Poor and Proud; Or, The Fortunes of Katy Redburn: A Story for Young Folks, Optic [best books to read now txt] 📗

to himself, as he entered the store, "a person of influence, enjoying the friendship of the chief magistrate of the city and have not exerted my influence, or used my powerful friend, to redress the injury which this poor girl has received. I will correct my error at once, for if the mayor should happen to invite me to dinner some time, very likely he would reproach me for my neglect."

Having thus resolved to preserve his credit with the chief magistrate of the city, there was fortunately a lull in the waves of the Messrs. Sand & Co.'s affairs which enabled him to be absented for half an hour without serious injury to their business. He hastened to the pawnbroker's at which the robbery had been committed.

"I presume you know me, sir?" said Simon.

"I haven't that honor," replied the broker.

"Perhaps you may be able to recall the circumstance of a little girl presenting herself here with a silver watch."

"Well, I do."

"I was with her."

"Then I suppose you helped her steal it."

"Such an insinuation, sir, is unworthy a gentleman, I have come, sir, with a benevolent purpose, as I came before. In half an hour the history of that transaction will be conveyed to the mayor who, allow me to inform you, is my friend."

"Your friend!" sneered the broker who was not particularly impressed by the magnificent manners and the magnificent speech of Master Simon.

"The little girl has just gone with a note from Mrs. Gordon of Temple Street to seek redress of the mayor. I doubt not you will be prosecuted at once. You have an opportunity to save yourself."

"What do you mean by that, you young puppy?" said the broker, angrily. "Do you mean to say I stole the watch?"

"By no means; only that you took what did not belong to you," replied Master Simon, blandly.

"Get out of my shop!"

"Understand me, sir; I come as your friend."

"You are a fool, I believe."

"You have an undoubted right to your opinion, as I have to mine; but if you do not restore the watch within half an hour, you will be arrested for stealing—I beg your pardon, for taking what did not belong to you."

There was something in the earnest manner of Simon which arrested the attention of the broker, in spite of the former's high-flown speech. He was satisfied that something had been done, and he was disposed to avoid any unpleasant consequences.

"I spoke to a policeman about the watch," said the man. "I told him I had it, and if he found that such a watch had been stolen, it could be found at my shop."

"And if he did not find that watch had been stolen, you meant to keep it yourself," answered Master Simon, whose earnestness made him forget for a moment to use his high-flown words.

"Keep a civil tongue in your head," growled the broker. "I notified the police that I had it; that's enough."

"Perhaps it is I will ask my friend the mayor about it;" and Simon moved towards the door.

"Stop a moment."

"Can't stop now."

"Here! I will go up to the city marshal with you. May be I made a mistake in keeping the watch; but if I did, it was only to prevent it from falling into the hands of some one less scrupulous than myself."

"Do I look like a thief?" asked Master Simon, indignantly.

"It don't do to judge by appearances," replied the broker, locking his shop door, and walking towards the City Hall with Simon. "There are some very respectable thieves about."

Master Simon Sneed was satisfied with this explanation. He did not care to quarrel with any one who acknowledged his respectability. In a few moments they reached the City Hall, and ascended the stone steps to the vestibule. As they did so, Katy entered from the opposite door.

"How glad I am to find you, Master Simon!" exclaimed she. "Can you tell me where the city marshal's office is?"

"Here it is, Katy," replied Simon, pointing to the door. "But what are you going to do?"

"I have got a note for the city marshal. The mayor gave it to me."

"You hear that, sir," said Master Simon to the broker, with becoming dignity. "This, Katy, is the man that has your silver watch; and he has consented to deliver it to the rightful owner."

"Let me see the note," said the broker.

"No, I won't," replied Katy, pretty sharply. "You are a naughty man, and I won't trust you with it."

"But I will give you, the watch."

"Give it to me, and then I will show you the note," replied Katy, who was thinking more of getting the precious relic than of having the broker punished.

The broker took the watch from his pocket and handed it to her, and in return she produced the mayor's note.

"I suppose there is no need of your delivering this note now?" continued the broker, with a cunning smile.

"No; I don't care anything about it, now that I have got the watch," replied Katy, rejoiced beyond measure to recover the treasure.

"Well, then, I am somewhat acquainted with the marshal, and I will hand him the note, and explain the circumstances. He will be perfectly satisfied."

Katy didn't care whether he was satisfied or not, so long as she had the watch. But the broker entered the marshal's office, and they could not see him put the note in his pocket.

"I am so glad I got it!" exclaimed Katy.

"I doubt whether you could have recovered it if I had not used my influence in your favor," remarked Simon, complacently. "I went to his office, and assured him my friend the mayor had already taken the matter in hand. I talked pretty severely to him, and he got frightened. After all, the best way is to use very pointed language to these fellows."

"I thank you very much, Master Simon, and I hope I shall be able to do something for you some time."

But Messrs. Sands & Co.'s affairs were suffering, perhaps, and Simon hastened back to the store, and Katy ran home to cheer her mother with the sight of the recovered relic.

CHAPTER X. KATY, IN DISTRESS, FINDS A CHAMPION.

Now that she had recovered the precious watch Katy had nothing to engage her attention but the business of selling candy. The success that had attended her forenoon's exertions was gratifying beyond her expectations, and she felt as though she had already solved the problem; that she was not only willing but able to support her mother. She had originated a great idea, and she was proud of it.

Just as soon, therefore, as she had told her mother all about the recovery of the watch, she prepared another tray of candy, resolved to sell the whole of it before she returned. Her mother tried to induce her to stay in the house and rest herself, but her impatience to realize the fruits of her grand idea would not permit her to remain inactive a single hour.

"Now, mother, I shall sell all this candy before dark; so don't be uneasy about me. I am going to make lots of money, and you shall have everything you want in a few weeks," said Katy, as she put on her bonnet.

"I wish you would stay at home, and rest yourself; you have done enough for one day."

"I am not tired a bit, mother; I feel just as if I could walk a hundred miles."

"That's because you have got a new notion in your head. I am afraid you will be sick, and then what should we do?"

"O, I shan't get sick; I promise you I won't," replied Katy, as she left the room.

Unfortunately for the little candy merchant it was Wednesday afternoon, and as the schools did not keep, there were a great many boys in the street, and many of them were very rude, naughty boys. When she passed up the court, some of them called out to her, and asked her where she was going with all that candy. She took no notice of them, for they spoke very rudely, and were no friends of hers. Among them was Johnny Grippen, whose acquaintance the reader made on the pier of South Boston bridge. This young ruffian led half a dozen others down the court in pursuit of her, for possibly they were not satisfied with the cavalier manner in which Katy had treated them.

"Where are you going with all that candy?" repeated the juvenile bully, when he overtook her in Essex Street.

"I am going to sell it," replied Katy, finding she could not escape.

"Give us a junk, will you?" said Johnny.

"I can't give it away; I am going to sell it, to get money for my mother."

"Won't you give a feller a piece?"

"I can't now; perhaps I'll give you some another time."

Katy's heart beat violently, for she was very much alarmed, knowing that Johnny had not followed her for nothing. As she made her firm but conciliatory reply, she moved on, hoping they would not attempt to annoy her. It was a vain hope, for Johnny kept close to her side, his eyes fixed wistfully on the tempting array of sweets she carried.

"Come, don't be stingy, Katy," continued Johnny.

"I don't mean to be; but I don't think I owe you anything," replied Katy, gathering courage in her desperate situation.

"What do you mean by that?" demanded the little ruffian, as he placed himself in front of her, and thus prevented her further progress.

"Don't stop me; I'm in a hurry," said Katy.

"Gi' me some candy, then."

"No, I won't!" answered Katy, losing her patience.

"Won't you?"

Johnny made a dive at the tray, with the intention of securing a portion of the candy; but Katy adroitly dodged the movement, and turning up a narrow alley way, ran off. Johnny was not to be balked, and followed her; and then she found she had made a bad mistake in getting off the street, where there were no passers-by to interfere in her favor.

"Johnny!" shouted one of the bully's companions. "Johnny, Tom Howard is coming."

"Let him come!" replied Johnny, doggedly.

He did not half like the insinuation conveyed in the words of his associates; for to tell him, under the circumstances, that Tommy was coming, was as much as to say he was afraid of him. Now, as we have said, Johnny Grippen was a "fighting character," and had a reputation to maintain. He gloried in the name of being able to whip any boy of his size in the neighborhood. He was always ready to fight, and had, perhaps, given some hard knocks in his time; but he sustained his character rather by his talent for bullying, than by any conquests he had won. On the whole he was a miserable, contemptible little bruiser whom no decent boy could love or respect. He talked so big about "black eyes," "bloody noses" and "smashed heads," that few boys cared to dispute his title to the honors he had assumed. Probably some who felt able to contest the palm with him, did not care to dirty their fingers upon the bullying cub.

Sensible people, whether men or boys, invariably despise the "fighting character," be he young or old. Nine times out of ten he is both a knave and a fool, a coward and a bully.

On the other hand, Tommy Howard was one of those hearty, whole-souled boys, who are the real lions of the playground. He was not a "fighting character;" and being a sensible boy, he had a hearty contempt for Johnny Grippen. He was not afraid of him, and though he never went an inch out of his way to avoid a fight with him, it so happened they had never fought. He was entirely indifferent to his threats, and had no great opinion of his courage. Johnny had "stumped" him to fight, and even taken off his coat and dared him to come; but Tommy would laugh at him, tell him to put on his coat or he would catch cold; and, contrary to the general opinion among boys, no one ever thought the less of him for the true courage he exhibited on these occasions.

Johnny did not like to be told that Tommy was coming, for it reminded him that, as the king bully of the neighborhood, one of his subjects was unconquered and rebellious. But Johnny had discretion—and bullies generally have it. He did not like that cool, independent way of the refractory vassal; it warned him to be cautious.

"What's the matter, Katy?" asked Tommy, as he came with quick pace up the court, without deigning to cast even a glance at the ruffian who menaced her.

"Stand by, fellers, and see fair play, and I'll lick him now," said Johnny, in a low tone, to his companions.

"He won't let me go,"