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Jennie Gerhardt Chapter 1 · The Theodore Dreiser Library

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  Speaker 1: CHAPTER I. One morning in the fall of 1880, a
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  Speaker 1: middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented
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  Speaker 1: herself at the clerk's desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio,
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  Speaker 1: and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about
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  Speaker 1: the place that she could do. She was of a helpless,
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  Speaker 1: fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance, and an innocent,
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  Speaker 1: diffident manner. Her eyes were large and patient, and in
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  Speaker 1: them dwelt such a shadow of distress as as only
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  Speaker 1: those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the
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  Speaker 1: distraught and helpless poor know anything about. Anyone could see
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  Speaker 1: where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness
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  Speaker 1: which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
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  Speaker 1: She was a product of the fancy, the feeling, the
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  Speaker 1: innate affection of the untutored but poetic mind of her mother,
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  Speaker 1: combined with the gravity and poise— which were characteristic of
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  Speaker 1: her father. Poverty was driving them. Together they presented so
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  Speaker 1: appealing a picture of honest necessity that even the clerk
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  Speaker 1: was affected. What is it you would like to do?
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  Speaker 1: he asked. Maybe you have some cleaning or scrubbing, she
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  Speaker 1: replied timidly. I could wash the floors. The daughter, hearing
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  Speaker 1: this statement, turned uneasily, not because it irritated her to
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  Speaker 1: work but because she hated people to guess at the
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  Speaker 1: poverty that made it necessary. The clerk, manlike, was affected
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  Speaker 1: by the evidence of beauty in distress. The innocent helplessness
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  Speaker 1: of the daughter made their lot seem hard indeed. Wait
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  Speaker 1: a moment, he said, and stepping into a back office,
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  Speaker 1: he called the head housekeeper. There was work to be done.
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  Speaker 1: The main staircase and parlor hall were unswept, because of
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  Speaker 1: the absence of the regular scrub-woman. Is that her daughter
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  Speaker 1: with her? asked the housekeeper, who could see them from
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  Speaker 1: where she was standing. Yes, I believe so. She might
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  Speaker 1: come this afternoon if she wants to. The girl helps her,
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  Speaker 1: I suppose. You go see the housekeeper, said the clerk pleasantly,
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  Speaker 1: as he came back to the desk, right through there,
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  Speaker 1: pointing to a nearby door. She'll arrange with you about it.
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  Speaker 1: A succession of misfortunes, of which this little scene might
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  Speaker 1: have been called the tragic culmination, had taken place in
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  Speaker 1: the life and family of William Gerhardt, a glass-blower by trade.
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  Speaker 1: Having suffered the reverses so common in the lower walks
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  Speaker 1: of life, this man was forced to see his wife,
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  Speaker 1: his six children, and himself, dependent for the necessaries of life,
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  Speaker 1: upon whatever windfall of fortune the morning of each reoccurring
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  Speaker 1: day might bring. He himself was sick in bed. His
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  Speaker 1: oldest boy, Sebastian, or Bass, as his associates transformed it,
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  Speaker 1: worked as an apprentice to a local freight car builder,
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  Speaker 1: but received only four dollars a week. Genevieve, the oldest
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  Speaker 1: of the girls, was past eighteen, but had not as
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  Speaker 1: yet been trained to any special work. The other children, George,
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  Speaker 1: aged fourteen, Martha twelve, William, ten, and Veronica, eight, were
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  Speaker 1: too young to do anything, and only made the problem
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  Speaker 1: of existence the more complicated. Their one mainstay was the home, which,
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  Speaker 1: barring a six-hundred-dollar mortgage, the father owned. He had borrowed
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  Speaker 1: this money at a time when, having saved enough to
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  Speaker 1: buy the house, he desired to add three rooms and
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  Speaker 1: a porch, and so make it large enough for them
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  Speaker 1: to live in. A few years were still to run
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  Speaker 1: on the mortgage, but times had been so bad that
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  Speaker 1: he had been forced to use up not only the
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  Speaker 1: little he had saved to pay off the principal, but
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  Speaker 1: the annual interest also. Gerhardt was helpless, and the consciousness
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  Speaker 1: of his precarious situation, the doctor's bills, the interest due
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  Speaker 1: upon the mortgage, together with the sums owed Butcher and Baker, who,
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  Speaker 1: though knowing him to be absolutely honest, had trusted him
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  Speaker 1: until— They could trust no longer. All these perplexities weighed
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  Speaker 1: upon his mind, and racked him so nervously as to
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  Speaker 1: delay his recovery. Mrs. Gerhardt was no weakling. For a
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  Speaker 1: time she took in washing, what little she could get,
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  Speaker 1: devoting the intermediate hours to dressing the children, cooking, seeing
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  Speaker 1: that they got off to school, mending their clothes, waiting
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  Speaker 1: on her husband, and occasionally weeping. Not infrequently, she went
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  Speaker 1: personally to some new grocer, each time farther and farther away, and,
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  Speaker 1: starting an account with a little cash, would receive credit
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  Speaker 1: until other grocers warned the philanthropist of his folly. Corn
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  Speaker 1: was cheap. Sometimes she would make a kettle of lye hominy,
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  Speaker 1: and this would last, with scarcely anything else, for an
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  Speaker 1: entire week. Corn meal also, when made into mush, was
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  Speaker 1: better than nothing, and this, with a little milk, made
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  Speaker 1: almost a feast. Potatoes fried were the nearest they ever
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  Speaker 1: came to luxurious food, and coffee was an infrequent treat.
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  Speaker 1: Coal was got by picking it up in buckets and
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  Speaker 1: baskets along the maze of tracks in the nearby railroad yard,
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  Speaker 1: wood by similar journeys to surrounding lumber yards. Thus they
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  Speaker 1: lived from day to day, each hour, hoping that the
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  Speaker 1: father would get well and that the glassworks would soon
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  Speaker 1: start up. But as the winter approached, Gerhardt began to
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  Speaker 1: feel desperate. I must get out of this now pretty soon,
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  Speaker 1: was the sturdy German's regular comment, and his anxiety found
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  Speaker 1: but weak expression in the modest quality of his voice.
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  Speaker 1: To add all this trouble, little Veronica took the measles,
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  Speaker 1: and for a few days it was thought that she
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  Speaker 1: would die. The mother neglected everything else, to hover over
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  Speaker 1: her and pray for the best. Dr. Ellwanger came every
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  Speaker 1: day out of purely human sympathy and gravely examined the child.
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  Speaker 1: The Lutheran minister, Pastor Wundt, called to offer the consolation
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  Speaker 1: of the church. Both of these men brought an atmosphere
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  Speaker 1: of grim ecclesiasticism into the house. They were the black-garbed,
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  Speaker 1: sanctimonious emissaries of superior forces. Mrs. Gerhard felt as if
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  Speaker 1: she were going to lose her child, and watched sorrowfully
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  Speaker 1: by the cot side. After three days the worst was over,
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  Speaker 1: but there was no bread in the house. Sebastian's wages
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  Speaker 1: had been spent for medicine. Only coal was free for
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  Speaker 1: the picking, and several times the children had been scared
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  Speaker 1: from the railroad yards. Mrs. Gerhardt thought of all the
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  Speaker 1: places to which she might apply, and despairingly hit upon
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  Speaker 1: the hotel. Now, by a miracle, she had her chance.'
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  Speaker 1: How much do you charge?' the housekeeper asked her. Mrs.
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  Speaker 1: Gerhardt had not thought this would be left to her,
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  Speaker 1: but need emboldened her.' Would a dollar a day be
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  Speaker 1: too much?'' No,' said the housekeeper.' There' s only about three
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  Speaker 1: days' work to do every week. If you would come
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  Speaker 1: every afternoon, you could do it.'' Very well,' said the applicant.'
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  Speaker 1: Shall we start to-day?' Yes, if you will come with
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  Speaker 1: me now, I'll show you where the cleaning things are.
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  Speaker 1: The hotel into which they were summarily introduced was a
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  Speaker 1: rather remarkable specimen for the time and place. Columbus, being
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  Speaker 1: the state capital and having a population of fifty thousand
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  Speaker 1: and a fair passenger traffic, was a good field for
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  Speaker 1: the hotel business, and the opportunity had been improved, so
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  Speaker 1: at least the Columbus people proudly thought. The structure, Five
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  Speaker 1: stories in height and of imposing proportions stood at one
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  Speaker 1: corner of the central public square, where were the Capitol
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  Speaker 1: building and principal stores. The lobby was large and had
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  Speaker 1: been recently redecorated. Both floor and wainscot were of white marble,
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  Speaker 1: kept shiny by frequent polishing. There was an imposing staircase
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  Speaker 1: with handrails of walnut and toe strips of brass. AN
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  Speaker 1: INVITING CORNER WAS DEVOTED TO A NEWS AND CIGAR STAND.
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  Speaker 1: WHERE THE STAIRCASE CURVED UPWARD, THE CLERK'S DESK AND OFFICES
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  Speaker 1: HAD BEEN LOCATED, ALL DONE IN HARDWOOD AND ORNAMENTED BY
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  Speaker 1: NOVEL GAS FIXTURES. ONE COULD SEE THROUGH A DOOR AT
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  Speaker 1: ONE END OF THE LOBBY TO THE BARBER SHOP WITH
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  Speaker 1: ITS CHAIRS AND ARRAY OF SHAVING MUGS. OUTSIDE WERE USUALLY
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  Speaker 1: TWO OR THREE BUSES ARRIVING OR DEPARTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH
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  Speaker 1: THE MOVEMENT OF THE TRAINS. To this carlvancery came the
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  Speaker 1: best of the political and social patronage of the state.
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  Speaker 1: Several governors had made it their permanent abiding place during
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  Speaker 1: their terms of office. The two United States senators, whenever
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  Speaker 1: business called them to Columbus, invariably maintained parlor chambers at
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  Speaker 1: the hotel. One of them, Senator Brander, was looked upon
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  Speaker 1: by the proprietor as more or less of a permanent guest,
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  Speaker 1: because he was not only a resident of the city,
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  Speaker 1: but an otherwise homeless bachelor. Other and more transient guests
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  Speaker 1: included congressmen, state legislators, and lobbyists, merchants, professional men, and
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  Speaker 1: after them the whole raft of indescribables who, coming and going,
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  Speaker 1: make up the glow and stir of this kaleidoscopic world.
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  Speaker 1: Mother and daughter, suddenly flung into this realm of superior brightness,
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  Speaker 1: felt immeasurably overawed. They went about too timid to touch
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  Speaker 1: anything for fear of giving offense. The great red-carpeted hallway,
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  Speaker 1: which they were set to sweep, had for them all
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  Speaker 1: the magnificence of a palace. They kept their eyes down,
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  Speaker 1: and spoke in their lowest tones. When it came to
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  Speaker 1: scrubbing the steps and polishing the brass work of the
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  Speaker 1: splendid stairs, both needed to steel themselves, the mother against
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  Speaker 1: her timidity, the daughter against the shame at so public
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  Speaker 1: an exposure. Wide beneath lay the imposing lobby, and men, lounging, smoking,
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  Speaker 1: passing constantly in and out, could see them both.' Isn' t
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  Speaker 1: it fine?' whispered Genevieve, and started nervously at the sound
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  Speaker 1: of her own voice.' Yes,' returned the mother, who upon
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  Speaker 1: her knees was wringing out her cloth with earnest but
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  Speaker 1: clumsy hands.' It must cost a good deal to live here,
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  Speaker 1: don't you think?'' Yes,' said her mother. Don't forget to
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  Speaker 1: rub into these little corners. Look here what you've left.' Jenny,
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  Speaker 1: mortified by this correction, fell earnestly to her task and
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  Speaker 1: polished vigorously, without again daring to lift her eyes. With
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  Speaker 1: painstaking diligence they worked downward until about five o'clock. It
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  Speaker 1: was dark outside, and all the lobby was brightly lighted.
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  Speaker 1: Now they were very near the bottom of the stairway.
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  Speaker 1: Through the big swinging doors there entered from the chilly
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  Speaker 1: world without a tall, distinguished, middle-aged gentleman whose silk hat
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  Speaker 1: and loose military cape coat marked him at once among
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  Speaker 1: the crowd of general idlers as someone of importance. His
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  Speaker 1: face was of a dark and solemn cast, but broad
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  Speaker 1: and sympathetic in its lines. His bright eyes were heavily
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  Speaker 1: shaded with thick, bushy, black eyebrows. Passing to the desk,
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  Speaker 1: He picked up the key that had already been laid
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  Speaker 1: out for him, and coming to the staircase, started up.
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  Speaker 1: The middle-aged woman, scrubbing at his feet, he acknowledged, not
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  Speaker 1: only by walking around her, but by graciously waving his hand,
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  Speaker 1: as much to say, Don't move for me. The daughter, however,
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  Speaker 1: caught his eye by standing up, her troubled glance showing
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  Speaker 1: that she feared she was in his way. He bowed
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  Speaker 1: and smiled pleasantly. You shouldn't have troubled yourself, he said.
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  Speaker 1: Jenny only smiled. When he had reached the upper landing,
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  Speaker 1: an impulsive sideways glance assured him, more clearly than before,
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  Speaker 1: of her uncommonly prepossessing appearance. He noted the high, white
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  Speaker 1: forehead with its smoothly parted and plaited hair. The eyes
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  Speaker 1: he saw were blue, and the complexion fair. He had
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  Speaker 1: even time to admire the mouth and the full cheeks,
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  Speaker 1: above all the well-rounded, graceful form, full of youth, health,
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  Speaker 1: and that hopeful expectancy which, to the middle-aged, is so
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  Speaker 1: suggestive of all that is worth begging of Providence. Without
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  Speaker 1: another look, he went dignifiedly upon his way. But the
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  Speaker 1: impression of her charming personality went with him. This was
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  Speaker 1: the Honorable George Sylvester Brander, Junior Senator. Wasn't that a
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  Speaker 1: fine-looking man who went up just now, observed Jenny, a
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  Speaker 1: few moments later? Yes, he was, said her mother. He
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  Speaker 1: had a gold-headed cane. We mustn't stare at people when
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  Speaker 1: they pass, cautioned her mother wisely. It isn't nice. I
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  Speaker 1: didn't stare at him, returned Jenny innocently. He bowed to me. Well,
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  Speaker 1: don't you pay any attention to anybody, said her mother.
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  Speaker 1: They may not like it. JENNY FELL TO HER TASK
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  Speaker 1: IN SILENCE, BUT THE GLAMOUR OF THE GREAT WORLD WAS
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  Speaker 1: HAVING ITS EFFECT UPON HER SENSES. SHE COULD NOT HELP
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  Speaker 1: GIVING EAR TO THE SOUNDS, THE BRIGHTNESS, THE BUZZ OF
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  Speaker 1: CONVERSATION AND LAUGHTER SURROUNDING HER. IN ONE SECTION OF THE
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  Speaker 1: PARLOR FLOOR WAS THE DINING ROOM, AND FROM THE CLINK
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  Speaker 1: OF DISHES ONE COULD TELL THAT SUPPER WAS BEING PREPARED.
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  Speaker 1: IN ANOTHER WAS THE PARLOR PROPER, AND THERE SOMEONE CAME
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  Speaker 1: TO PLAY ON THE PIANO. THE FEELING OF REST AND
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  Speaker 1: RELAXATION WHICH COMES BEFORE THE EVENING MEAL PREVATED THE PLACE.
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  Speaker 1: IT TOUCHED THE HEART OF THE INNOCENT WORKING GIRL WITH HOPE,
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  Speaker 1: FOR HERS WERE THE YEARS, AND POVERTY COULD NOT AS
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  Speaker 1: YET FILL HER YOUNG MIND WITH CARES. SHE RUBBED DILIGENTLY ALWAYS,
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  Speaker 1: AND SOMETIMES FORGOT THE TROUBLED MOTHER AT HER SIDE, WHOSE
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  Speaker 1: KINDLY EYES WERE BECOMING INVESTED WITH CROW'S FEET, AND WHOSE
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  Speaker 1: LIPS HALF REPEATED THE HUNDRED CARES OF THE DAY. She
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  Speaker 1: could only think that all of this was very fascinating,
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  Speaker 1: and wish that a portion of it might come to her.
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  Speaker 1: After half-past five, the housekeeper, remembering them, came and told
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  Speaker 1: them that they might go. The fully finished stairway was
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  Speaker 1: relinquished by both with a sigh of relief, and, after
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  Speaker 1: putting their implements away, they hastened homeward, the mother, at least,
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  Speaker 1: pleased to think that at last she had something to
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  Speaker 1: do As they passed several fine houses, Jenny was again
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  Speaker 1: touched by that half-defined emotion which the unwanted novelty of
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  Speaker 1: the hotel life had engendered in her consciousness.' Isn' t it
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  Speaker 1: fine to be rich?' she said.' Yes,' answered her mother,
• 16:27
  Speaker 1: who was thinking of the suffering Veronica.' Did you see
• 16:31
  Speaker 1: what a big dining-room they had there?'' Yes. They went
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: on past the low cottages and among the dead leaves
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: of the year.' I wish we were rich, murmured Jenny
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: to herself. I don't know just what to do, confided
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: her mother with a long, drawn sigh. I don't believe
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  Speaker 1: there's a thing to eat in the house. Let's stop
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  Speaker 1: and see Mr. Bauman again, exclaimed Jenny, her natural sympathies
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: restored by the hopeless note in her mother's voice. Do
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: you think he would trust us any more? Let's tell
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: him where we're working. I will. Well, said her mother wearily.
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  Speaker 1: Into the small, dimly lighted grocery store, which was two
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  Speaker 1: blocks from their house, they ventured nervously. Mrs. Gerhardt was
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  Speaker 1: about to begin, but Jenny spoke first. Will you let
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: us have some bread tonight and a little bacon? We're
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: working now at the Columbus house, and we'll be sure
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  Speaker 1: to pay you Saturday. Yes, added Mrs. Gerhardt. I have
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: something to do. Bauman, who had long supplied them before
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: illness and trouble began, knew that they told the truth.'
• 17:45
  Speaker 1: How long have you been working there?' he asked.' Just
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: this afternoon.'' You know, Mrs. Gerhard,' he said,' how it
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: is with me, I don't want to refuse you. Mr.
• 17:57
  Speaker 1: Gerhard is good for it. But I am poor, too.
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  Speaker 1: Times are hard,' he explained further.' I have my family
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  Speaker 1: to keep.'' Yes, I know,' said Mrs. Gerhard weakly. Her
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: shoddy shawl hid her rough hands red from the day's work,
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: but they were working nervously. Jenny stood by in strained silence.' Well,'
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  Speaker 1: concluded Mr. Bauman,' I guess it's all right this time.
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  Speaker 1: Do what you can for me Saturday.' He wrapped up
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  Speaker 1: the bread and bacon, and handing Jenny the parcel, he added,
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: with a touch of cynicism,' When you get money again,
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: I guess you'll go and trade somewhere else.' No return, Mrs. Gerhardt.
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: You know better than that. But she was too nervous
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: to parley long. They went out into the shadowy street
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  Speaker 1: and on past the low cottages to their own home.
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  Speaker 1: I wonder, said the mother wearily, when they neared the door,
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: if they got any coal. Don't worry, said Jenny. If
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: they haven't, I'll go. A man run us away was
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: almost the first greeting that the perturbed George offered when
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: the mother made her inquiry about the coal. I got
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  Speaker 1: a little, though, he added. I threw it off a car. Mrs.
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: Gerhardt only smiled, but Jenny laughed. How is Veronica, she inquired.
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  Speaker 1: She seems to be sleeping, said the father. I gave
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: her medicine again at five. While the scanty meal was
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: being prepared, the mother went to the sick child's bedside,
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: taking up another long night's vigil, quite as a matter
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: of course. While the supper was being eaten, Sebastian offered
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: a suggestion, and his larger experience in social and commercial
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: matters made his proposition worth considering. Though only a car
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: builder's apprentice, without any education except such as pertained to
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: Lutheran doctrine, to which he objected very strongly, he was
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: imbued with American color and energy. His transformed name of
• 20:06
  Speaker 1: Bass suited him exactly, tall, athletic, and well-featured for his age,
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: he was a typical stripling of the town. Already he
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: had formulated a philosophy of life. To succeed, one must
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: do something. One must associate, or at least seem to associate,
• 20:25
  Speaker 1: with those who are foremost in the world of appearances.
• 20:29
  Speaker 1: For this reason the young boy loved to hang about
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: the Columbus house. It seemed to him that this hotel
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: was the center and circumference of all that was worthwhileed
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: in the social sense. He would go downtown evenings, when
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: he first secured money enough to buy a decent suit
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: of clothes, and stand about the hotel entrance with his friends,
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: kicking his heels, smoking a two-for-five-cent cigar, preening himself on
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: his stylish appearance and looking after the girls. Others were
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: there with him, town dandies and nobodies, young men, who
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: came there to get shaved or to drink a glass
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: of whiskey. All of these he admired and sought to emulate.
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: Clothes were the main touchstone. If men wore nice clothes
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: and had rings and pins, whatever they did seemed appropriate.
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: He wanted to be like them and to act like them,
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: and so his experience of the more pointless forms of
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: life rapidly broadened.' Why don't you get some of those
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: hotel fellows to give you their laundry?' he asked of Jenny.
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: After she had related the afternoon's experiences, it would be
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: better than scrubbing the stairs.' How do you get it?'
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: she replied.' Why, ask the clerk, of course.' This plan
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: struck Jenny as very much worthwhile.' Don' t you ever speak
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: to me if you meet me around there?' he cautioned her.'
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: A little later, privately. Don't you let on that you
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: know me.'' Why?' she asked innocently.' Well, you know why,'
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: he answered. having indicated before that when they looked so
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: poor he did not want to be disgraced by having
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: to own them as relatives. Just you go on by,
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: do you hear? All right, she returned meekly, for although
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: this youth was not much over a year her senior,
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: his superior will dominated. The next day on their way
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: to the hotel she spoke of it to her mother.
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: Bass said we might get some laundry of the men
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: at the hotel to do. Mrs. Gerhardt, whose mind had
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: been straining all night at the problem of adding something
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: to the three dollars which her six afternoons would bring her,
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: approved of the idea. So we might, she said. I'll
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: ask that clerk. When they reached the hotel, however, no
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: immediate opportunity presented itself. They worked on until late in
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: the afternoon. Then, as fortune would have it, the housekeeper
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: sent them in to scrub up the floor behind the
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: clerk's desk. That important individual felt very kindly toward mother
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: and daughter. He liked the former's sweetly troubled countenance and
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: the latter's pretty face, so he listened graciously when Mrs.
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: Gerhardt ventured meekly to put the question which she had
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: been revolving in her mind all afternoon. Is there any
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: gentleman here, she said, who would give me his washing
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: to do? I'd be so very much obliged for it
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: The clerk looked at her, and again recognized that absolute
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: want was written all over her anxious face. Let's see,
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: he answered, thinking of Senator Brander and Marshall Hopkins. Both
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: were charitable men who would be more than glad to
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: aid a poor woman. You go up and see Senator Brander,
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: he continued. He's in twenty-two. Here, he added, writing out
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: the number, you go up and tell him I sent you. Mrs.
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: Gerhardt took the card, with a tremor of gratefulness. Her
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: eyes looked the words she could not say. That's all right,
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: said the clerk, observing her emotion. You go right up.
• 24:15
  Speaker 1: You'll find him in his room now. With the greatest diffidence, Mrs.
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: Gerhardt knocked at number twenty-two. Jenny stood silently at her side.
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: After a moment, the door was opened, and in the
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: full radiance of the bright room stood the senator, attired
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: in a handsome smoking coat, He looked younger than at
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: their first meeting.' Well, madam,' he said, recognizing the couple,
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: and particularly the daughter,' what can I do for you?'
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: Very much abashed, the mother hesitated in her reply.' We
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: would like to know if you have any washing you
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: could let us have to do.'' Washing?' he repeated after
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: her in a voice which had a peculiarly resonant quality.' Washing?
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: Come right in. Let me see.' He stepped aside with
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: much grace and waved them in and closed the door.
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: Let me see, he repeated, opening and closing drawer after
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: drawer of the massive black walnut bureau. Jenny studied the
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: room with interest. Such an array of knick-knacks and pretty
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: things on mantle and dressing case she had never seen before.
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: The senator's easy chair, with a green shaded lamp beside it,
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: the rich heavy carpet, and the fine rugs upon the floor.
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: What comfort! What luxury!' Sit down. Take those two chairs there,'
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: said the Senator, graciously, disappearing into a closet. Still overawed,
• 25:43
  Speaker 1: mother and daughter thought it more polite to decline. But
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: now the Senator had completed his researches, and he reiterated
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: his invitation. Very uncomfortably, they yielded and took chairs. Is
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: this your daughter? he continued, with a smile at Jenny.' Yes, sir,'
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: said the mother.' She' s my oldest girl.'' Is your husband alive?
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: What's his name? Where does he live?' To all of
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: these questions Mrs. Gerhardt very humbly answered.' How many children
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: have you?' he went on.' Six,' said Mrs. Gerhardt.' Well,'
• 26:20
  Speaker 1: he returned,' that' s quite a family. You've certainly done your
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: duty to the nation.' Yes, sir, returned Mrs. Gerhardt, who
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: was touched by his genial and interesting manner. And you
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: say this is your oldest daughter? Yes, sir. What does
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: your husband do? He's a glassblower, but he's sick now.
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: During this colicky, Jenny's large blue eyes were wide with interest.
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: Whenever he looked at her, she turned upon him such
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: a frank, unsophisticated gaze, and smiled in such a vague,
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: sweet way, that he could not keep his eyes off
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: her for more than a minute of the time. Well,
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: he continued sympathetically, that is too bad. I have some
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: washing here, not very much, but you are welcome to it.
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: Next week there may be more. He went about now
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: stuffing articles of apparel into a blue cotton bag with
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: a pretty design on the side. Do you want these
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: any certain day? questioned Mrs. Gerhardt. No, he said reflectively.
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: ANY DAY NEXT WEEK WILL DO. SHE THANKED HIM WITH
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: A SIMPLE PHRASE, AND STARTED TO GO.' LET ME SEE,'
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: HE SAID, STEPPING AHEAD OF THEM AND OPENING THE DOOR.'
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: YOU MAY BRING THEM BACK MONDAY.'' YES, SIR,' SAID MRS. GEARHART.'
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: THANK YOU.' THEY WENT OUT, AND THE SENATOR RETURNED TO
• 27:43
  Speaker 1: HIS READING. BUT IT WAS WITH A PECULARLY DISTURBED MIND.'
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: TOO BAD,' HE SAID, CLOSING HIS VOLUME.' THERE' S SOMETHING VERY
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: PATHETIC ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE.' Jenny's spirit of wonder and appreciation
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: was abroad in the room. Mrs. Gerhardt and Jenny made
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: their way anew through the shadowy streets. They felt immeasurably
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: encouraged by this fortunate venture.' Didn' t he have a fine room?'
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: whispered Jenny.' Yes,' answered the mother.' He' s a great man.''
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: He' s a senator, isn't he?' continued the daughter.' Yes.'' It
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: must be nice to be famous,' said the girl softly.
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: End of chapter 1