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Poor and Proud-Part19_Oliver Optic(1822-1897)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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marriage, and her conscience (I suppose) would not let her refuse

it. Katy, though she was a woman, so far as the duties and



responsibilities of life were concerned, was still a child in her

feelings and affections, and cried bitterly when they parted. The



good woman was scarcely less affected, and made Katy and her

mother promise an early visit to her farm.



Katy's sorrow at parting with her beloved friend was not the

only, nor perhaps, the most important, result of Mrs. Colvin's



departure, for they were deprived of the assistance of the chief

candy-puller. Katy tried to secure another woman for this labor,



but could not find a person who would serve her in this capacity.

After a vain search, Mrs. Redburn thought she was able to do the



work herself, for her health seemed to be pretty well

established. Perhaps, she reasoned, it was quite as well that



Mrs. Colvin had gone, for if she could pull the candy herself, it

would save from two to three dollars a week.



Katy would not consent that she should do it alone, but agreed to

divide the labor between them. The quantity manufactured every



day was so great that the toil of making it fell heavily upon

them; but as Mrs. Redburn did not complain, Katy was too proud to



do so though her wrists and shoulders pained her severely every

night after the work was done.



This toil weighed heavily on Katy's rather feeble constitution;

but all her mother could say would not induce her to abandon the



work. For a month they got along tolerably well, and, perhaps, no

evil consequences would have followed this hard labor, if



everything else had gone well with Katy. The girls who sold the

candy had for some time caused her considerable trouble and



anxiety. Very often they lost their money, or pretended to do so,

and three or four of them had resorted to Ann Grippen's plan of



playing "trick upon travelers." She had to discharge a great

many, and to accept the services of those whom she did not know,



and who, by various means, contrived to cheat her out of the

money received from the sales of the candy. These things annoyed



her very much, and she cast about her for a remedy.

One day, three girls, each of whom had been supplied with half a



dollar's worth of candy, did not appear to account for the

proceeds. Here was a loss of a dollar in one day. Such things as



these are the common trials of business; but Katy who was so

scrupulously honest and just herself, was severely tried by them.



It was not the loss of the money only, but the dishonesty of the

girls that annoyed her.



"What shall be done, mother?" said she, anxiously, when the loss

was understood to be actual. "I can't find these girls. I don't



even know their names."

"Probably, if you did find them, you could not obtain any



satisfaction."

"I went to see one girl's mother the other day, you know, and she



drove me out of her house, and called me vile names."

"I was thinking of a plan," continued Mrs. Redburn, "though I



don't know as it would work well."

"Anything would work better than this being constantly cheated;



for it is really worse for the girls than it is for us. I have

often felt that those who cheat us are the real sufferers. I



would a good deal rather be cheated than cheat myself."

"You are right, Katy; and that is a Christian view of the



subject. I suppose we are in duty bound to keep these girls as

honest as we can."



"What is your plan, mother?" asked Katy.

"We will sell them the candy, instead of employing them to sell



it for us."

"But they won't pay us."



"Let them pay in advance. We will sell them the candy at eight

cents a dozen. Any girl who wants two dozen sticks, must bring



sixteen cents."

"I don't believe we can find any customers."



"We can try it. For a time, probably, the sales will be less."

"Very well, mother, we will try it; for I think it would be



better to keep them honest, even if we don't sell more than half

so much."



When the girls appeared the next morning to receive their stock,

it was announced to them that the business would thereafter be



conducted on a different basis; that they must pay for their

candy before they got it, and thus become independent merchants



themselves. Most of them were unable to comply with the terms,

and begged hard to be trusted one day more. Katy was firm, for






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