章节正文
so. She had not yet learned to bear up against the misfortunes of
trade, and her eye followed the sour gentleman far down the
street. Why should he treat her in such a rude and unkind manner?
What would he say if she should tell him that her grandfather was
a great Liverpool merchant, lived in a big house, and had lots of
servants to wait upon him? She was as good as he was, any day.
"Give me a stick of candy," said a nice little girl with a silk
dress on, whom a lady was holding by the hand, at the same time
placing a cent on her tray.
Katy started at the words, and reproved herself for her want of
meekness. She might, perhaps, have sold half a dozen sticks of
candy while she had been watching the sour gentleman, and
persuading herself that she had been very badly used. She tore
off a piece of paper, in which she wrapped up the candy for the
purchaser, and handed it to her.
"Thank you," said she, as she picked up the copper, and
transferred it to her pocket.
"Your candy looks very nice," added the lady evidently pleased
with Katy's polite manners.
"It is very nice, ma'am."
"Have you sold much to-day?"
"No, ma'am; I have but just come out."
"It looks so good, I will take half a dozen sticks for the
children at home."
"Thank you, ma'am; you are very kind," replied Katy; and her
nimble fingers had soon made a nice little parcel for the lady,
who gave her a fourpence.
Here was another avalanche of good fortune, and the little candy
merchant could hardly believe her senses. At this rate she would
soon become a wholesaledealer in the article.
"Buy some candy?" said she, addressing the next person she met.
"No."
"Buy some candy?" she continued, turning to the next.
"No."
And so she went from one to another, and no one seemed to have
the least relish for molasses candy. She walked till she came to
State Street, and sold only three sticks. She begun to be a
little disheartened, for the success she had met with at the
beginning had raised her anticipations so high that she was not
disposed to be content with moderate sales. While she was
standing at the corner of State Street, waitingimpatiently for
customers, she saw a man with a basket of apples enter a store.
She crossed the street to observe what he did in the store, in
order, if possible, to get an idea of his mode of doing business.
She saw him offer his apples to the clerks and others in the
shop, and she was surprised and gratified to see that nearly
every person purchased one or more of them. In her heart she
thanked the apple man for the hint he had unconsciously afforded
her, and resolved to profit by his example.
Now that commerce was her business, she was disposed to make it
her study; and as she reasoned over the matter, she came to
understand why she found so few buyers in the streets. Ladies and
gentlemen did not like to be seen eating candy in the street,
neither would many of them want to put it into their pockets,
where it would melt and stick to their clothes. They would eat it
in their shops and houses; and with this new idea she was
encouraged to make a new effort. Walking along till she came to a
store where there appeared to be several clerks she entered.
"Buy some candy?" she said, addressing a salesman near the
window, as she raised up her ware so that he could see them.
The clerk made no reply, but coming round from behind the
counter, he rudely took her arm, opened the door, and pushed her
into the street. Katy's cheek burned with indignation at this
unprovoked assault, and she wished for the power of ten men, that
she might punish the ill-natured fellow as he deserved. But it
was all for the best, for, in pushing her out of the shop, the
clerk threw her against a portly gentleman on the street, whose
soft, yielding form alone saved her from being tumbled into the
gutter. He showed no disposition to resent the assault upon his
obesity, and kindly caught her in his arms.
"What is the matter my dear?" said the gentleman, in soothing
tones.
"That man pushed me out of the store," replied Katy, bursting
into tears, for she was completely overcome by the indignity that
had been cast upon her.
"Perhaps you didn't behave well."
"I am sure I did. I only asked him to buy some candy: and he
shoved me right out the door, just as though I had been a dog."
"Well, well, don't cry, my dear; you seem to be a very
well-behaved little girl, and I wonder at finding you in such low
business."
"My mother is sick, and I am trying to earn something to support
her," sobbed Katy, who, with her independent notions of trade in
general, and of the candy trade in particular, would not have
revealed this humiliating truth, except under the severe pressure
of a wounded spirit.
"Poor child!" exclaimed the portly gentleman, thrusting his hand
deep down into his pocket, and pulling up a handful of silver.
"Here is half a dollar for you, for I know you tell the truth."
"O, no, sir; I can't take money as a gift."
"Eh?"
The gentleman looked astonished, and attempted to persuade her;
but she steadily protested against receiving his money as a gift.
"You are a proud little girl, my dear."
"I am poor and proud; but I will sell you some candy."
"Well, give me half a dollar's worth."
"I haven't got so much. I have only fourteen cents' worth left."
"Give me that, then."
Katy wrapped up the remainder of her stock in a piece of paper,
and handed it to the gentleman, who in payment threw the
half-dollar on the tray.
"I can't change it."
"Never mind the change;" and the fat gentleman hurried away.
Katy was so utterly astounded to find she had disposed of her
entire stock, that she did not have the presence of mind to
follow him, and the half dollar had to be placed in her treasury.
She did not regard it with so much pride and pleasure as she did
the two four-pence, and the four coppers, for there was something
unmercantile about the manner in which it had come into her
possession. She could not feel satisfied with herself, as she
walked towards home, till she had argued the matter, and effected
a compromise between her pride and her poverty. She had sold
candy for the money, and the gentleman had paid her over three
cents a stick--rather above the market value of the article; but
there was no other way to make the transaction correspond with
her ideas of propriety.
Her work was done for the forenoon, though she had plenty of
candy at home. It was now eleven o'clock, and she had not time to
sell out another stock before dinner. As she walked up the
street, on her way home, she encountered Master Simon Sneed, who,
with the dignity and stateliness of a merchant prince, was
lugging a huge bundle of goods to the residence of some customer.
"I am glad to see you, Simon," said Katy. "Have you seen your
friend the mayor?"
"I am sorry to inform you, Katy, that a press of business has
prevented my calling on his honor."
"I am sorry for that. I am afraid I shall never see the watch
again."
"Depend upon it, you shall. I pledge you my honor that I will use
every exertion to recover the lost treasure. Just now our firm
require the undivided attention of all in the store."
"I told Mrs. Gordon all about it, and she promised to speak to
the mayor."
"It was unnecessary to trouble her with the matter; my influence
with the mayor will be quite sufficient."
"I dare say it will; but when shall you see him?"
"Very soon, be patient, Katy."
"Mrs. Gordon promised to take me to the mayor to-day, and tell
him all about it."
"Take you to the mayor!" exclaimed Master simon.
"That's what she said."
"You will be afraid of him, and not able to tell your story."
"No, I guess I shan't. I will tell him that I have mentioned the
matter to you."
"Perhaps you had better not; his honor, though we have been quite
intimate, may not remember my name. But I must leave you now, for
the firm gets very uneasy in my absence."
Simon shouldered his bundle again, and moved off, and Katy walked
towards home, wondering why a person of so much importance to the
Messrs. Sands & Co. should be permitted to degrade himself by
carrying bundles. When she got home, she found her mother in a
very cheerful frame of mind, the result of her reading and
meditation.
"Well. Katy, you come back with an empty tray have you sold all
your candy?" asked Mrs. Redburn, as she entered the room.
"Yes, mother, every stick. I have brought back sixty-six cents,"
replied Katy, emptying her pocket on the bed.
"Sixty-six cents! But you had only thirty sticks of candy."
"You must not blame me for what I have done, mother; I could not
help it;" and she proceeded to narrate all the particulars of her
forenoon's occupation.
Mrs. Redburn was annoyed at the incident with the fat gentleman;
more so than by the rudeness to which Katy had been subjected.
The little merchant was so elated at her success, that her mother
could not find it in her heart to cast a damper upon her spirits
by a single reproach. Perhaps her morning's reflections had
subdued her pride so that she did not feel disposed to do so.
After dinner Katy hastened at once to Temple Street again. To her
great disappointment she found that Mrs. Gordon and her daughter
had been suddenly called to Baltimore by the death of one of her
husband's near relatives. But the kind lady had not forgotten
her, and that was a great consolation. Michael gave her a note,
directed to the mayor, which he instructed her to deliver that
day.
With the assistance of Michael, she found the house of the mayor,
and though her heart beat violently she resolutely rang the bell
at the door.
"Is the mayor in?" asked she of the sleek servant man that
answered the summons.
"Well, suppose he is; what of it?" replied the servant, who could
not possibly have been aware that Katy's grandfather was a rich
Liverpool merchant, or he would have spoken more civilly to her.
"I want to see him."
"He don't see little brats like you," answered the servant,
shutting the door in her face.
Katy was indignant. She wished a dozen things all at once; and
among other things she wished Master Simon Sneed had been there,
that he might report the circumstance to his friend the mayor.
What was to be done? It was mean to treat her in that shabby
manner, and she would not stand it? She would not, that she
wouldn't! Grasping the bell handle with a courageous hand, she
gave a pull that must have astonished the occupants of the
servants' hall, and led them to believe that some distinguished
character had certainly come. The sleek man servant reappeared at
the door, ready to make his lowest bow to the great personage,
when he beheld the flashing eye of Katy.
"How dare you ring that bell again?" snarled he.
"I want to see the mayor, I have a note for him from Mrs. Gordon,
and I won't go away till I see him."
"From Mrs. Gordon! Why didn't you say so? You may come in."
Katy entered at this invitation, and the man bade her wait in the
trade, and her eye followed the sour gentleman far down the
street. Why should he treat her in such a rude and unkind manner?
What would he say if she should tell him that her grandfather was
a great Liverpool merchant, lived in a big house, and had lots of
servants to wait upon him? She was as good as he was, any day.
"Give me a stick of candy," said a nice little girl with a silk
dress on, whom a lady was holding by the hand, at the same time
placing a cent on her tray.
Katy started at the words, and reproved herself for her want of
meekness. She might, perhaps, have sold half a dozen sticks of
candy while she had been watching the sour gentleman, and
persuading herself that she had been very badly used. She tore
off a piece of paper, in which she wrapped up the candy for the
purchaser, and handed it to her.
"Thank you," said she, as she picked up the copper, and
transferred it to her pocket.
"Your candy looks very nice," added the lady evidently pleased
with Katy's polite manners.
"It is very nice, ma'am."
"Have you sold much to-day?"
"No, ma'am; I have but just come out."
"It looks so good, I will take half a dozen sticks for the
children at home."
"Thank you, ma'am; you are very kind," replied Katy; and her
nimble fingers had soon made a nice little parcel for the lady,
who gave her a fourpence.
Here was another avalanche of good fortune, and the little candy
merchant could hardly believe her senses. At this rate she would
soon become a wholesaledealer in the article.
"Buy some candy?" said she, addressing the next person she met.
"No."
"Buy some candy?" she continued, turning to the next.
"No."
And so she went from one to another, and no one seemed to have
the least relish for molasses candy. She walked till she came to
State Street, and sold only three sticks. She begun to be a
little disheartened, for the success she had met with at the
beginning had raised her anticipations so high that she was not
disposed to be content with moderate sales. While she was
standing at the corner of State Street, waitingimpatiently for
customers, she saw a man with a basket of apples enter a store.
She crossed the street to observe what he did in the store, in
order, if possible, to get an idea of his mode of doing business.
She saw him offer his apples to the clerks and others in the
shop, and she was surprised and gratified to see that nearly
every person purchased one or more of them. In her heart she
thanked the apple man for the hint he had unconsciously afforded
her, and resolved to profit by his example.
Now that commerce was her business, she was disposed to make it
her study; and as she reasoned over the matter, she came to
understand why she found so few buyers in the streets. Ladies and
gentlemen did not like to be seen eating candy in the street,
neither would many of them want to put it into their pockets,
where it would melt and stick to their clothes. They would eat it
in their shops and houses; and with this new idea she was
encouraged to make a new effort. Walking along till she came to a
store where there appeared to be several clerks she entered.
"Buy some candy?" she said, addressing a salesman near the
window, as she raised up her ware so that he could see them.
The clerk made no reply, but coming round from behind the
counter, he rudely took her arm, opened the door, and pushed her
into the street. Katy's cheek burned with indignation at this
unprovoked assault, and she wished for the power of ten men, that
she might punish the ill-natured fellow as he deserved. But it
was all for the best, for, in pushing her out of the shop, the
clerk threw her against a portly gentleman on the street, whose
soft, yielding form alone saved her from being tumbled into the
gutter. He showed no disposition to resent the assault upon his
obesity, and kindly caught her in his arms.
"What is the matter my dear?" said the gentleman, in soothing
tones.
"That man pushed me out of the store," replied Katy, bursting
into tears, for she was completely overcome by the indignity that
had been cast upon her.
"Perhaps you didn't behave well."
"I am sure I did. I only asked him to buy some candy: and he
shoved me right out the door, just as though I had been a dog."
"Well, well, don't cry, my dear; you seem to be a very
well-behaved little girl, and I wonder at finding you in such low
business."
"My mother is sick, and I am trying to earn something to support
her," sobbed Katy, who, with her independent notions of trade in
general, and of the candy trade in particular, would not have
revealed this humiliating truth, except under the severe pressure
of a wounded spirit.
"Poor child!" exclaimed the portly gentleman, thrusting his hand
deep down into his pocket, and pulling up a handful of silver.
"Here is half a dollar for you, for I know you tell the truth."
"O, no, sir; I can't take money as a gift."
"Eh?"
The gentleman looked astonished, and attempted to persuade her;
but she steadily protested against receiving his money as a gift.
"You are a proud little girl, my dear."
"I am poor and proud; but I will sell you some candy."
"Well, give me half a dollar's worth."
"I haven't got so much. I have only fourteen cents' worth left."
"Give me that, then."
Katy wrapped up the remainder of her stock in a piece of paper,
and handed it to the gentleman, who in payment threw the
half-dollar on the tray.
"I can't change it."
"Never mind the change;" and the fat gentleman hurried away.
Katy was so utterly astounded to find she had disposed of her
entire stock, that she did not have the presence of mind to
follow him, and the half dollar had to be placed in her treasury.
She did not regard it with so much pride and pleasure as she did
the two four-pence, and the four coppers, for there was something
unmercantile about the manner in which it had come into her
possession. She could not feel satisfied with herself, as she
walked towards home, till she had argued the matter, and effected
a compromise between her pride and her poverty. She had sold
candy for the money, and the gentleman had paid her over three
cents a stick--rather above the market value of the article; but
there was no other way to make the transaction correspond with
her ideas of propriety.
Her work was done for the forenoon, though she had plenty of
candy at home. It was now eleven o'clock, and she had not time to
sell out another stock before dinner. As she walked up the
street, on her way home, she encountered Master Simon Sneed, who,
with the dignity and stateliness of a merchant prince, was
lugging a huge bundle of goods to the residence of some customer.
"I am glad to see you, Simon," said Katy. "Have you seen your
friend the mayor?"
"I am sorry to inform you, Katy, that a press of business has
prevented my calling on his honor."
"I am sorry for that. I am afraid I shall never see the watch
again."
"Depend upon it, you shall. I pledge you my honor that I will use
every exertion to recover the lost treasure. Just now our firm
require the undivided attention of all in the store."
"I told Mrs. Gordon all about it, and she promised to speak to
the mayor."
"It was unnecessary to trouble her with the matter; my influence
with the mayor will be quite sufficient."
"I dare say it will; but when shall you see him?"
"Very soon, be patient, Katy."
"Mrs. Gordon promised to take me to the mayor to-day, and tell
him all about it."
"Take you to the mayor!" exclaimed Master simon.
"That's what she said."
"You will be afraid of him, and not able to tell your story."
"No, I guess I shan't. I will tell him that I have mentioned the
matter to you."
"Perhaps you had better not; his honor, though we have been quite
intimate, may not remember my name. But I must leave you now, for
the firm gets very uneasy in my absence."
Simon shouldered his bundle again, and moved off, and Katy walked
towards home, wondering why a person of so much importance to the
Messrs. Sands & Co. should be permitted to degrade himself by
carrying bundles. When she got home, she found her mother in a
very cheerful frame of mind, the result of her reading and
meditation.
"Well. Katy, you come back with an empty tray have you sold all
your candy?" asked Mrs. Redburn, as she entered the room.
"Yes, mother, every stick. I have brought back sixty-six cents,"
replied Katy, emptying her pocket on the bed.
"Sixty-six cents! But you had only thirty sticks of candy."
"You must not blame me for what I have done, mother; I could not
help it;" and she proceeded to narrate all the particulars of her
forenoon's occupation.
Mrs. Redburn was annoyed at the incident with the fat gentleman;
more so than by the rudeness to which Katy had been subjected.
The little merchant was so elated at her success, that her mother
could not find it in her heart to cast a damper upon her spirits
by a single reproach. Perhaps her morning's reflections had
subdued her pride so that she did not feel disposed to do so.
After dinner Katy hastened at once to Temple Street again. To her
great disappointment she found that Mrs. Gordon and her daughter
had been suddenly called to Baltimore by the death of one of her
husband's near relatives. But the kind lady had not forgotten
her, and that was a great consolation. Michael gave her a note,
directed to the mayor, which he instructed her to deliver that
day.
With the assistance of Michael, she found the house of the mayor,
and though her heart beat violently she resolutely rang the bell
at the door.
"Is the mayor in?" asked she of the sleek servant man that
answered the summons.
"Well, suppose he is; what of it?" replied the servant, who could
not possibly have been aware that Katy's grandfather was a rich
Liverpool merchant, or he would have spoken more civilly to her.
"I want to see him."
"He don't see little brats like you," answered the servant,
shutting the door in her face.
Katy was indignant. She wished a dozen things all at once; and
among other things she wished Master Simon Sneed had been there,
that he might report the circumstance to his friend the mayor.
What was to be done? It was mean to treat her in that shabby
manner, and she would not stand it? She would not, that she
wouldn't! Grasping the bell handle with a courageous hand, she
gave a pull that must have astonished the occupants of the
servants' hall, and led them to believe that some distinguished
character had certainly come. The sleek man servant reappeared at
the door, ready to make his lowest bow to the great personage,
when he beheld the flashing eye of Katy.
"How dare you ring that bell again?" snarled he.
"I want to see the mayor, I have a note for him from Mrs. Gordon,
and I won't go away till I see him."
"From Mrs. Gordon! Why didn't you say so? You may come in."
Katy entered at this invitation, and the man bade her wait in the
- grandfather [´grænd,fɑ:ðə]
n.(外)祖父；祖先 (初中英语单词) - copper [´kɔpə] n.铜 a.铜制的 (初中英语单词)
- evidently [´evidəntli] ad.明显地 (初中英语单词)
- polite [pə´lait] a.有礼貌的；温和的 (初中英语单词)
- parcel [´pɑ:sl] n.包裹；一批 vt.区分 (初中英语单词)
- dealer [´di:lə] n.商人 (初中英语单词)
- moderate [´mɔdərit] a.适度的n.温和主义者 (初中英语单词)
- waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)
- commerce [´kɔmə:s] n.商业；社交；交流 (初中英语单词)
- assault [ə´sɔ:lt] vt.袭击；殴打 n.攻击 (初中英语单词)
- punish [´pʌniʃ] vt.(惩)罚；痛击；折磨 (初中英语单词)
- disposition [,dispə´ziʃən] n.安排；性情；倾向 (初中英语单词)
- overcome [,əuvə´kʌm] vt.战胜，克服 (初中英语单词)
- behave [bi´heiv] v.举止；表现；举止端正 (初中英语单词)
- severe [si´viə] a.严厉的；苛刻的 (初中英语单词)
- persuade [pə´sweid] v.(被)说服；使相信 (初中英语单词)
- steadily [´stedili] ad.坚定地；不断地 (初中英语单词)
- payment [´peimənt] n.支付；报酬；报偿 (初中英语单词)
- poverty [´pɔvəti] n.贫穷(乏，瘠)；不足 (初中英语单词)
- dignity [´digniti] n.尊严，尊贵；高官显贵 (初中英语单词)
- prince [´prins] n.王子；亲王；君主 (初中英语单词)
- bundle [´bʌndl] n.包，捆；包袱(裹) (初中英语单词)
- residence [´rezidəns] n.居住(期间)；住宅 (初中英语单词)
- pledge [pledʒ] n.信物；誓约vt.使发誓 (初中英语单词)
- cheerful [´tʃiəful] a.快乐的；高兴的 (初中英语单词)
- reading [´ri:diŋ] n.(阅)读；朗读；读物 (初中英语单词)
- incident [´insidənt] n.小事件；事变 (初中英语单词)
- temple [´tempəl] n.庙宇；寺院；太阳穴 (初中英语单词)
- disappointment [,disə´pɔintmənt] n.失望；挫折 (初中英语单词)
- assistance [ə´sistəns] n.协作；援助；帮助 (初中英语单词)
- spoken [´spəukən] speak的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- beheld [bi´held] behold的过去式(分词) (初中英语单词)
- invitation [,invi´teiʃən] n.邀请；请帖；吸引 (初中英语单词)
- learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)
- relish [´reliʃ] n.滋味；风味 v.品尝 (高中英语单词)
- salesman [´seilzmən] n.店员；推销员 (高中英语单词)
- indignation [,indig´neiʃən] n.愤慨；气愤 (高中英语单词)
- resent [ri´zent] vt.不满于；怨恨；忿恨 (高中英语单词)
- finding [´faindiŋ] n.发现物；判断；结果 (高中英语单词)
- handful [hændful] n.一把，少数，一小撮 (高中英语单词)
- remainder [ri´meində] n.剩余物；残余部分 (高中英语单词)
- hurried [´hʌrid] a.仓促的，慌忙的 (高中英语单词)
- compromise [´kɔmprəmaiz] n.妥协，和解 (高中英语单词)
- correspond [,kɔri´spɔnd] vi.符合；相当；通信 (高中英语单词)
- uneasy [ʌn´i:zi] a.不安的；不自在的 (高中英语单词)
- reproach [ri´prəutʃ] vt.&n.责备；指责；耻辱 (高中英语单词)
- baltimore [´bɔ:ltimɔ:] n.巴尔的摩 (高中英语单词)
- violently [´vaiələntli] ad.强暴地；猛烈地 (高中英语单词)
- unkind [,ʌn´kaind] a.不客气的；不和善的 (英语四级单词)
- liverpool [´livəpu:l] n.利物浦 (英语四级单词)
- wholesale [´həulseil] n.&vt.批发 a.批发的 (英语四级单词)
- molasses [mə´læsiz] n.糖浆，糖蜜 (英语四级单词)
- impatiently [im´peiʃəntli] ad.不耐烦地，急躁地 (英语四级单词)
- unconsciously [ʌn´kɔʃəsli] ad.无意识地；不觉察地 (英语四级单词)
- resolved [ri´zɔlvd] a.决心的；坚定的 (英语四级单词)
- trying [´traiiŋ] a.难堪的；费劲的 (英语四级单词)
- forenoon [´fɔ:nu:n] n.午前，上午 (英语四级单词)
- exertion [ig´zə:ʃən] n.努力；行使；活动 (英语四级单词)
- degrade [di´greid] v.降低；(使)堕落 (英语四级单词)
- consolation [,kɔnsə´leiʃən] n.安慰，慰问 (英语四级单词)
- indignant [in´dignənt] a.义愤的，愤慨的 (英语四级单词)
- courageous [kə´reidʒəs] a.勇敢的；无畏的 (英语四级单词)
- holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)
- avalanche [´ævəlɑ:nʃ] n.雪崩 (英语六级单词)
- rudely [´ru:dli] ad.粗鲁地；粗略地 (英语六级单词)
- calling [´kɔ:liŋ] n.点名；职业；欲望 (英语六级单词)
- resolutely [´rezəlju:tli] ad.坚决地；果断地 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
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