Jennie Gerhardt

uiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do. She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner. Her eyes wer

s a product of the fancy, the feeling, the innate affection of the untutored but poetic mind of her mother combined with the gravity and poise which were

u would like t

r scrubbing," she replied, timi

he hated people to guess at the poverty that made it necessary. The clerk, manlike, was affected by the e

stepping into a back office,

ase and parlour hall were unswept because

sked the housekeeper, who could se

I beli

noon if she wants to. The

as he came back to the desk. "Right through there"- poin

ilder, but received only four dollars a week. Genevieve, the oldest of the girls, was past eighteen, but had not as yet been trained to any special work. The other children, George, aged fourteen; Martha, twelve; William, ten, and Veronica, eight, were too young to do anything, and only made the problem of existence the more complicated. Their one mainstay was the home, which, barring a six-hundred-dollar mortgage, the father owned. He had borrowed this money at a time when, having saved enough to buy the house, he desired to add three rooms and a porch, and so make it large enough f

le cash, would receive credit until other grocers warned the philanthropist of his folly. Corn was cheap. Sometimes she would make a kettle of lye hominy, and this would last, with scarcely anything else, for an entire week. Corn-meal also, when made into mush, was better than nothing, and this, with a little milk, made almost a feast. Potatoes fried was the nearest they ever came to luxuriou

rdy German's regular comment, and his anxiety found b

d to offer the consolation of the Church. Both of these men brought an atmosphere of grim ecclesiasticism into the house. They were the black-garbed, sanctimonious emissaries of superior forces. Mrs. Gerhardt felt as if she were going to lose her child, and watched sorrowfully by the cot-side. After three days the worst was over,

charge?" the hous

ht this would be left to he

llar a day

bout three days work to do every week. If yo

the applicant. "Sh

me now I'll show you where

t, and of imposing proportions, stood at one corner of the central public square, where were the Capitol building and principal stores. The lobby was large and had been recently redecorated. Both floor and wainscot were of white marble, kept shiny by frequent polishing. There was an imposing staircase with hand-rails of walnut and toe-strips of brass. An inviting corner was devoted to

lumbus, invariably maintained parlour chambers at the hotel. One of them, Senator Brander, was looked upon by the proprietor as more or less of a permanent guest, because he was not only a resident of the city, but an otherwise homeless bachelo

set to sweep, had for them all the magnificence of a palace; they kept their eyes down and spoke in their lowest tones. When it came to scrubbing the steps and polishing the brass-work of the splendid stairs both needed to

evieve, and started nervously

on her knees, was wringing out her

d deal to live here

rget to rub into these little cor

earnestly to her task, and polished vigorou

ve o'clock; it was dark outside, and all the lobby was brightl

m at once, among the crowd of general idlers, as some one of importance. His face was of a dark and solemn cast, but broad and sympathetic in its lines, and his bright eyes w

edged not only by walking around her, but by graciously

y standing up, her troubled glance show

nd smiled

ave troubled you

only

eyes he saw were blue and the complexion fair. He had even time to admire the mouth and the full cheeks - above all, the well-rounded, graceful form, full of youth, health, and that hopeful expectancy which to the middle-aged is s

n who went up just now?" obser

as," said

gold-hea

hen they pass," cautioned her

" returned Jennie, inno

ntion to anybody," said her m

at supper was being prepared. In another was the parlour proper, and there some one came to play on the piano. That feeling of rest and relaxation which comes before the evening meal pervaded the place. It touched the heart of the innocent working-girl with hope, for hers were the years, and poverty could not as yet fill her yo

finished stairway was relinquished by both with a sigh of relief, and, after putting their implements a

hed by that half-defined emotion which the unwonted nove

ne to be ric

her, who was thinking o

a big dining-roo

es

w cottages and among the

ch," murmured Jenn

r mother with a long-drawn sigh. "I don't b

imed Jennie, her natural sympathies restored

he would trust

where we're wo

d her mothe

two blocks from their house, they ventured nervously. M

a little bacon? We're working now at the Columb

Gerhardt, "I hav

m before illness and trouble bega

ou been working

his aft

nt to refuse you. Mr. Gerhardt is good for it, but I am poor, too.

said Mrs. Ger

from the day's work, but they were working n

guess it's all right this time.

and, handing Jennie the parcel, h

in I guess you'll go an

ou know better than that." But s

wy street, and on past the l

earily, when they neared the d

d Jennie. "If they

urbed George offered when the mother made her inquiry about the

nly smiled, but

ronica?" s

said the father. "I gave h

r went to the sick child's bedside, taking up anot

xcept such as pertained to Lutheran doctrine, to which he objected very strongly, he was imbued with American colour and energy. His transformed name of Bass suited him exactly. Tall, athletic, and well-featured for his age, he

round the hotel entrance with his friends, kicking his heels, smoking a two-for-five-cent cigar, preening himself on his stylish appearance, and looking after the girls. Others were there with him - town dandies and nobodies, young men who came there to get shaved or to drink a glass of whisky.

laundry?" he asked of Jennie after she had related the afternoo

get it?" s

the clerk,

Jennie as very

und there," he cautioned her a little later, p

e asked,

when they looked so poor he did not want to be disgraced by ha

though this youth was not much over a yea

ay to the hotel she spo

ome of the laundry of the

the problem of adding something to the three dollars which

she said. "I'll

nt them in to scrub up the floor behind the clerk's desk. That important individual felt very kindly toward mother and daughter. He liked the former's sweetly troubled counten

d, "who would give me his washing to d

recognised that absolute want was

, who would be more than glad to aid a poor woman. "You go up and see Senator Brander," he continued

tremour of gratefulness. Her eyes

observing her emotion. "You go right

erhardt knocked at number twenty-tw

of the bright room stood the Senator. Attired in a handsome

g the couple, and particularly the

, the mother hesi

you have any washing you

ice which had a peculiarly resonant quali

lack-walnut bureau. Jennie studied the room with interest. Such an array of nicknacks and pretty things on mantel and dressing-table she had never seen

there," said the Senator gracio

ne, but now the Senator had completed his researches and he reitera

er?" he continued, w

the mother; "she'

husband

is his

does he

tions Mrs. Gerhardt

ldren have yo

aid Mrs.

uite a family. You've certainl

hardt, who was touched by his

his is your ol

s,

s your hu

-blower. But

at her she turned upon him such a frank, unsophisticated gaze, and smiled in such a vague

bad! I have some washing here - not very much - but

es of apparel into a blue cotton b

ny certain day?" que

ectively, "any day

th a simple phrase

head of them and opening the door

id Mrs. Gerhar

urned to his reading, but it was

thing very pathetic about those people." Jennie's spi

through the shadowy streets. They felt imme

a fine room?"

the mother; "h

isn't he?" contin

es

famous," said the girl,