When they reached the hotel, however, no immediate opportunity presented itself. They worked on until late in the afternoon. Then, as fortune would have it, the housekeeper sent them in to scrub up the floor behind the clerk"s desk. That important individual felt very kindly toward mother and daughter. He liked the former"s sweetly troubled countenance and the latter"s pretty face. So he listened graciously when Mrs. Gerhardt ventured meekly to put the question which she had been revolving in her mind all the afternoon.
"Is there any gentleman here," she said, "who would give me his washing to do? I"d be so very much obliged for it."
The clerk looked at her, and again recognized that absolute want was written all over her anxious face.
"Let"s see," he answered, thinking of Senator Brander and Marshall Hopkins. Both were charitable men, who would be more than glad to aid a poor woman. "You go up and see Senator Brander," he continued. "He"s in twenty-two. Here," he added, writing out the number, "you go up and tell him I sent you."
Mrs. Gerhardt took the card with a tremor of gratefulness. Her eyes looked the words she could not say.
"That"s all right," said the clerk, observing her emotion. "You go right up. You"ll find him in his room now."
With the greatest diffidence Mrs. Gerhardt knocked at number twenty-two. Jennie stood silently at her side.
After a moment the door was opened, and in the full radiance of the bright room stood the Senator. Attired in a handsome smoking-coat, he looked younger than at their first meeting.
"Well, madam," he said, recognizing the couple, and particularly the daughter, "what can I do for you?"
Very much abashed, the mother hesitated in her reply.
"We would like to know if you have any washing you could let us have to do?"
"Washing?" he repeated after her, in a voice which had a peculiarly resonant quality. "Washing? Come right in. Let me see."
He stepped aside with much grace, waved them in and closed the door. "Let me see," he repeated, opening and closing drawer after drawer of the ma.s.sive black-walnut bureau. Jennie studied the room with interest. Such an array of nicknacks and pretty things on mantel and dressing-case she had never seen before. The Senator"s easy-chair, with a green-shaded lamp beside it, the rich heavy carpet and the fine rugs upon the floor--what comfort, what luxury!
"Sit down; take those two chairs there," said the Senator, graciously, disappearing into a closet.
Still overawed, mother and daughter thought it more polite to decline, but now the Senator had completed his researches and he reiterated his invitation. Very uncomfortably they yielded and took chairs.
"Is this your daughter?" he continued, with a smile at Jennie.
"Yes, sir," said the mother; "she"s my oldest girl."
"Is your husband alive?"
"What is his name?"
"Where does he live?"
To all of these questions Mrs. Gerhardt very humbly answered.
"How many children have you?" he went on.
"Six," said Mrs. Gerhardt.
"Well," he returned, "that"s quite a family. You"ve certainly done your duty to the nation."
"Yes, sir," returned Mrs. Gerhardt, who was touched by his genial and interesting manner.
"And you say this is your oldest daughter?"
"Yes, sir."
"What does your husband do?"
"He"s a gla.s.s-blower. But he"s sick now."
During the colloquy Jennie"s large blue eyes were wide with interest. Whenever he looked at her she turned upon him such a frank, unsophisticated gaze, and smiled in such a vague, sweet way, that he could not keep his eyes off of her for more than a minute of the time.
"Well," he continued, sympathetically, "that is too bad! I have some washing here not very much but you are welcome to it. Next week there may be more."
He went about now, stuffing articles of apparel into a blue cotton bag with a pretty design on the side.
"Do you want these any certain day?" questioned Mrs. Gerhardt.
"No," he said, reflectively; "any day next week will do."
She thanked him with a simple phrase, and started to go.
"Let me see," he said, stepping ahead of them and opening the door, "you may bring them back Monday."
"Yes, sir," said Mrs. Gerhardt. "Thank you."
They went out and the Senator returned to his reading, but it was with a peculiarly disturbed mind.
"Too bad," he said, closing his volume. "There"s something very pathetic about those people." Jennie"s spirit of wonder and appreciation was abroad in the room.
Mrs. Gerhardt and Jennie made their way anew through the shadowy streets. They felt immeasurably encouraged by this fortunate venture.
"Didn"t he have a fine room?" whispered Jennie.
"Yes," answered the mother; "he"s a great man."
"He"s a senator, isn"t he?" continued the daughter.
"Yes."
"It must be nice to be famous," said the girl, softly.
CHAPTER II
The spirit of Jennie--who shall express it? This daughter of poverty, who was now to fetch and carry the laundry of this distinguished citizen of Columbus, was a creature of a mellowness of temperament which words can but vaguely suggest. There are natures born to the inheritance of flesh that come without understanding, and that go again without seeming to have wondered why. Life, so long as they endure it, is a true wonderland, a thing of infinite beauty, which could they but wander into it wonderingly, would be heaven enough. Opening their eyes, they see a conformable and perfect world.
Trees, flowers, the world of sound and the world of color. These are the valued inheritance of their state. If no one said to them "Mine,"
they would wander radiantly forth, singing the song which all the earth may some day hope to hear. It is the song of goodness.