poor and proud-第8节

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The　active　little　girl　made　a　cup　of　tea　for　her　mother；　and　the　dinner　was　soon　dispatched。



CHAPTER　VI。

KATY　PREPARES　A　STOCK　OF　MERCHANDISE。


Katy　had　not　time　then　to　tell　her　mother　about　the　candy　speculation　she　had　in　view；　and　she　was　obliged　to　wait　till　her　return　from　Temple　Street。　Promptly　at　the　hour；　she　presented　herself　at　Mrs。　Gordon's；　and　they　went　to　the　house　of　the　mayor；　but　that　distinguished　gentleman　was　not　at　home；　and　the　lady　promised　to　go　again　with　her　the　next　day。

As　she　walked　home；　she　thought　of　what　she　should　say　to　her　mother　in　favor　of　the　candy　project；　for　she　felt　sure　her　mother's　pride　would　throw　many　obstacles　in　her　path。　The　best　argument　she　could　think　of　was；　that　the　business　would　be　an　honest　calling　and　though　she　was　too　proud　to　beg；　she　was　not　too　proud　to　work；　or　to　take　a　very　humble　position　among　the　people　around　her。　She　did　not　look　upon　the　act　of　selling　candy　to　the　passers…by　in　the　streets　as　degrading　in　itself；　and　therein　she　differed　very　widely　from　her　mother；　who　had　been　brought　up　in　ease　and　affluence。　Before　she　got　home　she　had　made　up　her　mind　what　she　should　say；　and　how　she　should　defend　her　plan　from　the　assaults　of　pride。

〃Now；　mother；　you　shall　hear　my　plan；〃　she　continued；　after　she　had　announced　the　ill　success　of　her　visit　to　the　mayor's　house。　〃I　am　going　into　business；　and　I　expect　to　make　a　great　deal　of　money。〃

〃Are　you；　indeed？〃　replied　Mrs。　Redburn；　smiling　at　the　enthusiasm　of　her　daughter。

〃I　am；　and　you　must　not　be　angry　with　me；　or　object　very　much　to　my　plan。〃

〃Well；　what　is　your　plan？〃

〃I　am　going　to　sell　candy；〃　said　Katy；　pausing　to　notice　the　effect　of　this　startling　declaration。　〃You　know　what　nice　molasses　candy　you　used　to　make　for　me。　Mrs。　Sneed　and　Mrs。　Colvin　said　a　great　many　times　that　it　was　a　good　deal　better　than　they　could　buy　at　the　shops。〃

〃But；　child；　I　am　not　able　to　make　candy　now。　I　cannot　get　off　my　bed。〃

〃I　will　make　it；　you　shall　lay　there　and　tell　me　how。　I　am　sure　I　can　make　it。〃

〃It　is　very　hard　work　to　pull　it。〃

〃I　won't　mind　that。〃

〃Suppose　you　can　make　it；　how　will　you　sell　it？〃　asked　Mrs。　Redburn；　casting　an　anxious　glance　at　the　enthusiastic　little　girl。

〃O；　I　shall　take　a　box；　and　offer　it　to　the　folks　that　pass　along　the　streets。〃

〃Are　you　crazy；　Katy？〃　exclaimed　the　mother；　raising　her　head　on　the　bed。　〃Do　you　think　I　could　permit　you　to　do　such　a　thing？〃

〃Why　not；　mother？〃

〃What　a　life　for　a　child　to　lead！　Do　you　think　I　could　let　you　wander　about　the　streets　exposed　to　the　insults　and　rude　jests　of　the　vicious　and　thoughtless？　You　do　not　understand　what　you　propose。〃

〃I　think　I　do；　mother。　I　don't　see　any　harm　in　selling　candy　to　those　who　are　willing　to　buy。〃

〃Perhaps　there　is　no　harm　in　the　mere　act　of　selling　candy；　but　what　a　life　for　you　to　lead！　It　makes　me　shudder　to　think　of　it。〃

〃It　is　your　pride；　mother。〃

〃I　am　thankful　I　have：　some　pride　left；　Katy。〃

〃But　mother；　we　can't　be　poor　and　proud。　We　haven't　got　any　money　to　proud　with。〃

〃I　am　proud；　I　know；　I　wish　I　could　banish　it；〃　replied　Mrs。　Redburn；　with　a　deep　sigh。

〃Let　me　try　the　plan；　mother；　and　if　I　can't　get　along　with　it；　I　will　give　it　up。〃

〃It　will　subject　you　to　a　great　many　trials　and　temptations。〃

〃I　can　manage　them；　mother。〃

〃Can　you　submit　to　the　insults　of　evil…minded　persons？〃

〃Yes；　mother；　no　decent　person　would　insult　me　and　I　don't　care　for　others。　I　can　pity　them；　and　run　away　from　them。　I　am　not　afraid　of　anything。　Do　let　me　try。〃

Mrs。　Redburn　saw　that　Katy　was　too　earnest　to　be　thwarted；　that；　impelled　by　a　noble　purpose；　she　had　set　her　heart　upon　making　the　attempt；　and　she　did　not　like　to　disappoint　her。　It　is　true；　she　keenly　felt　the　degradation　of　such　a　life；　and　even　feared　that　Katy　might　be　led　astray　while　pursuing　such　an　occupation；　but　she　gave　a　reluctant　consent；　trusting　that　one　or　two　experiments　would　disgust　her　with　the　business。

Katy　clapped　her　hands　with　joy　as　her　mother's　scruples　gave　way；　and　she　found　herself　at　liberty　to　carry　her　plan　into　execution。　It　seemed　to　her　as　though　she　had　crossed　the　threshold　of　fortune　and　had　actually　entered　the　great　temple。　She　had　an　opportunity　to　accomplish　a　great　work；　and　her　enthusiasm　would　not　permit　her　to　doubt　in　regard　to　her　final　success。

〃I　must　begin　now；　mother；　and　make　all　the　candy　this　afternoon；　so　that　I　can　commence　selling　it　early　to…morrow　morning。　I　will　go　to　the　grocery　now　and　get　the　molasses。〃

〃Poor　child；　you　have　nothing　to　get　it　with。　We　have　no　money；　you　did　not　think　of　that。〃

〃Yes；　I　did；　and　I　have　the　money　to　buy　the　molasses。　I　borrowed　it；〃　replied　Katy；　evincing　some　confusion。

〃You　borrowed　it？　Pray　who　would　lend　you　money？〃

〃Miss　Grace　Gordon。〃

〃Did　you　borrow　it；　Katy？〃　asked　Mrs。　Redburn；　casting　a　reproachful　glance　at　her。

〃Yes；　mother；　I　did。　I　would　not　accept　money　now；　after　what　you　have　said　to　me。　Miss　Grace　wanted　to　give　it　to　me；　but　I　told　her　I　could　not　take　it。　She　laughed　at　me；　and　I　said　I　was　poor　and　proud。　She　would　make　me　take　it；　and　said　so　much；　that；　at　last；　I　told　her　if　she　would　lend　it　to　me；　I　would　take　it。〃

〃It　was　the　same　as　a　gift；〃　said　Mrs。　Redburn；　blushing　with　shame　at　the　thought　of　accepting　alms。

〃No；　it　wasn't；　she　may　think　it　was；　but　I　mean　to　pay　her；　and　I　shall　pay　her；　I　know　I　shall。〃

〃If　you　can；〃　sighed　the　proud　mother。

〃I　shall　be　able　to　pay　her　soon；　for　I　mean　to　sell　lots　of　candy。〃

〃You　may　be　disappointed。〃

〃No：　I　am　sure　I　shall　sell　a　good　deal；　I　mean　to　make　people　buy。　I　shall　talk　up　smart　to　them　just　as　the　shopkeepers　do；　I　am　going　to　tell　them　what　candy　it　is；　and　that　their　little　sons　and　daughters　will　like　it　very　much。〃

〃You　are　beside　yourself；　Katy。　It　pains　me　to　hear　you　talk　so。　It　is　sad　to　think　a　child　of　mine　should　relish　such　an　employment　as　that　in　which　you　are　going　to　engage。〃

〃Do　you　remember　the　book　my　Sunday…school　teacher　gave　me　last　New　Year's　day；　mother？　It　was　all　about　false　pride；　I　want　you　to　read　it；　mother。　We　can't　afford　to　be　so　proud。〃

〃Go　and　get　your　molasses。　Katy；〃　replied　Mrs。　Redburn；　who　could　not　but　acknowledge　the　truth　of　her　daughter's　remarks。

She　had　read　the　book　alluded　to；　and　was　not　willing　to　confront　the　arguments　it　had　put　in　the　mouth　of　her　child。　She　was　conscious　that　her　pride；　which　made　a　humble　occupation　repulsive　to　her；　was　a　false　pride。　If　it　could　have　been　carried　on　in　private；　it　would　not　have　seemed　so　galling。　For　years　she　had　been　a　recluse　from　society；　mingling　only　with　her　humble　neighbors；　and　with　them　no　more　than　her　circumstances　required。　She　had　labored　in　solitude；　and　shunned　observation　as　much　as　possible；　by　carrying　her　work　back　and　forth　in　the　evening。　Years　of　hard　toil　had　not　familiarized　her　with　the　circumstances　of　her　lot。　She　tried　to　be　humble　and　submissive；　but　the　memory　of　her　early　days　could　not　be　driven　away。

Katy　returned　in　a　few　minutes　with　the　jug　of　molasses。　She　bustled　round　and　made　up　a　good　fire；　got　the　kettle　on；　and　everything　in　readiness　for　the　work。　Her　mother　gave　her　directions　how　to　proceed；　but　Katy　could　impart　to　her　none　of　her　own　enthusiasm。

When　the　molasses　had　been　cooked　enough；　she　was　ready　to　commence　the　pulling；　which　was　the　most　difficult　part　in　the　manufacture　of　her　merchandise。　Then　she　found　that　her　trials　had　indeed　commenced。　At　first　the　sticky　mass；　in　spite　of　the　butter　and　the　flour　with　which　she　had　plentifully　daubed　her　hands；　was　as　obstinate　as　a　mule。　It　would　not　work　one　way　or　another；　now　it　melted　down；　and　stuck　to　her　fingers；　and　then　it　became　as　solid　as　a　rock。　She　fretted　some　at　these　crosses；　and　as　her　spirits　sank；　her　mother's　rose；　for　she　thought　Katy's　resolution　would　not　hold　out　long　enough　for　her　to　complete　the　experiment。　But　she　underrated　the　energy　of　the　devoted　girl；　who；　in　the　face　of　every　discouragement；　stuck　to　the　candy　with　as　much　zeal　as　the　candy　stuck　to　her。

As　is　almost　always　the　case　with　those　who　persevere　to　the　end；　Katy　soon　won　a　partial　triumph；　which　gladdened　her　heart；　and　gave　her　courage　to　continue　her　trying　labors。　She　had　worked　a　portion　of　the　mass　into　candyclear；　light…colored；　inviting　candy。　Columbus　felt　no　prouder　of　his　achievement　when　he　had　crossed　the　Atlantic；　or；　Napoleon　when　he　had　crossed　the　Alps。　She　danced　for　joy　as　she　gazed　upon　the　clear；　straight　sticks　of　candy；　as　they　were　arranged　in　the　pan。　It　was　a　great　conquest　for　her；　but　at　what　a　sacrifice　it　had　been　won！　Her　little　hands；　unused　to　such　hard　work；　were　blistered　in　a　dozen　places；　and　smarted　as　though　they　had　been　scalded　with　boiling　water。　She　showed　them　to　her　mother；　who　begged　her　not　to　do　any　more；　but　she　had　too　much　enthusiasm　to　be　deterred　by　the　smart　of　her　wounds；　and　resolutely　resumed　her　labor。

She　had　scarcely　commenced　upon　the　　second　mass　before　she　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　Mrs。　Howard；　her　friend　Tommy's　mother。

〃Why；　what　are　you　doing；　child？〃　asked　the　good　woman。　〃I　thought　you　wer