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

candy and spent the money. O, dear me."

"You can show him the pieces."

"Boo, hoo, hoo! Then he'll say I broke it on purpose, because I was too lazy to sell it; and then he'll kill me—I know he will."

"I will go and see him, and tell him about the accident. Where do you live?"

"Down North Square. He ain't to home now," replied Ann, who was not quite prepared for this method of treating the subject.

"Poor child! I pity you," sighed the lady.

"O, dear me!" cried Ann, exerting herself to the utmost to deepen the impression she had made.

"How much do you want to make up the value of your candy?"

"Half a dollar."

"There it is, poor child! If it will save you from abuse, you are welcome to it."

"Thank you, ma'am. It may save my life," replied Ann, as she took the half dollar and put it in her pocket.

"What an awful liar she is!" said Katy to herself, as the lady hurried on, probably much pleased with herself as she thought of the kind act she supposed she had done.

Katy was curious to know what her unworthy assistant would do next, and she followed her down Hanover Street, and saw her stop before the American House. She could not believe that Ann would have the hardihood to play off the same trick again so soon; and she was very much surprised and very indignant when she saw her begin to cry with all her might, just as she had done before. While the deceitful girl's eyes were covered with her apron, in the extremity of her grief, Katy contrived to get on the hotel steps behind her, so that she could see and hear all that passed.

"What is the matter with that girl?" asked a gentleman, who presently appeared at the door, addressing another who was just behind him.

"It is the broken candy dodge," replied the second gentleman. "That trick has been played off a dozen times within a week."

"What does it mean?" asked the first. "I don't understand it."

The second explained the trick, precisely as Katy had just witnessed it in Court Street.

"Now, don't say a word," he continued. "I have a counterfeit half dollar in my pocket, and you shall see how it is done."

With this announcement of his purpose, he accosted Ann, who told him about the same story she had told the lady, and he finally gave her the counterfeit half dollar, which Ann did not suspect was a bad one.

"How abominably wicked she is," exclaimed Katy, as she followed her up the street. "But I will soon spoil all her fun, and cut off her profits. I will teach her that honesty is the best policy."

It was easier for Katy to resolve what to do than it was to do it; for the wicked girl could easily get her stock through another person. As she walked up the street, Ann lightened her load by eating the pieces of broken candy, upon which she seemed to feed with hearty relish. At a window in Court Street, Ann stopped to look at some pictures, when she was joined by another of the candy sellers, and they walked together till they came to an unfrequented court, which they entered. Katy could hear enough of their conversation, as she followed them, to ascertain that they were talking about the tricks Ann had practiced. In the court they seated themselves on a door-stone, and as they talked and laughed about the deceit, they ate the pieces of candy.

"There," said Ann, "I have made a dollar and ten cents this afternoon. You don't catch me walking all over the city for twenty-four cents, when I don't get but eight of that."

"I ain't so smart as you," modestly replied Julia Morgan, the other girl.

"You'll learn," said Ann, as she took out her money and exhibited the two half dollars.

"I don't think people would believe me, if I should try that game."

"Try some other. I think I shall, for I've about used up the broken candy game."

"What other?"

"I have one," replied Ann, prudently declining to divulge her secret; "and when I've tried it, I'll tell you all about it."

"Why don't you try it now?"

"I would if my candy wasn't broken."

"I will let you have mine."

"Then I will."

"Give me fourteen cents."

"I will when I've done with it."

"No, you don't," laughed Julia, who justly inferred that if Ann would cheat one person, she would another.

But Ann was so much interested in the experiment that she decided to give the fourteen cents, and took the candy. Katy wondered what the new game could be, and wanted to see her carry it out, though her conscience smote her for permitting the lady to be deceived, when she could have unmasked the deceit. She resolved not to let another person be deceived, and followed the two girls into State Street, as much for the purpose of exposing Ann's wickedness, as to learn the trick she intended to play.

"Now you go away," said Ann to her companion, as she placed herself on the steps of the Merchants-Bank.

It was nearly dark by this time, and as there were but few persons in the street, Ann did not commence her part of the performance till she saw a well-dressed gentleman approach; whereupon she began to cry as she had done twice before that day.

"Boo, hoo, hoo! O, dear me! I shall be killed!" cried she, so lustily, that the well-dressed gentleman could not decently avoid inquiring the cause of her bitter sorrow.

"I haven't sold out," sobbed Ann.

"What if you haven't? Why need you cry about it?" asked the stranger.

"My mother will kill me if I go home without half a dollar."

"She is a cruel woman, then."

"Boo, hoo, hoo! She'll beat me to death! O, dear me! I only got ten cents."

"Why don't you fly round and sell your candy?" said the gentleman.

"I can't now, the folks have all gone, and it's almost dark. O, I wish I was dead!"

"Well, well, don't cry any more; I'll give you half a dollar, and that will make it all right;" and he put his hand in his pocket for the money.

"Don't give it to her," said Katy, stepping out of the lane by the side of the bank. "She has deceived you, sir."

"Deceived me, has she?" added the stranger as he glanced at Katy.

"Yes, sir. She has got more than a dollar in her pocket now."

"Don't you believe her," sobbed Ann, still prudently keeping up the appearance of grief.

"How do you know she has deceived me?" asked the stranger, not a little piqued, as he thought how readily he had credited the girl's story.

"Because I saw her play a trick just like this twice before this afternoon. She has two half dollars in her pocket now, though one of them is counterfeit."

"What do you mean by that, Katy Redburn?" demanded Ann, angrily, and now forgetting her woe and her tears.

"You speak very positively," said the gentleman to Katy; "and if what you say is true, something should be done about it."

"She is telling lies!" exclaimed Ann, much excited.

"We can soon determine, for here comes a policeman, and I will refer the matter to him."

At these words, Ann edged off the steps of the bank, and suddenly started off as fast as she could run, having, it seemed, a very wholesome aversion to policemen. But she made a bad mistake, for, not seeing in what direction the officer was approaching, she ran into the very jaws of the lion.

"Stop her!" shouted the gentleman.

The policeman laid a rude hand upon her shoulder, and marched her back to the bank. In a few words the gentleman stated what had happened, and requested the officer to search her, and thus decide whether Katy told the truth or not. He readily consented, and on turning out Ann's pocket, produced the two half dollars, one of which the gentleman decided was a counterfeit coin.

"How could you know this was a counterfeit?" he asked of Katy.

"I heard a gentleman at the door of the American House, who knew the game, tell another that it was a counterfeit;" and she proceeded to give all the particulars of the two tricks she had seen Ann play off.

"I shall have to take you to the lock-up, my little joker," said the policeman.

"O, dear me!" cried Ann, and this time she was in earnest.

"Please don't do that!" said Katy, who had not foreseen this consequence of the game.

"I must; it is downright swindling."

"Please don't; she has a father and mother and I dare say they will feel very bad about it. I promise you she shall never do it again," pleaded Katy.

"I must do my duty. This candy trick has been played a good many times, and has become a nuisance. I must lock her up."

"Save me, Katy, save me!" begged Ann terrified at the thought of being put in a prison or some dreadful place.

"Why do you wish to save her?" interposed the gentleman.

"Because her mother will feel so bad; and she will lay it all to me."

Katy told him all about herself and about Ann, and he was so much interested in her that he joined in pleading for Ann's release. The officer was firm for a long time, but when the gentleman declared that he should not appear against her, he decided to let her go, to Katy's great delight, as well as to Ann's.

Humbled by the peril from which she had just escaped, Ann promised never to be guilty of playing another trick upon travelers; but Katy was firm in her purpose not to supply her with any more candy. She did not dare to resent Katy's interference, for the terrors of the lock-up were still in her mind, and she did not know but that Katy might have her arrested and punished for what she had done, if she attempted to retaliate upon her.

Katy was shocked at the wickedness of her companion; and, as they walked home together she tried to make her see the enormity of her offense, and give her some better views of her duty to her fellow-beings. Ann heard her in silence and with humility, and the little moralist hoped the event would result in good to her.

CHAPTER XVII. THE SUN SETS, AND THE NIGHT COMES ON.

Having recorded the steps by which Katy had carried forward her now flourishing trade, from the dawn of the idea up to the height of its prosperity, we may pass over a year with only a brief note of its principal incidents.

My young readers may have supposed that Katy and her mother had gathered a great deal of money in the candy trade. It was not so, for as the business increased, and Katy's labors as a saleswoman were withdrawn, the expenses increased, and the profits were proportionally less. And then, neither Mrs. Redburn nor her daughter had a faculty for saving up much money; so that, though they made considerable, their prosperity permitted new demands to be made upon the purse. They hired two more rooms; they replaced the clothing and furniture which had been sacrificed under the pressure of actual want, and they lived better than they had lived before; and Mrs. Redburn had availed herself of the services of a distinguished physician, whose attendance had cost a large sum. It is true they lived very well, much better than people in their circumstances ought to have lived. Therefore, notwithstanding their prosperity, they had saved but a small sum from the proceeds of the year's business. They were not rich; they were simply in comfortable circumstances, which, considering their situation when Katy commenced business, was quite enough to render them very thankful to the Giver of all good for the rich blessings He had bestowed upon them.

These were not all temporal blessings; if they had been, their success would only have been partial and temporary, their prosperity only an outward seeming, which, in the truest and highest sense, can hardly be called prosperity; no more than if a man should gain a thousand dollars worth of land, and lose a thousand dollars worth of stocks or merchandise. Both Katy and her mother, while they were gathering the treasures of this world, were also "laying up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt." Want had taught them its hard lessons, and they had come out of the fiery furnace of affliction the wiser and the better for the severe ordeal. The mother's foolish pride had been rebuked, the daughter's true pride had been encouraged. They had learned that faith and patience are real supports in the hour of trial. The perilous life in the streets which Katy had led for a time, exposed her