do not talk to me； Grace。 My heart is too full for words。〃
〃But I may talk to Katymay I not？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； cousin Katy；〃 laughed Grace； 〃I shall call you cousin； though you are not really my cousin。〃
〃Not your cousin？〃 said Katy； a shade of disappointment crossing her animated features。
〃No； for Mrs。 Gordon is not really my mother； only my stepmother； but she is just as good as a real mother； for I never knew any other。 Dear me！ how strange all this is！ And you will go up and live with us in Temple Street； and〃
〃I can't leave my mother；〃 interrupted Katy。
〃You mother shall go； too。〃
〃She is too sick now。〃
Grace continued to talk as fast as she could； laying out ever so many plans for the future； till the carriage reached Colvin Court。 I will not follow them into the chamber of the sick woman； where Mrs。 Gordon； by a slow process that did not agitate the invalid too violently； revealed herself to her sister。 The fine lady of Temple Street had a heart； a warm and true heart； and not that day； nor that night； nor for a week； did she leave the sick bed of the sufferer。 There； in the midst of her sister's poverty； she did a sister's offices。
It was three weeks before Mrs。 Redburn was in a condition to be moved to her sister's house； and then she was once more in the midst of the luxury and splendor of her early life。 One day； when she had improved so much as to be able to bear the fatigue of a long conversation； Mrs。 Gordon； who had thus far declined to discuss any exciting topics with the invalid proposed to have everything explained。 Each had a very long story to tell； but as the reader already knows Mrs。 Redburn's history； I shall only briefly narrate that of Mrs。 Gordon and the Guthrie family； after the departure of the former。
Mr。 Guthrie； the father of both； died two years after the flight of MargaretMrs。 Redburnwhen of course there was a large property to be divided。 Diligent search was made for Margaret in America but her husband had declared to some person in Liverpool that he had an engagement in Montreal。 This place was thoroughly canvassed； but without success。 No trace of the runaways could be discovered。 Agents were sent to various parts of America； and no tidings of Margaret had ever reached them。
About two year after her father's death； JaneMrs。 Gordonhad married a very wealthy gentleman from Baltimore。 He was then a widower with one childGrace Gordon。 She had come to America with him； and resided in Baltimore till his death； a period of only two years。 Then； having never liked to live in that city； she had removed to Boston； where she had a few friends。 She had invested her money and resided there； very happily situated； and with no desire to return to her native land。
Her father's estate had been divided； and the portion which belonged to Margaret was held in trust for seven yearswhen the law presumed she was deadand was then delivered to her sister； who was the only remaining heir。 Now that she had appeared； it was promptly paid over to her； and Mrs。 Redburn； before poor and proud； was now rich； and humility never sat more gracefully on the brow of woman than on hers。
Katy and her mother had entered upon a new life； and in the midst of luxury and splendor； they could not forget the past nor cease to thank God for His past and present mercies。 Mrs。 Gordon used to declare it was strange she had never thought that Mrs。 Redburn might be her sister； but it was declared that stranger things than that had happened。
Katy continued to go to school with great regularity； and became an excellent scholar。 She was beloved by all her companions and Grace； who was married shortly after Katy entered the family； always regarded her with the affection of a sister； insisting that she should spend half the time at her house。 Mrs。 Redburn was soon completely restored to health。 She had a fortune to manage now； and when Dr。 Flynch proposed to collect her rents and take charge of her affairs； she respectfully declined the offer。 Mrs。 Gordon did not like him as well as formerly； for her sister had opened her eyes in regard to his true character； and she soon found an opportunity to discharge him。
Having carried Katy through her principal troubles and chronicled the rise and fall of the candy trade we shall step forward ten years to take a final look at her and her friends； and then bid them farewell。
CHAPTER XXI。
KATY GOES TO CHURCH； AND HAS A BIRTHDAY PARTY。
Ten years is a long timelong enough to change the child into a woman； the little candy merchant into a fine lady。 I suppose； therefore； that my young friends will need to be introduced to Miss Redburn。 There she sits in the pleasant apartment in Temple Street； where the picture of the mischievous girl still hangs； though it looks very little like the matron at her side； for whom it was taken。 She is not beautiful enough to be the heroine of a romance； neither has she done any absurd thing； she has only supported her mother when she had no one else to care for her。 But Katy is irresistible if she is not pretty。 She still looks as pleasant as a morning in June； and smiles sweetly when any one speaks to her and when she speaks to any one。
I am sorry I cannot inform my young lady friends how Miss Redburn was dressed； or how she proposed to dress； at her birthday party； which was to come off the following weekwhat silks； what laces what muslins； and what jewels she was to wear。 I can only
