poor and proud-第9节

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〃Why；　what　are　you　doing；　child？〃　asked　the　good　woman。　〃I　thought　you　were　all　sick；　and　here　you　are　making　candy；　as　merry　as　on　a　feast　day。〃

〃I　am　making　it　to　sell；　Mrs。　Howard；〃　replied　Katy；　proudly。

〃Bless　me！　but　you're　a　queer　child！　Do　you　think　folks　will　buy　it　of　you？〃

〃I　know　they　will；〃　and　Katy　detailed　her　plan　to　the　interested　neighbor；　declaring　she　was　sure　she　could　support　her　mother　and　herself　by　making　and　selling　candy。　〃But　it　is　very　hard　work；〃　she　added；　〃see　how　I've　blistered　my　hands。〃

〃Poor　child！　it's　enough　to　kill　you！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Howard；　as　she　glanced　at　the　great　blisters　on　Katy's　hands。

〃I　have　been　trying　to　make　her　give　up　the　idea；　but　she　has　more　courage　than　I　ever　gave　her　credit　for；〃　remarked　Mrs。　Redburn。

〃It's　a　shame　for　you　to　hurt　your　hands　in　this　manner；　but　I　dare　say　that　they　will　soon　get　hard；　like　mine；　with　the　labor；〃　replied　Mrs。　Howard；　as　she　threw　off　her　hood　and　rolled　up　her　sleeves。　〃Here；　child；　let　me　help　you。〃

〃You　are　very　kind；　ma'am；　and　I　hope　I　shall　be　able　to　do　something　for　you　some　time。〃

〃Never　you　mind　that；　you　are　a　nice　girl；　and　it　does　my　heart　good　to　see　you　trying　to　help　your　mother；〃　added　the　kind　woman；　as　she　detached　a　large　mass　of　candy；　and　commenced　pulling　it　with　a　vigor　that　astonished　the　weak…handed　little　girl。　〃You're　a　jewel　and　a　blessing；　and　you're　worth　a　dozen　of　the　fine　ladies　that　are　too　proud　to　lift　a　finger　to　keep　their　bodies　from　starving。　Ah；　it's　a　dreadful　misfortune　to　be　proud。〃

〃To　be　poor　and　proud；〃　said　Mrs。　Redburn。

〃You　are　right；　ma'am；　and　I　am　glad　to　see　you　have　none　of　it　here；　for　some　of　your　neighbors　used　to　say　you　were　too　proud　to　speak　to　them。〃

Mrs。　Redburn　made　no　reply；　and　permitted　her　kind　neighbor；　whose　tongue　scarcely　ceased　to　swing　for　a　moment；　to　continue　her　remarks　without　opposition。　She　and　Katy　worked　with　all　their　might　till　the　candy　was　ready　for　market；　and　when　the　poor　invalid　poured　out　her　thanks；　she　ran　off　and　left　them。

The　exultation　with　which　Katy　regarded　her　plentiful　stock　of　merchandise　almost　caused　her　to　forget　her　smarting　hands；　and　when　she　could　no　longer　keep　her　eyes　open；　she　went　to　sleep　to　dream　of　great　operations　in　molasses　candy　on　change　next　day。



CHAPTER　VII。

KATY　MAKES　A　LARGE　SALE。


Katy　rose　the　next　morning　bright　and　early；　and　her　heart　was　full　of　hope。　She　felt　that　she　had　a　great　work　to　perform；　and　she　was　going　forth　to　do　it；　resolved　that　no　obstacle　should　turn　her　back。　Her　mother　had　told　her　that　she　would　be　laughed　at；　and　made　fun　of；　that　thoughtless　people　would　look　down　upon　her　with　contempt；　and　that　wicked　ones　would　insult　her。　She　was；　therefore；　prepared　for　all　these　trials；　but　she　had　braced　herself　up　to　meet　them　with　courage　and　fortitude。

Her　mother　was　sick；　and　they　were　actually　in　a　suffering　condition。　What　right　had　she　to　be　proud　in　her　poverty？　She　felt　able　to　support　her　mother；　and　she　could　find　no　excuse；　if　she　wished　to　do　so；　for　not　supporting　her。　It　was　her　duty；　therefore；　to　sell　candy　if　she　could　get　money　by　it；　and　thus　consideration　strengthened　her　heart。

Katy　had　been　to　the　public　school　and　to　the　Sunday　school　until　her　mother　was　taken　sick；　and　though　she　was　only　eleven　years　old；　she　had　a　very　good　idea　of　her　moral　and　religious　duties。　〃Honor　thy　father　and　thy　mother；〃　the　commandment　says；　and　she　could　think　of　no　better　way　to　obey　the　divine　precept　than　to　support　her　mother　when　there　was　no　one　else　upon　whom　she　could　rely。　Little　by　little　their　earthly　possessions　had　passed　away。　Mrs。　Redburn　had　never　learned　how　to　save　money；　and　when　the　day　of　adversity　came；　her　funds　were　soon　exhausted。　She　had　no　friends　to　whom　she　dared　reveal　her　poverty；　and　when　want　came　to　the　door；　she　was　too　proud　to　beg。　Hoping　for　better　days；　she　had　sold　most　of　her　best　dresses；　and　those　of　Katy。　The　small　sums　raised　by　these　sacrifices　were　soon　used　up；　and　when　the　daughter　could　no　longer　make　a　decent　appearance；　she　was　required　to　show　herself　much　more　than　ever　before。　Katy　did　not　repine　at　this；　though　her　mother　did；　for　their　pride；　as　my　young　friends　have　discovered；　was　of　very　different　kinds。

Katy　did　wish　she　had　a　little　better　dress；　and　a　little　better　bonnet　for　her　first　attempt　in　the　mercantile　calling；　but　there　was　no　help　for　it。　She　had　mended　her　clothes　as　well　as　she　could；　and　as　they　were　clean；　she　was　pretty　well　satisfied　with　her　personal　appearance。　Besides；　people　would　not　be　half　so　apt　to　buy　her　candy　if　she　were　well　dressed；　as　if　she　were　rather　plainly　clothed。　In　short；　it　was　all　for　the　best。

After　breakfast　she　prepared　herself　for　the　duties　of　the　day。　Her　heart　beat　violently　with　anxiety　and　expectation；　and　while　she　was　placing　the　candy　on　the　tray；　which　she　had　previously　covered　with　white　paper。　to　render　her　wares　the　more　inviting；　her　mother　gave　her　a　long　lecture　on　the　trials　and　difficulties　in　her　path；　and　the　proper　way　to　encounter　them。

〃Now；　my　dear　child；〃　said　Mrs。　Redburn；　in　conclusion　〃if　any　evil　person　insults　you；　do　not　resent　it；　but　run　away　as　fast　as　you　can。〃

〃Shan't　I　say　anything；　mother？〃

〃Not　a　word。〃

〃But　if　some　naughty　boy　or　girl；　no　bigger　than　I　am　myself；　should　be　saucy　to　me；　I　think　I　can　give　them　as　good　as　they　send。〃

〃Don't　do　it；　Katy。〃

〃They　have　no　business　to　insult　me。〃

〃That　is　very　true；　but　when　you　use　bad　or　violent　language　to　them；　you　go　down　to　their　level。〃

〃But　if　they　begin　it？〃

〃No　matter；　Katy；　if　they　are　unkind　and　wicked；　it　is　no　reason　that　you　should　be　unkind　and　wicked。　If　you　leave　them　without　resenting　their　insults；　the　chances　are　that　they　will　be　ashamed　of　themselves　before　you　get　out　of　sight。　You　need　not　be　low　and　vile　because　others　are。〃

〃I　guess　you　are　right；　mother。〃

〃You　know　what　the　Bible　says：　‘If　thine　enemy　hunger；　feed　him；　if　he　thirst；　give　him　drink；　for　in　so　doing　thou　shalt　heap　coals　of　fire　on　his　head。'　〃

〃I　won't　say　a　word；　mother；　whatever　they　say　to　me。　I'll　be　as　meek　as　Moses。〃

〃I　hope　you　will　not　be　gone　long；〃　added　Mrs。　Redburn。

〃I　have　thirty　sticks　of　candy　here。　I　don't　think　it　will　take　me　long　to　sell　the　whole　of　them。　I　shall　be　back　by　dinner　time　whether　I　sell　them　or　not　for　you　know　I　must　go　to　Mrs。　Gordon　again　to…day。　Now；　good…by；　mother；　and　don't　you　worry　about　me；　for　I　will　do　everything　just　as　though　you　were　looking　at　me。〃

Katy　closed　the　door　behind　her；　and　did　not　see　the　great　tears　that　slid　down　her　mother's　pale　cheek　as　she　departed。　It　was　well　she　did　not；　for　it　would　have　made　her　heart　very　sad　to　know　all　the　sorrow　and　anxiety　that　distressed　her　mother　as　she　saw　her　going　out　into　the　crowded　streets　of　a　great　city；　to　expose　herself　to　a　thousand　temptations。　She　wept　long　and　bitterly　in　the　solitude　of　her　chamber；　and　perhaps　her　wounded　pride　caused　many　of　her　tears　to　flow。　But　better　thoughts　came　at　last；　and　she　took　up　the　Bible　which　lay　on　the　bed；　and　read　a　few　passages。　Then　she　prayed　to　God　that　he　would　be　with　Katy　in　the　midst　of　the　crowd；　and　guide　her　safely　through　the　perils　and　temptations　that　would　assail　her。　She　tried　to　banish　her　foolish　pride；　when　she　considered　her　circumstances；　she　could　almost　believe　it　was　a　wicked　pride；　but　when　she　endeavored　to　be　reconciled　to　her　lot；　the　thought　of　her　father's　fine　house；　and　the　servants　that　used　to　wait　upon　her；　came　up；　and　the　struggle　in　her　heart　was　very　severe。　In　spite　of　all　she　had　said　to　Katy　about　the　disgrace　of　selling　candy　in　the　streets；　she　could　not　but　be　thankful　that　the　poor　girl　had　none　of　her　foolish　pride。　She　read　in　the　New　Testament　about　the　lowly　life　which　Jesus　and　the　apostles　led；　and　then　asked　herself　what　right　she　had　to　be　proud。　And　thus　she　struggled　through　the　long　hours　she　remained　alonetrying　to　be　humble；　trying　to　be　good　and　true。　Those　who　labor　and　struggle　as　hard　as　she　did　are　always　the　better　for　it；　even　though　they　do　not　achieve　a　perfect　triumph　over　the　passions　that　torment　them。

Katy　blushed　when　she　met　the　keeper　of　the　grocery　at　the　corner　of　the　court；　for　in　spite　of　all　her　fine　talk　about　false　pride；　she　had　not　entirely　banished　it　from　her　heart。　Some　queer　ideas　came　into　her　head　as　she　thought　what　she　was　doing。　What　would　her　grandfather；　the　rich　Liverpool　merchant；　say；　should　he　meet　her　then？　Of　course　he　would　not　know　her；　he　would　be　ashamed　of　her。　But　she　did　not　permit　such　reflections　as　these　to　influence　her；　and　as　soon　as　she　was　conscious　of　the　nature　of　her　thoughts　she　banished　them。

〃I'm　going　to　support　my　mother；　and　I　have　no　right　to　be　proud。　If　I　meet　my　grandfather；　I　should　like　to　sell　him　twenty　sticks　of　candy。〃

〃Hallo；　Katy！　What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　said　a　voice　behind；　which　she　recognized　as　that　of　her　friend　Tommy　Howard。

〃I'm　going　to　sell　this　candy；〃　replied　Katy。

〃You're　a　spunky　one；　mother　told　me　all　about　it。　I　should　like　two　sticks；〃　said　Tommy；　as　he　offered　her　the　money。

〃Take　t