Lizzy Glenn | Page 8

drew an old Rob Roy shawl around
her shoulders. Descending then into the street, she took her way with a
quick step toward that part of the city in which her employer kept his
store. Her heart beat anxiously as she drew near, and trembled lest she
should not find him in. If not?--but the fear made her feel sick. She had
no food in the house, no friends to whom she could apply, and there
was no one of whom she could venture to ask to be trusted for even a
single loaf of bread. At length she reached the well-lighted store, in
which were several customers, upon whom both Berlaps and bis clerk
were attending with business assiduity. The sight of the tailor relieved
the feelings of poor Mrs. Gaston very much. Passing on to the back part
of the store, she stood patiently awaiting his leisure. But his customers
were hard to please. And, moreover, one was scarcely suited. before
another came in. Thus it continued for nearly half an hour, when, the
poor woman became so anxious about the little ones she had left at
home, and especially about Ella, who had appeared to have a good deal
of fever when she came away, that she walked slowly down the store,
and paused opposite to where Berlaps stood waiting upon a customer,
in order to attract his attention. But he took not the slightest notice of
her. She remained thus for nearly ten minutes longer. Then she came up
to the side of the counter, and, leaning over toward him, said, in a half
whisper--
"Can I speak a word with you, Mr. Berlaps?"
"I've no time to attend to you now, woman," he answered, gruffly, and
the half-frightened creature shrunk away quickly, and again stood far
back in the store.
It was full half an hour after this before the shop was cleared, and then

the tailor, instead of coming back to where Mrs. Gaston stood,
commenced folding up and replacing his goods upon the shelves.
Fearful lest other customers would enter, the seamstress came slowly
forward, and again stood near Berlaps.
"What do you want here to-night, woman?" asked the tailor, without
lifting his eyes from the employment in which he was engaged.
"I brought home the other pair of trowsers this morning, but you were
not in," Mrs. Gaston replied.
"Well?"
"Michael couldn't pay me, and so I've run up this evening."
"You're a very troublesome kind of a person," said Berlaps, looking her
rebukingly in the face. Then taking a dollar and five cents from the
drawer, he pushed them toward her on the counter, adding, as he did so,
"There, take your money. One would think you were actually starving."
Mrs. Gaston picked up the coin eagerly, and hurried away. It was more
than an hour since she had left home. Her children were alone, and the
night had closed in some time before. The thought of this made her
quicken her pace to a run. As she passed on, the sight of an orange in a
window reminded her of her promise to Ella. She stopped and bought a
small one, and then hurried again on her way.
"Here's half a dollar of what I owe you, Mrs. Grubb," said she, as she
stepped into the shop of that personage, and threw the coin she named
upon the counter. "And now give me a loaf of bread, quickly; some
molasses in this cup, and a pint of milk in this," drawing two little mugs
from under her shawl as she spoke.
The articles she mentioned were soon ready for her. She had paid for
them, and was about stepping from the door, when she paused, and,
turning about, said:
"Oh, I had like to have forgotten! I want two cent candles. I shall have

to work late to-night."
The candles were cut from a large bunch hanging above the narrow
counter, wrapped in a very small bit of paper, and given to Mrs. Gaston,
who took them and went quickly away.
All was dark and still in the room that contained her children, as she
gained the house that sheltered them. She lit one of her candles below,
and went up-stairs. As she entered, Ella's bright eyes glistened upon her
from the bed; but little Emma had fallen asleep with her head in the lap
of Henry, who was seated upon the floor with his back against the wall,
himself likewise locked in the arms of forgetfulness. The fire had
nearly gone out, and the room was quite cold.
"Oh, mother, why did yon stay so long?" Ella asked, looking her
earnestly in the face.
"I couldn't get back any sooner, my dear. But see! I've brought the
orange you have wished