Capn Dans Daughter | Page 6

right, Serena," he admitted. "I ain't much good, I'm
afraid."
Mrs. Dott's expression changed. She rose, walked over, and kissed him.
"You're too good, that's the main trouble with you," she said. "Well, I
won't scold any more. I'm glad we've got the three thousand
anyway--and the tea-pot."
"It's a lovely tea-pot, all engravin' and everything. And the sugar-bowl's
almost as pretty. You'll like 'em, Serena."
"Yes, I'll love 'em, I don't doubt. You and I can look at them and think
of that cousin of Aunt Lavinia's spending the rest of her fortune. No
wonder she didn't leave him the tea-pot; precious little tea he drinks, if
stories we hear are true. Well, there's one good thing about it--Gertie
can keep on with her college. This is her last year."
"Yes; I thought of that. I thought of a million things when I was racin'
across the yard with this letter. Say, Serena, you've never told Gertie
anything about how trade was or how hard-up we've been?"
"Of course not."
"No, I knew you wouldn't. She's such a conscientious girl; if she
thought we couldn't afford it she wouldn't think of keepin' on with that
college, and I've set my heart on her havin' the best start in life we can
give her."
"I know. Ah hum! I wish she could have the start some people's
daughters have. Mrs. Black was with me at the lodge room

yesterday--we are decorating for the men's evening to-morrow night,
you know--and Mrs. Black has been helping me; she's awfully kind that
way. You'd think she belonged here in Trumet, instead of being rich
and living in Scarford and being way up in society there. She and her
husband are just like common folks."
"Humph! Barney Black IS common folks. He was born right here in
Trumet and his family was common as wharf rats. HE needn't put on
airs with me."
"He doesn't. And yet, if he was like some people, he would. So
successful in his big factory, and his wife way up in the best circles of
Scarford; she's head of the Ladies of Honor there as I am here, and
means to get a national office in the order; she told me so. But there!
that reminds me that I was going to meet her at the lodge room at ten,
and it's half-past nine now. Do help me with these hooks. If I wasn't so
fleshy I could do them myself, but I almost died hooking the others."
"Why didn't you call Zuba? She'd have hooked 'em for you."
"Azuba! Heavens and earth! She's worse than nobody; her fingers are
all thumbs. Besides, she would talk me deaf, dumb and blind. She
doesn't know her place at all; thinks she is one of the family, I
suppose."
"Well, she is, pretty nigh. Been here long enough."
"I don't care. She isn't one of the family; she's a servant, or ought to be.
Oh dear! when I hear Annette Black telling about her four servants and
all the rest it makes me so jealous, sometimes."
"Don't make ME jealous. I'd rather have you and Gertie and this place
than all Barney Black owns--and that means his wife, too."
"Daniel, I keep telling you not to call Mr. Black 'Barney.' He is B.
Phelps Black now. Mrs. Black always calls him 'Phelps.' So does
everybody in Scarford, so she says."
"Want to know! He was Barney Black when he lived here regular.
Havin' a summer cottage here and a real house in Scarford must make a
lot of difference. By the way, speakin' of Scarford, that's where Aunt
Laviny used to live afore she went abroad. She owned a big house
there."
"Why, so she did! I wonder what will become of it. I suppose that
cousin will get it, along with the rest. Oh dear! suppose--just suppose
there wasn't any cousin. Suppose you and I and Gertie had that house

and the money. Wouldn't it be splendid? WE could be in society then."
"Humph! I'd look pretty in society, wouldn't I?"
"Of course you would. You'd look as pretty as Barney--B. Phelps Black,
wouldn't you? And I--Oh, HOW I should love it! Trumet is so out of
date. A real intelligent, ambitious woman has no chance in Trumet."
The captain shook his head. He recognized the last sentence as a
quotation from the works of Mrs. Annette Black, self-confessed leader
in society in the flourishing manufacturing city of Scarford, and
summer resident and condescending patroness of Trumet.
"Well," he observed; "we've got more chance, even in Trumet, than
we've had for the last year, thanks to Aunt Laviny's three thousand. It
gives us a breathin' spell, anyhow. If only trade in the store would pick
up, I--Hey! Good heavens to Betsy!