poor and proud-第32章

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　the　following　weekwhat　silks；　what　laces　what　muslins；　and　what　jewels　she　was　to　wear。　I　can　only　say　that　she　was　dressed　very　plainly；　and　that　her　garments　were　exceedingly　becoming；　and　that　she　had　steadily　resisted　the　solicitations　of　sundry　French　milliners　and　dressmakers　to　exceed　her　usual　simplicity　at　the　partyand　I　cordially　command　her　example　to　all　young　ladies。

While　Miss　Redburn　sat　at　the　window；　the　doorbell　rang　with　great　violence；　and　Michael　yes；　Michaelhe　is　still　there；　a　veteran　in　the　service　of　Mrs。　Gordon；　and　fully　believing　that　Katy　is　an　angelMichael　hastened　to　admit　Grace。　She　is　a　little　older　than　when　we　saw　her　last；　but　she　is　the　same　Grace。　She　enters　the　room；　kisses　Katy　with　as　much　zeal　as　though　she　had　not　seen　her　for　months；　though　they　had　met　the　day　before。　She　had　scarcely　saluted　her　cousin　before　a　little　fat　man　of　six　came　tumbling　into　the　room；　for　he　had　not　been　able　to　keep　up　with　his　mother。

〃Come；　aunty；〃　said　little　Tommy；　who　persisted　in　calling　her　by　this　title；　as　he　rolled　up　to　Miss　Redburn；　who　gave　him　a　hearty　kiss〃come；　aunty；　I　want　you　to　come　right　down　into　the　kitchen；　and　make　me　a　lot　of　molatheth　candy。〃

〃Not　now；　Tommy〃would　you　believe　it；　reader？　that　little　boy's　name　is　Thomas　Howard　Parker〃not　now；　Tommy。　I　came　to　tell　you；　Katy；　that　the　King　of　the　Billows　has　been　telegraphed。〃

〃Has　she？〃　exclaimed　Katy；　a　deep　blush　suffusing　her　cheek。

〃Yes；　and　you　must　go　right　down　to　the　wharf；　or　we　shall　not　be　in　season　to　see　Captain　Howard；　who　is　coming　up　in　a　pilot　boat。〃

Miss　Redburn　hastened　to　put　on　her　things；　and　she　and　Mrs。　Parker　seated　themselves　in　the　carriage　that　waited　them。

Of　course；　you　know　Captain　Howard；　reader？　He　has　followed　the　sea　only　eleven　years；　and　though　but　twenty…five　years　old；　he　is　the　commander　of　a　fine　clipper；　and　sails　in　the　Liverpool　line。　He　is　frequently　quoted　as　an　example　of　what　patient　perseverance　will　accomplish；　for；　with　very　little　aid　from　friends；　he　has　worked　his　way　from　the　forecastle　into　the　cabin。　He　is　a　self…educated　man；　and　has　the　reputation　of　being　a　thorough　sailor　and　a　perfect　gentleman。

Pursuant　to　a　little　arrangement　made　between　Captain　Howard　and　Miss　Redburn；　just　as　he　departed　on　this　voyage；　they　were　both　seen　in　church　on　the　following　Thursday　afternoon；　and　when　they　came　out；　people　addressed　Katy　as　Mrs。　Howard。　But　to　pass　on　to　the　occasions　which　she　had　chosen　to　call　a　birthday　party；　though　it　was　not　exactly　that；　and　as　it　came　immediately　after　the　church　service；　some　called　it　a　levee。

There　are　a　great　many　persons　in　the　Gordon　mansion；　as　many　as　two　hundred；　I　should　think。　Of　course；　I　cannot　stop　to　introduce　all　of　them；　but　there　are　a　few　who　deserve　this　favor。

〃Mr。　Sneed；　I　am　delighted　to　see　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Howard；　as　a　very　tall　and　very　slim　gentleman；　elegantly　dressed；　approached。

〃You　do　me　honor；　madam。　It　is　the　superlative　felicity　of　my　sublunary　existence　to　congratulate　you　on　this　auspicious　occasion；〃　replied　Mr。　Sneed；　as　he　gently　pressed　the　gloved　hand　of　the　lady。

That　sounds　just　like　Master　Simon　Sneed；　only　very　much　intensified。　Simon　is　a　salesman　still　in　a　large　establishmenthas　never　risen　above　that　position　and　probably　never　will；　for；　born　to　be　a　gentleman；　he　feels　as　much　above　his　business　as　his　business　really　is　above　him。

Simon's　father　and　mother　say　a　pleasant　word　to　the　bride；　and　pass　on。　And　here　comes　a　great　fat　woman；　whose　tongue　flies　like　the　shuttle　in　a　loom。　Well；　it　is　the　captain's　mother。　Since　her　son　has　been　prosperous；　she　has　had　an　easy　time　of　it；　and　has　grown　very　corpulent。

〃Who　do　you　think　has　come；　Katy？〃　puffed　Mrs。　Howard。

〃I　don't　know。　Who？〃

〃Mrs。　Colvin；　that　was！　Mrs。　McCarty；　that　is。〃

Some　of　the　very　good…natured　people　laughed；　and　some　of　the　very　fastidious　ones　turned　up　their　noses；　when　they　saw　Mrs。　McCarty　so　warmly　received　by　the　bride；　but　she　did　not　care　who　laughed　or　who　sneered；　she　was　not　too　proud　to　welcome；　in　the　hour　of　prosperity　and　happiness；　those　who　had　been　her　friends　in　adversity。

〃Mrs。　Howard；　I　congratulate　you；〃　said　a　fat　man；　who　was　puffing　and　blowing　at　the　heat　of　the　room。

It　was　an　ex…mayor　and　after　he　had　said　a　few　pleasant　words；　he　passed　on　to　make　room　for　a　hundred　more　who　were　waiting　to　speak　to　the　bride。

That　was　a　very　pleasant　party；　but　as　we　are　opposed　to　crowded　rooms　and　late　hours；　we　may　as　well　retire。

The　next　day　the　happy　couple　started　upon　a　bridal　tour；　and　on　their　return；　Captain　Howard　sailed　for　Liverpool；　in　his　fine　ship；　with　Mrs。　Howard　as　a　passenger。

And　now　my　young　friend；　adieu。　If　you　are　poor；　don't　be　too　proud　to　work　at　any　honest　occupation；　but　be　too　proud　to　do　wrongtoo　proud　to　degrade　yourself　in　your　own　eyes；　by　doing　a　mean　act；　and　in　this　sense　you　may　truly　be　〃Poor　and　Proud。〃





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