Part 30 (1/2)

Such was the false but plausible missive that was aimed as an arrow at poor little Zell. There was nothing in her training or education, and little in her character, to s.h.i.+eld her. Moreover the increasing miseries of their situation were Van Dam's allies.

Edith rose the next morning greatly refreshed, and her naturally courageous nature rallied to meet the difficulties of their position.

But in her strength, as was too often the case, she made too little allowance for the weakness of the others. She took the reins in her hand in a masterful and not merciful way, and dictated to the rest in a manner that they secretly resented.

The store wagon was a little earlier than usual that morning, and a note from Mr. Hard was handed in, stating that he had payments to make that day and would therefore request that his little account might be met. Two or three other persons brought up bills from the village, saying that for some reason or another the money was greatly needed.

Tom Crowl's gossip was doing its legitimate work.

In the post-office Edith found all the other accounts against the family, with requests for payment, polite enough, but pressing.

She resolved to pay all she could, and went first to Mr. Hard's, That worthy citizen's eyes grew less stony as he saw half the amount of his bill on the counter. The rumor of Edith's visit to the city had reached even him, and he had his fears that collecting might involve some unpleasant business; but, however unpleasant it might be, Mr.

Hard always collected.

”I hope our method of dealing has satisfied you. Miss Allen,” he ventured politely.

”Oh, yes,” said Edith dryly, ”you have been very liberal and prompt with everything, especially your bill.”

At this Mr. Hard's eyes grew quite pebbly, and he muttered something about its being the rule to settle monthly.

”Oh, certainly,” said Edith, ”and like most rules, no doubt, has many exceptions. Good-morning.”

She also paid something on the other bills, and found that she had but a few dollars left. Though there was a certain sense of relief in the feeling that she now owed much less, still she looked with dismay on the small sum remaining. Where was more to come from? She had determined that she would not go to New York again to sell anything except in the direst extremity.

That evening Hannibal gave them a meagre supper, for Edith had told him of the absolute necessity of economy. There was a little grumbling over the fare. So Edith pushed her chair back, laid seven dollars on the table, saying:

”That's all the money I have in the world. Who's got any more?”

They raised ten dollars among them.

”Now,” said Edith, ”this is all we have. Where is more coming from?”

Helpless sighs and silence were her only answers.

”There is nothing clearer in the world,” continued Edith, ”than that we must earn money. What can we do?”

”I never thought I should have to work,” said Laura piteously.

”But, my dear sister,” said Edith earnestly, ”isn't it clear to you now that you must? You certainly don't expect me to earn enough to support you all. One pair of hands can't do it, and it wouldn't be fair in the bargain.”

”Oh, certainly not,” said Laura. ”I will do anything you say as well as I can, though, for the life of me, I don't see what I can do.”

”Nor I either,” said Zell pa.s.sionately. ”I don't know how to work. I never did anything useful in my life that I know of. What right have parents to bring up girls in this way, unless they make it a perfect certainty that they will always be rich? Here we are as helpless as four children. We have not got enough to keep us from starving more than a week at best. Just to think of it! Men are speculating and risking all they have every day. Ever since I was a child I have heard about the risks of business. I knew some people whose fathers failed, and they went away, I don't know where, to suffer as we have perhaps, and yet girls are not taught to do a single thing by which they can earn a penny if they need to. If anybody will pay me for jabbering a little bad French and Italian, and strumming a few operatic airs on the piano, I am at their service. I think I also understand dressing, flirting, and receiving compliments very well. I had a taste for these things, and never had any special motive given me for doing anything else. What becomes of all the girls thus taught to be helpless, and then tossed out into the world to sink or swim?”

”They find some self-sustaining work in it,” said Edith.

”Not all of them, I guess,” muttered Zell sullenly.

”Then they do worse, and had better starve,” said Edith sternly.

”You don't know anything about starving,” retorted Zell, bitterly. ”I repeat, it's a burning shame to bring girls up so that they don't know how to do anything, if there's ever any possibility that they must.

And it's a worse shame that respect and encouragement are not given to girls who earn a living. Mother says that if we become working girls, not one of our old wealthy, fas.h.i.+onable set will have anything to do with us. What makes people act so silly? Any one of them on the avenue may be where we are in a year. I've no patience with the ways of the world. People don't help each other to be good, and don't help others up. Grown-up folks act like children. How parents can look forward to the barest chance of their children being poor, and bring them up as we were, I don't see. I'm no more fit to be poor than to be President.”