Suddenly the cheerful little room was invaded by two ladies in sables and velvet--none other than our old friends, Mesdames Brown and Crane.
Clemence recognized them at once. A pink flush settled upon her pale face, but she rose with gentle dignity upon their entrance.
Eager for her triumph, however, Mrs. Crane did not give her time to utter a word. "Well, I have found you at last," she exclaimed, panting and out of breath. "I declare, young woman, if I"d have known what a search I should have, I would not have ventured into this out of the way place. Your"s a seamstress, ain"t you?"
"I am in the habit of taking in work of this description," said Clemence, holding, for her inspection, the article she had been engaged in completing at the moment she was interrupted.
"Yes, pretty well done. Just look at it closer, Mrs. Brown."
That lady now came forward and examined the work in a would-be critical manner.
"Seems to me the st.i.tches don"t look as if they"d hold," she said, ill-naturedly. "I discharged my last seamstress because she did not make her work serviceable. I give good prices; I ain"t one of them kind of ladies what wants something for nothing. I never believe in oppressin"
the poor. I have plenty of means, (that was true, for the retired grocer was as liberal as a prince.) If a person suits me, and keeps their place, they will have my patronage; if not, I pay them off and show them the door. My Melindy wants a new silk for a Christmas party, and as I am very particularly interested in her doing herself credit on the occasion, I want it made under my own supervision. You see, Mrs. Crane, it is to be a very exclusive affair, for I heard that the Vaughns have accepted invitations, and you know they belong to the very _creme de la creme_. Wilfred Vaughn is a catch for any young lady. It won"t be my fault if Melindy isn"t the belle of the evening, for I"m determined that no expense shall be spared."
The lady"s dear friend vouchsafed her only a spiteful glance in return for this proof of confidence. She was thinking of her own beauteous Lucinda, and mentally declared that _her_ daughter should outshine Melinda Brown on that momentous occasion, if the worthy contractor had to go into bankruptcy the next day.
"Now Miss," concluded Mrs. Brown, turning again to Clemence, "I want to engage you to come to-morrow morning to work for me, and if you suit, I may keep you for some time longer."
There was a look of quiet amus.e.m.e.nt upon Clemence"s face, as she replied politely:
"I should be happy to serve you, Madam, but my time is engaged until after the holidays, and I never go out on account of an invalid parent, whom I cannot leave."
"Oh!" jerked Mrs. Brown, bridling with offended dignity.
"Well, upon my word!" hissed Mrs. Crane, "such airs!"
"I am very glad, I am sure," pursued the former, "to find you so well employed. You were recommended to me as a very worthy person in dest.i.tute circ.u.mstances, and I supposed that to one in your _lowly position_, work would be a charity. Had you possessed sufficient humility, and a proper appreciation of my efforts, I might have taken you under my patronage. No matter what you might have been once, Miss, you are in the depths of poverty now, and it would be a good idea not to be too independent, for you may want a friend. Don"t come to _me_, if you do, for I have done with you. My conscience is clear. This lady will bear witness to my benevolent intentions, and I acquit myself of all blame. I have discharged a disagreeable duty."
"Oh, the base ingrat.i.tude of this world!" wailed Mrs. Crane. "My dear friend, is it not shocking?"
"It defies description," she e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. "Let us depart. Good bye, young woman, and remember, "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.""
"Just one minute too late!" cried Alicia Linden, sinking into a chair; "I saw the precious pair just turn the corner. Don"t cry, rosebud. I"ll pay them off yet. I can manage Mrs. Brown and the whole Crane clique.
They will be sorry for this insult."
"Indeed, I know I am foolish, dear Mrs. Linden," said Clemence, upon whose face smiles struggled with tears like an April day. "If this _is_ poverty, it is at least honest poverty, of which I am not ashamed. I will not allow them to disturb me. But, pray, not a word of this to mamma."
The short winter days pa.s.sed, and March came with its cold, bl.u.s.tering winds, and severe changes of weather. Mrs. Graystone failed visibly. She could no longer conceal from the fond eyes that watched her, that her days were numbered.
Clemence"s time was so completely taken up in nursing the invalid, that she was obliged to abandon all other employment, and her income ceased entirely. She knew not what to do. She was in debt to Mrs. Mann, without the means of payment, and she knew that the kind woman could illy sustain the burden. Mrs. Linden was her only friend, and she was a widow of limited means.
Pondering deeply upon the subject, a thought struck her, which she resolved to act upon immediately. First, having installed Mrs. Mann as nurse in her place, she hastily donned hat and shawl, and hurried out into the street. It was a cold, raw, disagreeable day. Little pools of water, that had formed in the hollows of the sidewalks, were fast freezing into ice, and the keen, cruel wind seemed to penetrate to the very marrow of one"s bones.
People, well wrapped in rich furs, strong-minded ladies bent on a mission, portly gentlemen on their way to their counting rooms, and troops of bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked school-girls, pa.s.sed her on her way.
Two little pinched, hollow-eyed children came out of a red brick building, which bore in large letters over the s.p.a.cious doorway, "The Orphan"s Home," and walked beside her. A little eager voice fell on her ear:
"I tell you, Marthy, they don"t give you _nothin"_ to eat to the "Home."
And I"m _so_ hungry! Wouldn"t it be nice if we could have all we wanted to eat, just once? I dream every night that mamma comes to me, and kisses and pets me as she used to. Perhaps if we are good and patient, we may go to her some day."
"Poor little creatures," sighed Clemence. "What can I do to alleviate their sorrows?"
She looked again at the wan, childish faces, then drew out her slender portmonnaie. "The Lord will provide," she thought, as the time-worn "Charity begins at home," rose to her lips, at sight of her scant supply of means. "Come here, dears," she said, beckoning to them.
The little ones crept up to her with shy, downcast eyes. She went with them into a confectioners, and filled their hands with crisp cakes and steaming rolls, and watched them with a moisture in her eyes, as they eagerly grasped at what was to them a royal feast.
"Never mind thanking me, children," she said, as they poured out a dozen incoherent exclamations, to prove their grat.i.tude. "Always remember hereafter, when you feel unhappy, that "G.o.d watches over you, and will surely send some one to help you if you only try to do right.""
She tried to encourage herself with this thought, as she resumed her walk. It strengthened her to renewed effort. She paused before a store, where the wealth of the earth seemed to be collected in the "gold and silver and precious stones," that dazzled her eyes to look upon.
An elderly gentleman lounged behind the counter. She went directly up to him, and asked, in a straightforward manner.
"How much will you give me for this ring?"
It was a solitaire diamond, and had been her mother"s birthday gift. The man looked at her keenly, and saw that she was not used to bargaining.
He read at a glance, the story of the delicate, mourning clad girl before him.
"Fifty dollars." he answered, coolly.
"But it cost three times that sum," said Clemence, "and although I need the money, I cannot sacrifice so valuable an article in that manner.
Besides its intrinsic value, it is very dear to me by a.s.sociation."
"Can"t help that," said the man, coa.r.s.ely, "its intrinsic value is all that concerns me. If you don"t wish to sell it, of course you can keep it. Seeing, however, that its a pretty young lady, I"ll make it seventy-five."
"Could you not make it a hundred?" she asked, hesitatingly.
"Not a cent more than seventy-five," he said emphatically. He read the despair in her face, and knew that whatever her emergency, it was so great that she must come to his terms. "You see, young woman," he condescended to explain, "you are not accustomed to this mode of business, and you do not realize that when people want ready money they must give a fair equivalent in order to get it. Times are hard, and a dollar is a dollar now. Six weeks later I might give you the sum you demand, but, to-day, it is quite impossible."
"Very well, give me the money," said Clemence, desperately; "I cannot wait a day longer."
"Cruel, cruel!" she said, as she walked homeward. "It will not meet our demands. Where is all this to end?" The keen March wind was kind to her in one respect, it removed from her face all traces of emotion that would have disturbed the invalid.
Rap, rap, rap, at the little third story room. "Come in," called Clemence, listlessly. Mrs. Mann"s cheery face looked in at the door.
"Something for Mrs. Graystone," she said, holding out a small package.
"It was left here a moment ago, by a tall gentleman so completely m.u.f.fled in furs that I could only get a glimpse of a pair of handsome eyes. If you will not think me too curious, I should like to know what it contains."
"Open it dear," said the mother languidly.
All uttered an exclamation, as a roll of bank bills fell to the floor.
There was a brief note, which ran as follows:
"MADAM--Please accept this in payment of a debt, due your late husband by the writer."
That was all, and there was no signature.
"How strange," said the widow; "I knew but little of Mr. Graystone"s business affairs. It is providential."
"Just five hundred dollars," said Mrs. Mann; "Why, Clemence, it"s a fortune! Why don"t you tell us how pleased you are? You do not say anything."