A VISIT TO THE GROCER.
James Martin abhorred the aristocracy--so he said. Nevertheless,
he greatly admired his elegant wife in her faded beauty. He liked to
hear her speak, and he made some effort to copy her "genteel
pronunciation." He also, in his inmost heart, admired Maggie as a
girl of spirit, although not a beautiful one. He had his own ideas
with regard to female loveliness, and, like all men, was impressed
and attracted by it.
On this special foggy day, as he was standing behind his counter
busily engaged attending to a customer who was only requiring a small
order to be made up, he gave a visible start, raised his eyes, dropped
his account-book, let his pencil roll on to the floor, and stared
straight before him. For somebody was coming into the shop--somebody
so very beautiful that his eyes were dazzled and, as he said
afterwards, his heart melted within him. A radiant-looking girl, with
wonderful blue eyes and hair of the color of pure gold, a girl with a
refined face--most beautifully dressed--although Martin could not
quite make out in what fashion she was apparelled--came quickly up to
the counter and then stood still, waiting for some one to attend to
her. The other men in the shop also saw this lovely vision, and an
attendant of the name of Turtle sprang forward to ask what he could
do.
"I want to see Mr. Martin," said the silvery voice.
Martin felt pleased, and said _sotto voce_, "Chuck it, Turtle; you're
out of it, old boy." A minute later he was standing before Aneta,
inquiring in a trembling voice what he could do for her.
"I want to order fifty pounds of tea to be made up in half-pound
packets and sent to my aunt, Lady Lysle, 16B Eaton Square," said
Aneta. "The tea will be paid for on delivery, and please let it be the
very best. I also want a hundred pound-packets of the best currants,
and a hundred pound-packets of the best sugar."
"Demerara, miss, or loaf?" inquired Martin, tremblingly putting down
the order.
"Loaf, I think," said Aneta. "Will you kindly send everything within
the next day or two to Eaton Square, 16B, to Lady Lysle?"
"I will enter her ladyship's name in my book. Yes, it shall be done,"
said Martin.
He looked at Aneta, and Aneta looked straight back at him.
"Mr. Martin," she said suddenly, "I am the school-friend of your
stepdaughter, Maggie Howland. May I have a little conversation with
you in your private room?"
"Ah, I thought there was something!" said Martin. "To be sure, miss,"
he added.--"Turtle, you see that this order is _h_executed. It's for
her ladyship, Lady Lysle, 16B Eaton Square.--Come this way, my lady."
"I am only Miss Lysle," said Aneta.
All the attendants in the shop gazed in wonder as the beautiful girl
and the excited Martin went into the little parlor at the back of the
business establishment. There Martin stood with his hands behind him;
but Aneta sank into a low chair.
"I want to ask you a great favor, Mr. Martin," said the girl. She
looked full up at him as she spoke.
Martin thought that he had never in his life seen such melting and
lovely blue eyes before. "She bowls me over," he kept saying to
himself. "I hate the aristocrats, but somehow she bowls me
over."--"Anything in my power, miss," he said aloud, and he made a low
bow, pressing his hand to his chest.
"I think," said Aneta--"indeed, I am sure--to judge from your most
flourishing shop--that you are a good business man."
"Well, now, there's no doubt on that point, Miss--Miss Lysle."
"But you would like to extend your custom?" said Aneta.
"Business is always business to me," replied Martin.
"Well, the fact is, it lies in my power to induce my aunt, Lady Lysle,
to get her groceries from you. She has a large establishment and sees
a great deal of company. She gets them now at the Army and Navy
Stores, but I haven't the slightest doubt that she would not object to
have them from you."
"You are exceedingly good, Miss Lysle, and I am sure anything that her
ladyship ordered should have my very best attention; in fact, I should
make it my business to get in specially good things for her. If I
might let you into a business secret, miss, the people round here
don't want the very best things; they don't, so to speak, appreciate
them."
"I quite understand that," said Aneta. "Of course Lady Lysle would
require the very best."
"She should have the best, miss; I'd be proud of her custom. Things
should be punctually delivered; just an order overnight, and my cart
would convey them to her ladyship's door at an early hour on the
following day."
"Yes, it could be arranged," said Aneta.
"Then, perhaps, miss," said Mr. Martin, who saw brilliant prospects
opening before him, and the possibility of a West End shop, a genuine
West End shop, being his, as well as the profitable establishment at
Shepherd's Bush, "her ladyship might be so kind as to recommend me to
others."
"It is possible," said Aneta coldly; "but of course I can only speak
for my aunt herself." Then she added, "And even for her I cannot quite
speak, although I believe the matter can be arranged. I have given you
a large order to-day."
"You have, Miss Lysle, and most faithfully will it be attended to."
Martin took out his red silk handkerchief and mopped his forehead.
"Now," said Aneta gently, "I haven't come here all the way from Aylmer
House, and practically given up a day of my school-life, for nothing.
I have come on behalf of another."
"Ho, ho!" said Martin, "so the cat's going to be let out of the bag."
Aneta colored.
Martin saw he had gone too far, and immediately apologized. "You will
forgive my coarse way of expressing myself, miss. I know it isn't done
in your circle."
"It doesn't matter," said Aneta. "I will come to the point at once. I
am interested in Miss Howland."
"Ah! my little stepdaughter. I keep her at a fine, smart school, don't
I? I do the knowing by her, don't I?"
"Well, all I want you to do in future--and I believe her mother will
consent, for I have seen Mrs. Martin this morning"----
"You went to Laburnum Villa this morning? Tasty place, that, eh?"
"Yes, a very comfortable sort of house. My aunt, Lady Lysle, and I
went together."
"Her ladyship and you?"
"We drove there."
"I hope the neighbors saw," said Martin. "They'll come in shoals to
see Little-sing after they've peeped at her ladyship's carriage."
Aneta could scarcely keep back a smile.
"Mr. Martin," she said, "if I do what I intend for you--and it lies in
my power--will you please not come to Aylmer House to-morrow?"
"Ho, hi! And why not? Ashamed of me, eh?"
"Not at all," said Aneta. "I am not ashamed of you in your walk in
life; but I think it would be best for Maggie if you did not come;
therefore I ask you not to do so."
"But the girl's my girl."
"No, she is her mother's daughter; and, to tell the truth, we all
want--I mean, my aunt and I, and others--to have her to ourselves, at
least until she is educated."
"But, come now, miss, that's all very fine. Who pays for her
education?"
"Her father's money."
"So she let that out?" said Martin.
"I know about it," said Aneta. "That is sufficient. Now, Mr. Martin, I
ask you to become grocer to my aunt, Lady Lysle, of Eaton Square, and
to any friends who she may recommend, on the sole condition that you
do not come to Aylmer House, and that you allow Maggie Howland to
spend the holidays with us."
"Oh, my word, I am sure I don't care," said Martin,
"You promise, then?"
"Yes, I promise fast enough. If you're going to take Maggie and bring
her up a fine lady she'll never suit me. All I beg is that she doesn't
come back to me like a bad penny some day."
"That I can absolutely assure you she will never do. I am exceedingly
obliged to you. Will you come with me now and let me say a few words
to my aunt; for as you have made your definite promise to leave Maggie
alone, my aunt must make a definite promise to you."
Lady Lysle was much astonished, as she sat wearily in her carriage,
when a red-faced, bald-looking, stout grocer accompanied her elegant
young niece to the carriage-door.
"Aunt Lucia," said Aneta, "this is Mr. Martin."
Lady Lysle gave the faintest inclination of her head.
"Proud to see your ladyship," said Martin.
"I have been making arrangements with Mr. Martin," said Aneta, "and
on certain conditions he will do what I want. Will you please, in
future, get your groceries from him?"
"I will faithfully attend to you, my lady, if agreeable to you. I will
come weekly for _h_orders. I will do anything to oblige your
ladyship."
"Please, auntie, you've got to do it," said Aneta.
"My dear, it depends on Watson, my housekeeper."
"Oh, I'll manage Watson," said Aneta, springing lightly into the
carriage, her face all beams and smiles.--"It is quite right, Mr.
Martin; and you will get your second order this evening. You won't
forget about the tea and currants and sugar for the poor people.--Now,
auntie, will you drive me back to Aylmer House, or shall we go
straight to Eaton Square?"
"Eaton Square, I think."
"Good-day, Mr. Martin."
The carriage rolled out of sight. Martin stood bareheaded in the
doorway of his shop. There was not a prouder man than he in the whole
of Christendom. When he returned to the sacred precincts of the shop
itself he said to Turtle, "Fresh customer, Turtle--West End, Turtle.
That's a fine young lady--eh, Turtle?"
"The most beautiful young female I ever saw," returned Turtle.
"When I ask you what you think of her personal appearance you can tell
me, Turtle. Now, go and attend to the shop."
Meanwhile Aneta, her heart full of thankfulness, accompanied her aunt
to Eaton Square.
"I have got what I want," she said, "and dear Maggie is practically
saved; and you have done it, auntie. You will feel happier for this to
your dying day."
Lady Lysle said that at the present moment she did not feel specially
elated at the thought of getting her tea and numerous groceries at a
shop in Shepherd's Bush; but Aneta assured her that that was a very
tiny sacrifice to make for so great an end as she had in view.
"It will help Mr. Martin," she said. "He is not a gentleman, and
doesn't pretend to be, but he's a good, honest tradesman; and perhaps
Mrs. Ward, too, will give him some of her custom."
"Well, my dear Aneta, if you're happy, I have nothing to say,"
responded her aunt. "But you must tackle Watson, for I really cannot
attempt it."
Aneta did tackle the old housekeeper to some purpose. At first there
were objections, protests, exclamations; but Aneta was sure of her
ground. Did not Mrs. Watson idolize the girl, having known her from
her earliest days?
About tea-time a tired and triumphant girl returned to Aylmer House.
She had had her way. The great difficulty was overcome. Maggie,
looking pale and tired, was having tea with the others. Aneta sat down
by her side. Maggie turned anxious eyes towards the queen of the
school whom she used to fear and almost hate. But there was no hatred
now in Maggie's eyes. Far, far from that, she looked upon Aneta as a
refuge in the storm. If Aneta could not get her out of her present
trouble no one could.
"You will be very busy during the leisure hours this afternoon," said
Aneta when the meal was coming to an end. "But, first of all, I want
to speak to you just for a minute or two."
"Yes," said Maggie.
"We have done tea now. May Maggie and I go away by ourselves, please,
Miss Johnson, for a few minutes?" said Aneta.
Miss Johnson signified her consent, and the two queens left the room
together. The other girls looked after them, wondering vaguely what
was up.
"Maggie," said Aneta, "I have managed everything."
"Aneta--you haven't"----
"Yes; he isn't coming to-morrow, nor is your mother; and Aunt Lucia
has invited you to spend the Christmas holidays with us. You can see
your mother occasionally; but, somehow or other, Maggie dear, you are
to be my friend in future; and--oh, Maggie!"
"Oh Aneta! how can I ever, ever thank you?"
"Well, the beginning of the way is a little hard," said Aneta. "Come
now, at once, straight to Mrs. Ward, and tell her every single
thing."
"She will expel me if I do," said Maggie.
"That I know she will not. She is too true and dear and kind. Besides,
I will stay with you all the time while you are telling her. Come,
quick. You can get your confession over in a very few minutes."
"Oh Aneta! for you I would do anything. But how did you manage to get
my dreadful stepfather to give up his plan."
"That matters little. He has given it up. Now, come. There's much to
do to prepare for to-morrow; but you must get your confession over
first."
Mrs. Ward always had her tea alone, and she was just finishing it on
this special evening when there came a tap at her door, and, to her
great amazement, Aneta and Maggie entered, holding each other's
hands.
"Mrs. Ward, Maggie has something to say to you."
"Yes," said Maggie; and then in a few broken words, choked by tears of
true repentance, she told her story. She had been ashamed of her
stepfather. She had been deceitful. She had been afraid to confess
that she was taken at a lower fee than the other girls at the school.
She had gone out, without leave, to sell one of her own father's
treasures. Everything was told. Mrs. Ward looked very grave as the
girl, with bent head, related the story of her deceit and
wrong-doing.
"I know you can expel me," said Maggie.
"But you will not," said Aneta. "I feel sure of that, for I, who never
cared for Maggie until now, love her with all my heart. There will be
no rivalry in the school any more, and dear Maggie must not go."
"Oh, if you would keep me! If you would keep me," said Maggie, "and
give me one more chance!"
"Have you asked God to forgive you, Maggie?" said Mrs. Ward.
"I cannot, somehow; my heart is so cold. But if--if you would"----
"We will ask Him together," said Mrs. Ward.
There and then she knelt down, and Aneta and Maggie knelt at each side
of her, and she said a few words of prayer which touched Maggie's
heart as no words had ever touched it before. "Keep from her all
hurtful things, and give her those things which are necessary for her
salvation," pleaded the mistress.
Suddenly Mrs. Ward's hand was taken by Maggie and covered with kisses.
"Oh, I will try!" she said; "I will try hard to be really good! And,"
she added, "I will take any punishment you give me."
Mrs. Ward looked at her with sparkling eyes. She was a very keen
observer of character. She put her hand under the girl's chin and
looked into her downcast face.
"My dear," she said, "full and absolute forgiveness means the doing
away with punishment. You have suffered sorely; I will not add to your
suffering in any way. Now, go and prepare for to-morrow's
entertainment.--Aneta, you will stay with me for a few minutes."
Maggie left the room, but in a short time she returned. She carried in
her arms the two tin boxes which contained her father's treasures.
"I want you to keep these for me, or to sell them, or to do what you
like with them," said Maggie. She then immediately left the room.
Mrs. Ward and Aneta bent over the treasures. Mrs. Ward gave a start of
great surprise when she saw them.
"Why, these," she said, "are a fortune in themselves."
"I thought so," said Aneta, her eyes sparkling. "I felt sure of it. We
must get that brooch back from Pearce."
"Yes, Aneta; I will send Miss Johnson round for it at once. What did
you say he gave Maggie for it?"
"Five pounds, Mrs. Ward."
"It is very honest of him to offer to restore it to her. Ring the
bell, dear, and Lucy Johnson will come."
Miss Johnson was very much interested when she saw the sparkling
treasures.
"Maggie's!" she exclaimed. "I am glad she has given them to you to
take care of for her. I was always terrified at her keeping such
priceless things in her drawer."
Mrs. Ward gave the girl some directions and the necessary money; she
went off to fulfill her errand in considerable amazement. Lucy
returned in less than half-an-hour with the lovely little brooch,
which was immediately added to the collection.
"The best person to see these, as you suggested, Aneta," said Mrs.
Ward, "is Sir Charles Lysle. They are really no good to Maggie, but
ought to be sold for their utmost value for her benefit. She has many
fine points, and considerable strength of character; and if you take
her up, dear, I feel certain that she will be saved from all those
things which would ruin a nature like hers."
"I mean to take her up," said Aneta with spirit.
"Well," said Mrs. Ward, "the first thing to do is to get to-morrow
over. I have no doubt it will be a success. Meanwhile, will you write
a line to your uncle, Sir Charles, and ask him if he can call here to
see these treasures?"
"Yes, I will write to him at once," said Aneta. "He spends most of his
time at the British Museum. Couldn't I send him a wire, Mrs. Ward, and
then he would come to-night?"
"Yes, that is a very good idea. Do so, my love."
The girls had a very spirited rehearsal, and Maggie was her old
vivacious, daring, clever self once more. That inward change which no
doubt had taken place brought an added charm to her always expressive
face.
Between seven and eight that evening Aneta's uncle, Sir Charles,
arrived. He and Mrs. Ward had a long consultation. His opinion was
that the bracelets and other curios were worth at least seven thousand
pounds, and that such a sum could easily be obtained for them.
"In fact, I myself would buy them for that figure," said Sir Charles.
"It is not only that there are in this collection some unique and
valuable stones; but the history, the setting, and the make of these
ancient relics would induce the British Museum to buy many of them.
Doubtless, however, Miss Howland will get the biggest price of all for
them if they are auctioned at Christie's."
Before she went to bed that night Aneta told Maggie that she was by no
means a penniless girl, and that if she would consent to having her
father's treasures sold she would have sufficient money to be well
educated, and have a nice nest-egg in the future to start in any
profession she fancied.
"Oh Aneta, it is all too wonderful!" said poor Maggie--"to think of me
as I am to-night, and of me as I felt last night when I wanted to lose
myself in the London fog. Aneta, I can never love you enough!"
"You want a good long sleep," she said. "Think of to-morrow and all
the excitement which lies before us!"
Maggie did sleep soundly that night, for she was quite worn out, and
when Saturday arrived she awoke without a fear and with a wonderful
lightness of heart. The day of the festival and rejoining passed
without a hitch. The supper was delightful. The tableaux vivants were
the best the school had ever seen. The games, the fun, made the
Cardews at least think that they had entered into a new world.
But perhaps the best scene of all came at the end when Aneta went up
to Maggie and took her hand, and, still holding it, turned and faced
the assembled school.
"Maggie and I don't mean to be rival queens any longer," she said. "We
are joint-queens. All Maggie's subjects are my subjects and all my
subjects are Maggie's. Any girl who disapproves of this, will she hold
down her hand? Any girl who approves, will she hold her hand up in the
air?"
Instantly all the pairs of hands were raised, and there was such a
clapping and so many cheers for the queens who were no longer rival
queens that mademoiselle was heard to exclaim, "But it is charming. It
makes the heart to bound. I do love the English manner, and
Mademoiselle Aneta, _si jolie, si elegante_; and Mademoiselle Maggie,
who has a large charm. I do make homage to them as the two queens. I
would," she continued, turning and clasping Miss Johnson's hands, "be
a schoolgirl myself to be a subject of them."
* * * * *
A few words will suffice to end this story. Lady Lysle might be proud
and perhaps somewhat disdainful, but she was at least as good as her
word, and in a very short time Martin the grocer thought it worth his
while to open a very smart-looking shop in the West End. This shop
Lady Lysle took a curious interest in and recommended to her friends,
so that Martin began to do as sound a business in the neighborhood of
Eaton Square as he did in Shepherd's Bush. Of all things in the world,
he liked best to make money, and he was quite glad to be rid of Maggie
when his own prospects became golden owing to her absence from his
premises.
As to Mrs. Martin, she was content to see her daughter occasionally.
Maggie's curios were all sold, except the little brooch (which she
kept for herself in memory of her father), for a sufficiently large
sum to pay for her education and to leave her enough money to do well
for herself by-and-by. Having no longer anything to conceal, and under
the beautiful, brave influence of Aneta, she became quite a different
girl. That strength of character and that strange fascination which
were her special powers were now turned into useful channels. Maggie
could never be beautiful, but her talents were above the average, and
her moral nature now received every stimulus in the right direction.
Merry Cardew could love her, and gain good, not harm, from her
influence. But, strange to say--although perhaps not strange--Aneta
was her special friend. It was with Aneta that Maggie mostly spent her
holidays. It was Aneta's least word that Maggie obeyed. It was for
Aneta's approval that Maggie lived.
Queens of the school they still remain, each exercising her influence
in her own way, and yet both working in perfect harmony.
"Have they not both the characters beautiful?" said mademoiselle. "I
think there is no girl like the English girl."
Doubtless she is right.
THE END
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