Poor and Proud; Or, The Fortunes of Katy Redburn: A Story for Young Folks by Optic (the best electronic book reader txt) 📗

"I am very glad you have come."

"I was thinking of you the other day, and wishing I might see you," added Grace, "for the Mayor told us a very pretty story about you."

"He was very good to me; and I never shall forget him or you," answered Katy, warmly.

"I suppose you have come to get another receipt; but I told Dr. Flynch not to disturb you," said Mrs. Gordon.

"O, no ma'am—I didn't come for that. You were too kind to me before, and I have come now to pay you for that month's rent."

"Indeed?"

"Yes, ma'am; we have been able to earn money enough, and I am very glad that I can pay it," replied Katy, taking the four dollars from her pocket. "Here it is."

"No, my child; you shall keep it. I will not take it."

Katy's cheeks flushed, for she did not feel poor and proud then. She felt rich; that is she was proud of being able to pay all she owed, and she did not like to be thought capable of accepting a gift—of being the recipient of charity. But she knew the hearts of her kind friends, and left unspoken the words of indignation that trembled on her tongue. "Please to take the money, ma'am," said she her cheeks still red with shame.

"No, my child; you are a good girl; I will not take your money."

"I shall feel very bad if you don't, and it will make my mother very unhappy."

"Nay, Katy, you must not be too proud."

"I am not too proud to ask or to accept a favor, but please don't make me feel like a beggar."

"You are a very strange child," said Mrs. Gordon.

"Indeed you are," added Grace

"I shall not feel right if you don't take this money. You know I promised to pay you at the time you gave me the receipt."

"I did not suppose you would, that is, I did not think you would be able to pay it. Your mother has got well, then?"

"No, ma'am; she is better, but she does not sit up any yet."

"Then how did you get this money?"

"I earned it."

"You!"

"Yes, ma'am; selling candy."

"Is it possible? The mayor told me you were a little candy merchant, but I did not suppose you carried on such an extensive trade."

"I make a great deal of money; almost five dollars a week; and now I am able, I hope you will let me pay you."

"If you insist upon it, I shall, though I had much rather you would keep the money."

"Thank you, ma'am. I shall feel much better when it is paid."

Mrs. Gordon reluctantly received the four dollars. It was a very small sum to her, though a very large one to Katy. She saw that the little candy merchant's pride was of the right kind, and she was not disposed to give her any unnecessary mortification, though she resolved that neither Katy nor her mother should ever want a friend in their need.

"I owe you one dollar, also," continued Katy, advancing to the side of Grace.

"Well, I declare!" laughed Grace. "If that isn't a good one!"

"I promised to pay you; and you know I would not take the money as a gift," replied Katy.

"I am aware that you would not, and you are the promptest paymistress I ever knew."

"With the dollar you lent me, I bought the molasses to make the first lot of candy I sold. Your dollar has done a great deal of good."

"I am glad it has; but I don't want to take it."

"Won't you let me feel like myself?"

"Certainly I will," laughed Grace.

"Then let me pay my debts, and not feel just like a beggar."

"You are the queerest child I ever saw!" exclaimed Grace, as she took the dollar. "I am going to keep this dollar for you, and perhaps some time you will not be so proud as you are now, though I hope you will always have all the money you want."

"I think I shall, if my trade continues to be good," replied Katy, who, now that all her debts had been paid, felt a heavy load removed from her heart.

"You must bring your candy up here. The mayor says it is very good. I have a sweet tooth, and I will buy lots of it," added Grace.

"I will bring you up some to-morrow," replied Katy, moving towards the door, and casting a last glance at the mischievous lady in the picture.

"The mayor told me to ask you to call and see him again," said Mrs. Gordon. "He is very much interested in you."

"He is very kind;" and she bade them good-by.

Katy felt highly honored by the notice the mayor had taken of her. Like Master Simon Sneed, she felt almost like calling him her friend the mayor; but she resolved to call upon him on her way home. He received her very kindly, told her what a mistake she had made in giving the pawnbroker his note, who had never delivered it to the marshal, and promised to buy lots of candy when she came with her tray.

When she returned home she found a message there from Tommy Howard, requesting to see her that afternoon. She did not feel like spending any more time in idleness, when she had so much candy to sell; but Tommy's request was not to be neglected; and, taking her tray, she called at his house as she passed up to the court.

Tommy had been talking for a year about going to sea, and had been for some time on the lookout for a chance as a cabin-boy or a reefer. He had told her his plans, how he intended to be a good sailor and work his way up to be captain of some fine ship. She suspected, therefore, that he had found a chance to go to sea, and wanted to tell her all about it.

She found him at home, waiting her expected visit; but a feeling of sadness came over her when she saw his manly face, and thought how badly she should feel if he should go off on the ocean, and, perhaps, be drowned in its vast depths. He had been her friend and protector. Johnny Grippen hardly dared to look at her since the flogging he had given him; and Katy thought, perhaps, if he went away, that she should have no one to defend her.

"I am going to-morrow, Katy," said he, after he had given her a seat by the window.

"To sea?" asked Katy, gloomily.

"Yes; I have got a first-rate ship, and she sails to-morrow."

"I am so sorry you are going!"

"O, never mind it, Katy; I shall be back one of these days. I wanted to tell you if Johnny Grippen gives you any impudence, to let me know and I'll lick him when I come back."

"I guess he won't."

"He may; if he does, you had better tell his father."

"But where are you going, Tommy?"

"To Liverpool."

Katy started. Her grandfather lived there. After a moment's thought she conceived a plan which made her heart bound with emotion. She could send word to her grandfather, by Tommy, that she and her mother were in Boston, and then he would send over after them, and they could live in his fine house, and she should be as happy as a queen. Then she and her mother might be passengers in Tommy's ship—and wouldn't they have great times on the passage! And as her grandfather was a merchant, and owned ships, she might be able to do something for Tommy.

Under the seal of secrecy she related to her young sailor friend all the particulars of her mother's history; and he wrote down the names she gave him. Tommy promised to hunt all over Liverpool till he found her grandfather; and to insure him a good reception, Katy wrote a short letter to him, in which she stated the principal facts in the case.

"Now, good-by, Tommy," said she, wiping away a tear; "I shall think of you every day, and pray for you too. I hope there won't be any storms to sink your ship."

"We shan't mind the storms. Good-by, Katy."

She felt very badly all the rest of the day, and her sales were smaller than usual, for her energy was diminished in proportion to the sadness of her heart.

As winter approached, Katy realized that the demand for molasses candy was on the increase, and she found it necessary to make a much larger quantity. Mrs. Colvin still rendered her assistance "for a consideration," and the supply was thus made to correspond with the demand.

Mrs. Redburn's health which had begun to improve with the advent of their prosperity, now enabled her to sit up nearly the whole day, and to render much aid in the household affairs, and especially in the manufacturing of the candy. The good fortune that had attended Katy's efforts brought many additional comforts to their humble dwelling; indeed, they had everything that they needed, and everything that any poor person would have required. But the fond mother had never been able to reconcile herself to the business which Katy followed. She dreaded every day lest the temptations to which it constantly exposed her might lead her astray. She loved her daughter with all her heart, and she would rather have died in poverty and want than have had her corrupted. She had every reason to believe that Katy was the pure and innocent child she had always been; but she feared, as she grew older, that some harm might befall her. She would rather bury her than see her become a bad person, and she hoped soon to be able to resume her own labors, and let Katy abandon her dangerous business.

Mrs. Redburn often talked with her about the perils that lay in her path; but Katy spoke like one who was fortified by good resolutions and a strong will. She declared that she knew what dangers were in her way, and that she could resist all the temptations that beset her. Whatever views the mother had, there seemed to be no opportunity to carry them out, for by Katy's labors they were fed, clothed, and housed. She was her mother's only support, and the candy trade, perilous as it was, could not be given up.

Katy did not desire to abandon the business she had built up, for she was proud of her achievement. She was resolved to be good and true, and to her it did not seem half so perilous as to others. She had even indulged some thoughts of enlarging her business. Why could she not have a shop, and sell candy on a counter as well as in the street? She mentioned this idea to her mother, who was sure the shop could not succeed, for she was aware that her daughter's winning manners were more than half her stock in trade, and that her large sales resulted from carrying the candy to hundreds of people who did not want it enough to go after it. Therefore Katy gave up the shop at once, but she did not abandon the idea of enlarging her business, though she did not exactly see how it could be done. One day an accident solved the problem for her, and at that time commenced a new era in the candy trade.

One pleasant morning in November, as she walked up the court, she met Ann Grippen, a sister of Johnny who stopped to talk with her. The Grippen family consisted of eleven persons. The father was a day laborer, and as his wages were small, and he had a great many mouths to feed, they were, of course, miserably poor. The older children showed no ability or disposition to help their parents but spent most of their time in strolling about the streets. Johnny was a fair specimen of the boys, as Ann was of the girls. She might have been seen almost any day with a well-worn basket on her arm, exploring the streets and wharves in search of chips, for Johnny was too vicious to do the work which more properly belonged to him.

"You sell lots of candy now—don't you?" said Ann.

"Yes, a great deal," replied Katy, who was not disposed to spend her time idly, and in the company of one whose reputation in the neighborhood was not very good.

"Stop a minute—won't you? I want to speak to you."

"I will; but be as quick as you can, for I am in a hurry."

"Don't you think I could sell candy?" continued Ann.

"I dare say you could. Why don't you try, if you want to?"

"But I haven't got no candy; and mother can't make it, as you can. If you