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

haven't got so much. I have only fourteen cents' worth left."

"Give me that, then."

Katy wrapped up the remainder of her stock in a piece of paper, and handed it to the gentleman, who in payment threw the half-dollar on the tray.

"I can't change it."

"Never mind the change;" and the fat gentleman hurried away.

Katy was so utterly astounded to find she had disposed of her entire stock, that she did not have the presence of mind to follow him, and the half dollar had to be placed in her treasury. She did not regard it with so much pride and pleasure as she did the two four-pence, and the four coppers, for there was something unmercantile about the manner in which it had come into her possession. She could not feel satisfied with herself, as she walked towards home, till she had argued the matter, and effected a compromise between her pride and her poverty. She had sold candy for the money, and the gentleman had paid her over three cents a stick—rather above the market value of the article; but there was no other way to make the transaction correspond with her ideas of propriety.

Her work was done for the forenoon, though she had plenty of candy at home. It was now eleven o'clock, and she had not time to sell out another stock before dinner. As she walked up the street, on her way home, she encountered Master Simon Sneed, who, with the dignity and stateliness of a merchant prince, was lugging a huge bundle of goods to the residence of some customer.

"I am glad to see you, Simon," said Katy. "Have you seen your friend the mayor?"

"I am sorry to inform you, Katy, that a press of business has prevented my calling on his honor."

"I am sorry for that. I am afraid I shall never see the watch again."

"Depend upon it, you shall. I pledge you my honor that I will use every exertion to recover the lost treasure. Just now our firm require the undivided attention of all in the store."

"I told Mrs. Gordon all about it, and she promised to speak to the mayor."

"It was unnecessary to trouble her with the matter; my influence with the mayor will be quite sufficient."

"I dare say it will; but when shall you see him?"

"Very soon, be patient, Katy."

"Mrs. Gordon promised to take me to the mayor to-day, and tell him all about it."

"Take you to the mayor!" exclaimed Master simon.

"That's what she said."

"You will be afraid of him, and not able to tell your story."

"No, I guess I shan't. I will tell him that I have mentioned the matter to you."

"Perhaps you had better not; his honor, though we have been quite intimate, may not remember my name. But I must leave you now, for the firm gets very uneasy in my absence."

Simon shouldered his bundle again, and moved off, and Katy walked towards home, wondering why a person of so much importance to the Messrs. Sands & Co. should be permitted to degrade himself by carrying bundles. When she got home, she found her mother in a very cheerful frame of mind, the result of her reading and meditation.

"Well. Katy, you come back with an empty tray have you sold all your candy?" asked Mrs. Redburn, as she entered the room.

"Yes, mother, every stick. I have brought back sixty-six cents," replied Katy, emptying her pocket on the bed.

"Sixty-six cents! But you had only thirty sticks of candy."

"You must not blame me for what I have done, mother; I could not help it;" and she proceeded to narrate all the particulars of her forenoon's occupation.

Mrs. Redburn was annoyed at the incident with the fat gentleman; more so than by the rudeness to which Katy had been subjected. The little merchant was so elated at her success, that her mother could not find it in her heart to cast a damper upon her spirits by a single reproach. Perhaps her morning's reflections had subdued her pride so that she did not feel disposed to do so.

After dinner Katy hastened at once to Temple Street again. To her great disappointment she found that Mrs. Gordon and her daughter had been suddenly called to Baltimore by the death of one of her husband's near relatives. But the kind lady had not forgotten her, and that was a great consolation. Michael gave her a note, directed to the mayor, which he instructed her to deliver that day.

With the assistance of Michael, she found the house of the mayor, and though her heart beat violently she resolutely rang the bell at the door.

"Is the mayor in?" asked she of the sleek servant man that answered the summons.

"Well, suppose he is; what of it?" replied the servant, who could not possibly have been aware that Katy's grandfather was a rich Liverpool merchant, or he would have spoken more civilly to her.

"I want to see him."

"He don't see little brats like you," answered the servant, shutting the door in her face.

Katy was indignant. She wished a dozen things all at once; and among other things she wished Master Simon Sneed had been there, that he might report the circumstance to his friend the mayor. What was to be done? It was mean to treat her in that shabby manner, and she would not stand it? She would not, that she wouldn't! Grasping the bell handle with a courageous hand, she gave a pull that must have astonished the occupants of the servants' hall, and led them to believe that some distinguished character had certainly come. The sleek man servant reappeared at the door, ready to make his lowest bow to the great personage, when he beheld the flashing eye of Katy.

"How dare you ring that bell again?" snarled he.

"I want to see the mayor, I have a note for him from Mrs. Gordon, and I won't go away till I see him."

"From Mrs. Gordon! Why didn't you say so? You may come in."

Katy entered at this invitation, and the man bade her wait in the hall till he informed the mayor of her errand. She was not a little pleased with the victory she had gained, and felt quite equal, after it, to the feat of facing the chief magistrate of the city. While she stood there, a little boy having in his hand a stick of molasses candy, with which he had contrived plentifully to bedaub his face, came out of the adjoining room, and surveyed her carefully from head to foot. Katy looked at the candy with attention, for it looked just like one of the sticks she had sold that forenoon. The little fellow who was not more than five or six years of age, seemed to have a hearty relish for the article, and as he turned it over, Katy assured herself that it was a portion of her stock.

"My pa brought home lots of candy," said the little fellow, after he had satisfied himself with the survey of Katy's person.

"Do you like it?" asked she, willing to cultivate his acquaintance.

"Don't I, though!"

"Where did your father get it?"

"He bought it of a little girl; she was poor and proud," replied the little gentleman, transferring half an inch of the candy to his mouth.

"Dear me!" exclaimed Katy.

But her conversation was interrupted by the return of the servant, who directed Katy to follow him up-stairs.

CHAPTER IX. KATY TALKS WITH THE MAYOR, AND RECOVERS THE WATCH.

Katy followed the servant man, whose name was John, up-stairs; but at the first turn he stopped, and begged her not to mention that he had shut the door upon her.

"I don't know," said Katy. "I gave you no reason to treat me in that ugly manner."

"You didn't, but, you see, I thought you was some beggar, coming to disturb his honor."

"Do I look like a beggar?" asked Katy.

"Indeed you don't; that was a bad blunder of mine. If you mention it, I shall lose my place."

"Well, I won't say a word then; but I hope you will learn better manners next time."

"Thank you, miss; and be sure I'll treat you like a lady next time."

John then conducted her up-stairs into a room the walls of which were almost covered with books. Katy thought what a wise man the mayor must be, for she had never seen so many books before in her life, and took it for granted the mayor had read them all. As she entered the apartment she saw a fat gentleman sitting at the desk, very busy examining a great pile of papers. When he turned his head, Katy was not much surprised to see that it was the nice gentleman who had given her half a dollar for fourteen cents' worth of candy.

"Ah, my dear, is it you!" exclaimed the mayor, as he recognized the little candy merchant.

"Yes, sir; if you please, it is me," stammered Katy, making her obeisance, and feeling very mush confused, for it was the first time she had ever come into the presence of a great man, and she could not exactly tell whether she ought to get down on her knees, as she had read that people did when they approached a king, or to remain standing.

"Well my dear, what is your name?" continued the mayor.

"Katy Redburn, if you please, sir," replied Katy with another courtesy.

"I am glad you have come to me with this business, Katy. Mrs. Gordon speaks very handsomely of you."

"She is very kind, sir."

"You have lost your watch—have you, Katy?"

"My father's watch, if you please, sir," and having gained a little confidence from the kind tones of the mayor, she proceeded to tell him the whole story of her adventure in the pawnbroker's shop.

The mayor listened attentively to the artless recital, and promised to do all in his power to regain the watch.

"Were you alone, Katy, when you went to the pawnbroker's?"

"No, sir; there was one of your friends with me," replied she with a simple smile.

"One of my friends?"

"Yes, sir; and he promised to see you about it."

"I am afraid you have been imposed upon, Katy."

"No, sir; he has often spoken to me about his friend the mayor."

"But who was he?"

"Master Simon Sneed."

"Sneed? Sneed?" mused the mayor.

"Yes, sir; Master Simon Sneed."

"Master? What is he? A schoolmaster?"

"O, no, sir. Everybody calls him master. He keeps store."

"Sneed? I never heard the name before. Where is his store?"

"In Washington Street. It says Sands & Co. on the sign."

"O, you mean the boy that makes the fires, sweeps out, and does the errands. I remember him now," said the mayor, laughing heartily at poor Katy's account of Simon. "I never heard his name before; but he is the oldest boy of his age I ever saw."

"He was very kind to me."

"No doubt he is a very good boy; but I supposed from your account of him that he was a member of the firm."

"Master Simon says the firm would not be able to get along without him," replied Katy, who began to have some doubts whether Simon was so great a man as he had represented himself to be.

"Master Simon is very kind to stay with them then, and I hope the Messrs. Sands will properly appreciate his merit. Now, Katy," continued the mayor, who had been writing while he questioned his visitor, "you may take this note to the City Hall and deliver it to the city marshal, he will do all he can to recover your lost treasure."

"Thank you, sir," replied Katy, as she took the note.

"Now, good-by, Katy, and I hope you will always be as good as your candy is."

"I will try; good-by, sir;" and she left the library and passed down-stairs.

John let her out very civilly and seemed very grateful to her that she had not exposed his rudeness. She hastened to the City Hall, sure almost of recovering the watch, and gladdening her mother with the sight of it on her return home.

Simon Sneed, after parting with Katy, had felt a little uneasy in relation to the watch. He was jealous of his own good credit, for he foresaw that Katy could not very well avoid telling the mayor that he had been with her at the time of the unfortunate transaction. Besides, he did not exactly like the idea of Katy's going to the mayor at all. Katy Redburn going to see the mayor! By and by everybody would know his honor, and there would be no glory in being acquainted with him!

His conscience seemed to reprove him because he had done nothing towards the recovery of the watch. What would his friend the mayor say if Katy should happen to tell him of his neglect?

"Here I am," said Master Simon