Poor and Proud; Or The Fortunes of Katy Redburn: A Story for Young Folks Read online

  CHAPTER II.

  THE HISTORY OF THE SILVER WATCH.

  Katy Redburn was only eleven years old, and not a very accomplishedcook; but as the children learn faster in the homes of the poor than inthe dwellings of the rich, she had a very tolerable idea of themanagement of a frying-pan. The operation of cleaning the flounders wasthe greatest trial, for the skin of the fish has to be removed. She cuther fingers with the knife, and scratched and pricked her hands withthe sharp bones; but she was resolute, and finally accomplished thetask to her entire satisfaction. An occasional direction from hermother enabled her to cook the fish properly, and dinner was ready.There were still a few small stores left in the closet, and Katy made acup of tea for her mother, and with it placed the delicate littleflounder by the side of the bed. The invalid had no appetite, but toplease Katy she ate a portion of the fish and bread though it was veryhard work for her to do so. The little girl, gladdened by this unwontedsight, made a hearty meal, without a thought of the trials and sorrowswhich the future might have in store for them.

  When she had put away the dishes, and placed everything in order, shewashed herself, combed her hair, sewed up a great rent in her dress,and otherwise attempted to make herself as tidy as possible for themission she was about to undertake.

  "It is not time for you to go yet, Katy; and before the watch iscarried off, I want to tell you something about your father, that youmay learn to prize it as I do."

  Katy seated herself on the side of the bed, for she was very anxious tohear more about her father than she already knew. She had often askedher mother about him, but she had generally evaded her questions, anddid not seem willing to tell her all she knew. She thought there wassome secret connected with his history, and with a child's curiosityshe was eager to have the mystery unfolded. But it was no great secret,after all only a painful history, which her sensitive mother did notlike to rehearse. Mrs. Redburn handed the watch to Katy, and asked herto look upon the back of it.

  "Yes, mother, I have often seen those words on there--'All for theBest.' What do they mean?" said Katy.

  "This watch was given to your father by my father," replied Mrs.Redburn, with a deep sigh, for the words seemed to recall happymemories of the past.

  "Who was your father?" asked the attentive little girl.

  "His name was Matthew Guthrie. He was a merchant in Liverpool, England,where I was born."

  "A merchant, mother? Then he was a rich man, and lived in a greathouse, and had plenty of servants."

  "He was rich, and lived in good style. One day there came a young manin great distress to his counting-room. He was a clerk, and had beensent by his employer in Manchester to pay a large sum of money to myfather. After leaving the train, he had entered an ale-house, where hehad been robbed of the remittance. He had been imprudent, but insteadof running away, he went directly to my father, and informed him of hismisfortune. The young man felt that he was ruined, but he said he wasdetermined not to leave Liverpool till he had found the money. He wassure he knew the man who had robbed him, and my father procured theservices of several policemen to assist him in his search. All that dayand all that night, attended by policemen, he visited the resorts ofvice and crime, and his perseverance was rewarded with success. Hefound the man, and the money was recovered. My father was so wellpleased with the energy of the young man, that he gave him a situationin his counting room. That young man was John Redburn, your father. Myfather gave him a much larger salary than he had been receiving before,so that his misfortune in losing the money proved to be a piece of goodfortune to him, for it procured him a much better situation. The newclerk performed his duties very faithfully, and at the end of a year myfather presented him this watch, with the motto, 'All for the Best,' inallusion to the manner in which he had obtained his situation."

  "But how came you here, mother, if your father was rich, and lived in afine house? You are very poor now;" asked Katy, who feared that themystery was yet to come.

  Mrs. Redburn burst into tears, and covered her face with her hands, asthe pleasant memories of her former happy home rushed through her mind.

  "Don't cry, mother; I won't ask you any more questions," said Katy,grieved to find she had reminded her mother of some unpleasant thing.

  "It was all my own fault, Katy. I am here poor and wretched, because Idisobeyed my father; because I did what he desired me not to do. I willtell you all about it, Katy. I became acquainted with the new clerk,John Redburn, and the result of our acquaintance was, that we weremarried in about a year. We ran away from home; for my father, howevermuch he liked John as a clerk, was not willing that he should be myhusband. He forbade John's coming to our house, and forbade my seeinghim. I disobeyed him. We were married, and John was discharged. Myfather 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 wegot along very well. I wish I could stop here, Katy, for the rest ofthe story is very sad."

  "Don't tell me any more, mother, it makes you feel so bad, I wouldrather not hear it. I know now why you value the watch so much, and Ihope 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 hadwith 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 hadbeen gradually growing worse and worse, till he lost his situation, andbecame a common sot. The poor wife had then been compelled to toil forher own support and that of her child; and having been brought up inluxury and ease, it was a dreadful task to her.

  John obtained another situation, but soon lost it. He was agood-hearted man when he had not been drinking, and keenly felt thedisgrace and misery he was heaping upon himself and his unhappy wife.Once he had the resolution to abandon the cup, fully determined toredeem his lost character, and make his family happy again. The betterto accomplish this, he removed to Boston, where he obtained a goodsituation, and for more than a year he adhered to his resolution. Mrs.Redburn was happy again and tremblingly hoped that the clouds ofdarkness had forever passed away.

  The evil time came again, and John Redburn sank down lower than everbefore. His wife lost all hope of him, and struggled, with the courageof a hero and the fortitude of a martyr, against the adverse tide thatset against her. She was fortunate in obtaining plenty of sewing, andwas able to support herself and child very well; but her husband, nowlost to all sense of decency, contrived to obtain, from time to time, aportion of her hard earnings. She could never have believed that JohnRedburn would come to this; for, as a clerk in her father's countingroom, he had been all that was good and noble; but there he was amiserable sot, lost to himself, to his family, and the world.

  One morning in winter he was brought home to her dead. He had died inthe watch-house of delirium tremens. He was buried, and peace, if nothope, settled on the brow of the broken-hearted wife.

  Year after year Mrs. Redburn struggled on, often with feeble hands andfainting heart, to earn a subsistence for herself and Katy. She hadbeen bred in opulence, and her wants were not so few and simple as thewants of those who have never enjoyed the luxury of a soft couch and awell-supplied table. She had never learned that calculating economywhich provides a great deal with very small means.

  Hence it was much harder for her to support herself and child, than itwould have been for one who had been brought up in a hovel.

  She had done very well, however, until, a few months before our storyopens, she had been taken sick, and was no longer able to work. Herdisease 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 hadfinished the narrativ
e.

  "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. Iwrote shortly after your father died, giving an account of mysituation. I am sure my father never could have got my letter, or hewould have answered me. I know he would not let me suffer here in woeand 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 surehe will send you some money then: perhaps he will send for us to go toLiverpool, and live in his great house, and have servants to wait uponus."

  "Alas, my child, I have given up all hope of ever seeing him again inthis world. In my letters I confessed my fault, and begged hisforgiveness. He cannot be alive, or I am sure my last letters wouldhave melted his heart."

  "Haven't you any brothers and sisters, mother?"

  "I had one sister; and I have written several letters to her, but withno 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 lettersif she had received them."

  "She was your sister?"

  "Yes; she must be dead; and I suppose my father's property must be inthe hands of strangers, covering their floors with soft carpets, andtheir tables with nice food, while I lie here in misery, and my poorchild actually suffers from hunger;" and the afflicted mother claspedher 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 eattill to-day. I am going to take care of you now, you have taken care ofme so long," replied Katy, as she wiped away the tears that flowed downher 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 tosupport us both."

  "It is hard to think how much I have suffered, and how much of woethere may be in the future for me," sobbed Mrs. Redburn.

  "Don't cry, mother. You know what it says on the watch--'All for theBest.' 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 youto go. Pawn the watch for as much as you can; and I trust that somefortunate event will enable us to redeem it."

  Katy took the watch, smoothed down her hair again, put on her worn-outbonnet, and left the house.