poor and proud- 第16部分

〃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　minutewon'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　are　a　mind　to　let　me　have　some；　I　will　sell　it　for　you；　and　you　may　give　me　what　you　like。〃

The　idea　struck　the　little　merchant　very　favorably。　There　were　a　great　many　girls　just　like　Ann　Grippen；　who　were　wasting　their　time　about　the　streets；　and　learning　to　be　wicked。　Why　couldn't　she　employ　them　to　sell　candy？

〃I　will　try　you；〃　replied　Katy。

〃Well；　I'm　all　ready　to　begin。〃

〃Not　yet；〃　said　the　little　candy　merchant；　with　a　smile。

〃Yes；　I　am。〃

〃Your　face　and　hands　are　very　dirty。〃

〃What　odds　will　that　make？〃　asked　Ann；　rather　indignantly。

〃Do　you　suppose　anybody　would　eat　a　stick　of　candy　after　you　had　touched　it　with　those　dirty　fingers？　Your　customers　would　be　afraid　of　being　poisoned。〃

〃I　s'pose　I　can　wash　'em；〃　replied　Ann；　who　seemed　still　to　regard　it　as　a　very　unnecessary　operation。

〃It　would　be　a　good　plan；　and　while　you　are　about　it　you　must　not　forget　your　face。〃

〃I　ain't　a…going　to　touch　the　candy　with　my　face；〃　added　Ann；　triumphantly

〃Very　true；　but　if　people　saw　you　with　such　a　dirty　face；　they　would　be　afraid　your　candy　was　not　very　clean。〃

〃Any　way　you　like。　I　will　wash　my　face　and　hands　both；　if　that's　all。〃

〃But　that　isn't　all。　Your　dress　is　very　dirty　and　very　ragged。〃

〃I　can't　afford　to　dress　like　a　lady；〃　said　Ann；　who　had　some　of　her　brother's　disposition；　and　under　any　other　circumstances　would　have　resented　Katy's　plain　home　thrusts。

〃You　needn't　dress　like　a　lady；　but　the　neater　and　cleaner　you　are；　the　more　candy　you　will　sell。〃

〃I　will　fix　up　as　much　as　I　can。〃

〃Very　well；　if　you　will　come　to　my　house　to…morrow　morning；　I　will　let　you　have　some　candy。〃

〃How　much　will　you　give　me　for　selling　it？〃　asked　Ann。

〃I　can't　tell　now；　I　will　think　about　it；　and　let　you　know　when　you　come。〃

Katy　went　her　way；　turning　over　and　over　in　her　mind　the　scheme　which　Ann's　application　had　suggested　to　her。　She　might　employ　a　dozen　girls；　or　even　more　than　that；　and　pay　them　so　much　a　dozen　for　selling　the　candy。　She　might　then　stop　going　out　to　sell　herself；　and　thus　gratify　her　mother。　She　could　even　go　to　school；　and　still　attend　to　her　business。

When　she　returned　home　at　noon；　she　proposed　the　plan　to　her　mother。　Mrs。　Redburn　was　much　pleased　with　it；　though　she　suggested　many　difficulties　in　the　way　of　its　success。　The　girls　might　not　be　honest；　but　if　they　were　not；　they　could　be　discharged。　Many　of　them　were　vicious；　they　would　steal　or　be　saucy；　so　that　people　would　not　permit　them　to　enter　their　stores　and　offices；　and　the　business　would　thus　be　brought　into　disrepute。　Katy　determined　to　employ　the　best　girls　she　could　find；　and　to　tell　them　all　that　they　must　behave　like　ladies。

The　next　morning　Ann　Grippen　appeared　with　her　face　and　hands　tolerably　clean；　and　wearing　a　dress　which　by　a　liberal　construction　could　be　called　decent。　She　brought　a　dirty；　rusty　old　tray；　which　was　the　best　she　could　obtain；　yet　in　spite　of　all　these　disadvantages；　the　little　candy　merchant　looked　upon　it　as　a　hopeful　case。

〃Now；　Ann；　you　must　be　very　civil　to　everybody　you　meet；〃　said　Katy；　as　she　covered　the　rusty　tray　with　a　sheet　of　clean　white　paper。

〃I　hope　I　know　how　to　behave　myself；〃　replied　Ann；　rather　crustily。

〃I　dare　say　you　do；〃　and　she　might　have　hinted　that　there　was　some　difference　between　knowing　how　to　do　a　thing　and　doing　it。　〃I　was　only　going　to　tell　you　how　to　sell　candy。　If　you　don't　want　me　to　tell　you；　I　won't。〃

〃I　should　like　to　have　you　tell　me；　but　I　guess　I　know　how　to　behave。〃

〃You　must　be　very　civil　to　everybody；　even　when　they　don't　speak　very　pleasant　to　you。〃

〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　replied　Ann；　doubtfully；　for　it　was　contrary　to　the　Grippen　philosophy　to　be　very　civil　to　any　one；　much　less　to　those　who　were　not　civil　to　them。

〃When　any　one　buys　any　candy　of　you；　you　must　always　say；　‘Thank　you'；　and　then　the　next　time　you　meet　the　person　he　will　buy　again。〃

〃How　much　you　going　to　give　me　for　selling？〃　demanded　Ann；　abruptly　cutting　short　the　instructions。

〃Mother　thinks　you　ought　to　have　four　cents　a　dozen。〃

〃Four　cents？　My　mother　says　I　ought　to　have　half；　and　I　ain't　going　to　sell　your　candy　for　no　four　cents　a　dozen。〃

〃Very　well；　you　needn't　if　you　don't　wish　to　do　so；〃　and　Katy　removed　the　sheet　of　white　paper　she　had　placed　over　the　dirty　tray。

〃You　ought　to　give　me　half　I　get；〃　added　Ann；　rather　softened　by　Katy's　firmness　and　decision。

〃Four　cents　is　enough。　I　often　sell　a　hundred　sticks　in　a　day。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　care；　I　will　try　it　once。〃

〃If　we　find　we　can　afford　to　pay　any　more　than　four　cents；　we　will　do　so。〃

Katy　covered　the　tray　again；　and　arranged　two　dozen　sticks　on　it　in　an　attractive　manner。　After　giving　Ann　some　further　instructions　in　the　art　of　selling　candy；　she　permitted　her　to　depart　on　her　mission。　She　was　not　very　　confident　in　regard　to　her　success　for　Ann　was　too　coarse　and　ill…mannered　for　a　good　sales…woman。　She　hoped　for　the　best；　however；　and　after　preparing　her　own　tray；　she　went　out　to　attend　to　business　as　usual。　In　the　court　she　saw　Master　Simon　Sneed；　who　was　sitting　on　his　father's　doorstep。　She　noticed　that　he　looked　sad　and　downhearted；　and　when　he　spoke　to　her　the　tones　of　his　voice　indicated　the　same　depression　of　spirits。

〃Have　you　seen　the　Mayor　lately；　Katy？〃　asked　Simon；　as　he　approached。

〃Not　very　lately〃

〃I　should　like　to　see　him；〃　added　he；　raising　his　eyes　to　her。

〃Why　don't　you　call　upon　him？　You　know　where　he　livesdon't　you？〃

〃Yes；　but〃

Master　Simon　paused；　as　though　he　did　not　like　to　explain　the　reason。　Katy　waited　for　him　to　proceed；　but　as　he　did　not；　she　remarked　that　he　looked　very　sad；　and　she　hoped　nothing　had　happened。

〃Something　has　happened；〃　replied　he；　gloomily。

〃Nothing　bad；　I　hope。〃

〃I　have　left　my　place　at　Sands　&　Co。's。

〃Left　it？　Why；　how　can　they　possibly　get　along　without　you？〃　exclaimed　Katy。

〃It　is　their　own　fault；　and　though　I　say　it　who　should　not　say　it；　they　will　never　find　another　young　man　who　will　do　as　much　for　them　as　I　have　done。〃

〃I　shouldn't　think　they　would　have　let　you　go。〃

〃Nor　I；　but　some　men　never　know　when　they　are　well　used。〃

〃How　did　it　happed？〃

〃I　asked　them　for　an　increase　of　salary；　and　told　them　I　could　stay　no　longer　unless　they　did　so。　And　what　do　you　think　they　did？〃

〃I　don't　know；　I　should　suppose　they　would　have　raised　your　salary。〃

〃No；　Katy；〃　added　Simon；　bitterly。　〃Mr。　Sands　told　me　I　might　go；　he　wouldn't　have　me　at　any　rate。　Wasn't　that　cool？　Well；　well；　if　they　don't　know　their　own　interest；　they　must　bear　the　consequences。　If　they　fail；　or　lose　all　their　trade；　they　can't　blame　me　for　it。　Now　I　have　nothing　to　do；　and　I　was　just　thinking　whether　my　friend　the　mayor　couldn't　help　me　into　a　situation。〃

〃I　dare　say　he　can。　Why　don't　you　call　and　see　him　at　once？〃

〃I　don't　like　to　do　so。　He　sees　so　many　persons　that　I　really　don't　think　he　would　recollect　me。　I　must　get　something　to　do；　though；　for　my　father　is　sick；　and　winter　is　coming　on。〃

〃How　much　salary　did　you　get；　Master　Simon？〃　asked　Katy；　who　highly　approved　his　determination　not　to　be　a　burden　upon　his　father。

〃Two　dollars　and　a　half　a　week。〃

〃Is　that　all！〃

〃Yes；　they　ought　to　have　given　me　ten。　Even　that　was　better　than　nothing。〃

〃I　was　thinking　of　something；　Master　Simon；〃　said　Katy；　after　a　pause。

〃What；　Katy？〃

〃I　make　four　or　five　dollars　a　week。〃

〃Is　it　possible！〃

〃If　you　have　a　mind　to　sell　candy；　I　will　furnish　you　all　you　want；　so　that　you　can　make　at　least　three　dollars　a　week。〃

The　lip　of　Master　Simon　slowly　curled；　till　his　face　bore　an　expression　of　sovereign　contempt。　He　rose　from　his　seat；　and　fixed　his　eyes　rather　sternly　upon　the　little　candy　merchant；　who　began　to　think　she　had　made　a　bad　mistake；　though　all　the　time　she　had　intended　to　do　a　kind　act。

〃What　have　I　done；　Katy；　that　you　should　insult　me？　Do　you　think　I　have　sunk　so　low　as　to　peddle　candy　about　the　streets？〃　said　he；　contemptuously。

〃Do　you　think　I　have　sunk　very　low；　Master　Simon？〃　asked　Katy；　with　a　pleasant　smile　on　her　face。

〃Your　business　is　very　low；〃　he　replied；　more　gently。

〃Is　that　business　low　by　which　I　honestly　make　money　enough　to　support　my　sick　mother　and　myself？〃

〃It　would　be　low　for　me；　my　ideas　run　a　little　higher　than　that；〃　answered　Simon；　rather　disposed　to　apologize　for　his　hard　words；　for　Katy's　smile　had　conquered　him；　as　a　smile　oftener　will　conquer　than　a　hard　word。

〃You　know　best；　but　if　I　can　do　anything　for　you；　Master　Simon；　I　shall　be　very　glad　to　do　so。〃

〃Thank　you；　Katy；　you　mean　right；　but　never　speak　to　me　about　selling　candy　again。　I　think　you　can　help　me。〃

〃Then　I　will。〃

〃I　will　see　you　again　when　I　get　my　plan　arranged。　In　the　meantime；　if　you　happen　to　meet　my　friend　the　mayor；　just　speak　a　good　word　for　me。〃

〃I　will；〃　and　Katy　left　him。



CHAPTER　XIV。

MASTER　SIMON　SNEED　MAKES　A　MISTAKE。


Contrary　to　the　expectations　of　Katy　and　her　mother；　Ann　Grippen　returned　at　noon　with　her　tray　empty；　having　sold　the　whole　two　dozen　sticks。

〃Well；　Ann；　how　do　you　like　the　business？〃　asked　Katy。

〃First　rate。　Here　is　twenty…four　cents；〃　replied　Ann；　and　it　was　evident；　from　her　good…natured　laugh；　that　she　was　much　encouraged　by　her　success。

〃You　may　give　me　sixteen；　the　other　eight　belong　to　you。〃

〃I　think　I　can　do　something　at　it；〃　added　Ann；　as　she　regarded　with　much　satisfaction　the　first　money　she　had　ever　earned　in　her　life。

〃You　can；　if　you　work　it　right；　but　you　must　be　very　gentle　and　patient；　you　must　keep　yourself　clean　and〃

〃Well；　I　guess　I　know　all　about　that；〃　interrupted　Ann；　who　did　not　like　this　style　of　remark。

〃Katy；〃　said　her　mother；　who　was　sitting　in　her　rocking…chair；　by　the　fire。

〃What；　m