desired me not to do。 I will tell you all about it； Katy。 I became acquainted with the new clerk； John Redburn； and the result of our acquaintance was； that we were married in about a year。 We ran away from home； for my father； however much he liked John as a clerk； was not willing that he should be my husband。 He forbade John's coming to our house； and forbade my seeing him。 I disobeyed him。 We were married； and John was discharged。 My father refused to see me again。〃
〃That was cruel；〃 interposed Katy
〃My father was right； and I have always regretted that I disobeyed him。 We came to America； and your father procured a situation in New York； where you were born； about a year after we arrived。 For three years we got along very well。 I wish I could stop here； Katy； for the rest of the story is very sad。〃
〃Don't tell me any more； mother； it makes you feel so bad； I would rather not hear it。 I know now why you value the watch so much； and I hope we shall be able to get it back again。〃
〃I fear not。 But you must hear the rest of this sad story。〃
Mrs。 Redburn continued the narrative； though tears blinded her eyes； and sobs chocked her utterance； as she told of the struggle she had had with poverty and want。 Her husband had done very well in New York； and； gay and light…hearted in the midst of his prosperity； his habits had been gradually growing worse and worse； till he lost his situation； and became a common sot。 The poor wife had then been compelled to toil for her own support and that of her child； and having been brought up in luxury and ease； it was a dreadful task to her。
John obtained another situation； but soon lost it。 He was a good…hearted man when he had not been drinking； and keenly felt the disgrace and misery he was heaping upon himself and his unhappy wife。 Once he had the resolution to abandon the cup； fully determined to redeem his lost character； and make his family happy again。 The better to accomplish this； he removed to Boston； where he obtained a good situation； and for more than a year he adhered to his resolution。 Mrs。 Redburn was happy again and tremblingly hoped that the clouds of darkness had forever passed away。
The evil time came again； and John Redburn sank down lower than ever before。 His wife lost all hope of him； and struggled； with the courage of a hero and the fortitude of a martyr； against the adverse tide that set against her。 She was fortunate in obtaining plenty of sewing； and was able to support herself and child very well； but her husband； now lost to all sense of decency； contrived to obtain； from time to time； a portion of her hard earnings。 She could never have believed that John Redburn would come to this； for； as a clerk in her father's counting room； he had been all that was good and noble； but there he was a miserable sot； lost to himself； to his family； and the world。
One morning in winter he was brought home to her dead。 He had died in the watch…house of delirium tremens。 He was buried； and peace； if not hope； settled on the brow of the broken…hearted wife。
Year after year Mrs。 Redburn struggled on； often with feeble hands and fainting heart； to earn a subsistence for herself and Katy。 She had been bred in opulence； and her wants were not so few and simple as the wants of those who have never enjoyed the luxury of a soft couch and a well…supplied table。 She had never learned that calculating economy which provides a great deal with very small means。
Hence it was much harder for her to support herself and child； than it would have been for one who had been brought up in a hovel。
She had done very well； however； until； a few months before our story opens； she had been taken sick； and was no longer able to work。 Her disease was an affection of the spine； which was at times very painful； and confined her to the bed。
〃But where is your father now？〃 asked Katy； when her mother had finished the narrative。
〃I do not know； if he is alive； he probably lives in Liverpool。〃
〃Why don't you write a letter to him？〃
〃I have done so several times； but have never received any reply。 I wrote shortly after your father died； giving an account of my situation。 I am sure my father never could have got my letter； or he would have answered me。 I know he would not let me suffer here in woe and want； if he were aware of my condition。〃
〃Why don't you write again？〃
〃It is useless。〃
〃Let me write； mother。 I will call him dear grandfather； and I am sure he will send you some money then： perhaps he will send for us to go to Liverpool； and live in his great house； and have servants to wait upon us。〃
〃Alas； my child； I have given up all hope of ever seeing him again in this world。 In my letters I confessed my fault； and begged his forgiveness。 He cannot be alive； or I am sure my last letters would have melted his heart。〃
〃Haven't you any brothers and sisters； mother？〃
〃I had one sister； and I have written several letters to her； but with no better success。 They may be all dead。 I fear they are。〃
〃And your mother？〃
〃She died when I was young。 I know Jane would have answered my letters if she had received them。〃
〃She was your sister？〃
〃Yes； she must be dead； and I suppose my father's property must be in the hands of strangers； covering their floors with soft carpets； and their tables with nice food； while I lie here in misery； and my poor child actually suffers from hunger；〃 and the afflicted mother clasped her daughter in her arms； and wept as though her heart would burst。
〃Don't cry； mother。 I was not very hungry。 We have had enough to eat till to…day。 I am going to take care of you now； you have taken care of me so long；〃 replied Katy； as she wiped away the tears that flowed down her mother's wan cheek。
〃What can you do； poor child？〃
〃I can do a great many things； I am sure I can earn money enough to support us both。〃
〃It is hard to think how much I have suffered； and how much of woe there may be in the future for me；〃 sobbed Mrs。 Redburn。
〃Don't cry； mother。 You know what it says on the watch‘All for the Best。' Who knows but that all your sorrows are for the best？〃
〃I hope they are； I will try to think they are。 But it is time for you to go。 Pawn the watch for as much as you can； and I trust that some fortunate event will enable us to redeem it。〃
Katy took the watch； smoothed down her hair again； put on her worn…out bonnet； and left the house。
CHAPTER III；
KATY AND MASTER SIMON SNEED VISIT THE PAWNBROKER'S SHOP。
The court in which Katy lived had once been the abode of many very respectable families； to use a popular word； for respectable does not always mean worthy of respect on account of one's virtues； but worthy of respect on account of one's lands； houses； and money。 In the former sense it was still occupied by very respectable families； though none of them possessed much of the 〃goods that perish in the using〃 Mrs。 Redburn； the seamstress； was very respectable； Mrs。 Colvin； the washer…woman； was very respectable； so were Mrs。 Howard； the tailoress； Mr。 Brown； the lumper； and Mr。 Sneed； the mason。
Katy's mother lived in a small house； with three other families。 She occupied two rooms； for which she paid four dollars a month； the amount of rent now due and unpaid。 Dr。 Flynch took a great deal of pleasure in telling Mrs。 Redburn how his humanity and his regard for the welfare of the poor had induced him to fix the rent at so cheap a rate； but he always finished by assuring her that this sum must be promptly paid； and that no excuses could ever have any weight。
The next house to Mrs。 Redburn was tenanted by Mr。 Sneed； the mason。 I don't know whether I ought to say that Mr。 Sneed had a son； or that Master Simon Sneed had a father； being at a loss to determine which was the more important personage of the two； but I am not going to say anything against either of them； for the father was a very honest mason and the son was a very nice young man。
Katy knocked at the door of this house； and inquired for Master Simon Sneed。 She was informed that he had not yet finished his dinner； and she decided to wait in the court till he made his appearance。 Seating herself on the door stone； she permitted her mind to wander back to the narrative her mother had related to her。 She glanced at her coarse clothes； and could hardly believe that her grandfather was a rich merchant； and lived in a fine house。 How nice it would be if she could only find the old gentleman！ He could not be cross to her； he would give her all the money she could spend； and make a great lady of her。
〃Pooh！ what a fool I am to think of such a thing！〃 exclaimed she impatiently； as she rose from the door stone。 〃I am a beggar； and what right have I to think of being a fine lady； while my poor sick mother has nothing to eat and drink？ It is very hard to be so poor； but I suppose it is all for the best。〃
〃Do you want me； Katy？〃 said a voice from the door； which Katy recognized as that of Master Simon Sneed。
〃I want to see you very much；〃 replied Katy。
〃Wait a moment； and I will join you。〃
And in a moment Master Simon Sneed did join her； but he is so much of a curiosity； and so much of a character； that I must stop to tell my young readers all about him。
Master Simon Sneed was about fifteen years old； and tall enough to have been two years older。 He was very slim； and held his head very straight。 In 1843； the period of which I write； it was the fashion for gentlemen to wear straps upon their pantaloons； and accordingly Master Simon Sneed wore straps on his pantaloons； though； it is true； the boys in the street used to laugh and hoot at him for doing so； but they were very ill…mannered boys； and could not appreciate the dignity of him they insulted。
Master Sneed's garments were not of the finest materials； but though he was a juvenile dandy； it was evident that it required a great deal of personal labor to make him such。
Clearly those straps were sewed on by himself； and clearly those cowhide shoes had been thus elaborately polished by no other hands than his own。 In a word； the appearance of his clothes； coarse as was their texture； and unfashionable as was their cut； indicated the most scrupulous care。 It was plain that he had a fondness