THE COLLAPSE OF AN ELDERLY DUDE.
The remarkable change that had taken place in the fortunes of Rose
Beaufort interfered seriously with the plans of a person who has
thus far only been incidentally mentioned--the superintendent of the
work department of Nicholas Walton's large clothing store.
Hugh Parkinson was a man no longer young. If not forty, he looked
that age. Moreover, his natural attractions, which were very scanty,
had not been increased by the passage of time. His hair, which was
of a reddish tinge, was carefully combed up from the side to cover
the rather extensive vacancy for which time and irregular hours
were responsible; but to look young was a problem which he had not
been able to compass. He did what he could, in the way of dress,
to make up for the ravages of time. He always got his clothes made
by a fashionable Broadway tailor, and in the street he looked like
an elderly "dude," and thus far more ridiculous than the younger
specimens of this class.
Perhaps it is well for our self-conceit that we do not see ourselves
as others see us. Hugh Parkinson, when he surveyed himself in the
mirror, decided that he was handsome and stylish-looking. He felt
that it was time he married. His salary was a liberal one--fifty
dollars per week--and he had a snug sum in various savings banks,
representing the savings of the last ten years.
"I'm a good catch!" he said to himself, complacently; "I've a right
to expect considerable in a wife. Egad! I must be getting married
while I am still a young man."
He had been a young man for a good many years, and so entitled to
call himself such.
Hugh Parkinson was fastidious, however, and he had never met the
one he wanted to marry till he saw Rose Beaufort. Rose was about
half his age, and her fresh beauty touched the heart--such as he
had--of the old young man.
"She has no fortune, but what does that matter?" he said to himself,
magnanimously. "I have enough for both. When she goes with me to the
theatre she will excite the admiration of all, and all the young men
in society will envy me. Egad! I must marry her."
Rose, however, had as yet shown no signs of admiring Mr. Parkinson.
Indeed, the superintendent had good reason to doubt whether she even
esteemed him. He saw, however, that she was poor. Marriage with him
would bring her comfort, and even a moderate degree of luxury; upon
this he depended for a favorable issue to his suit. As to her being
poor, that was evident enough. To be sure, she was well dressed,
but no one who is in good circumstances takes vests to make at
thirty-five cents apiece. Besides, he knew where she lived, for the
vest-makers were obliged to leave their addresses with their names;
and he had passed through Bleecker street, and seen for himself the
shabby tenement-house in which Rose lived.
"I wish she might become poorer still," said Mr. Parkinson to
himself; "then I would have a chance to step in as her good angel
and relieve her from suffering. She couldn't help being drawn to me."
When Rose called and desired pay for the two vests which she had
completed, Mr. Parkinson was pleased; it showed that she was
becoming harder pressed by poverty.
"Daniells," he said to the examining clerk, "when Miss Beaufort
calls with her package of vests I want you to object to the quality
of her work."
"But, Mr. Parkinson, her work is always well done," objected
Daniells.
"Oh, well, you can always find faults. Just say that she must see me
before you feel authorized to pay her."
"What's your game, Mr. Parkinson?" asked Daniells.
Mr. Parkinson winked significantly.
"The fact is, Daniells," he said, "I want an opportunity to
ingratiate myself with the fair Rose. I will take her part, pay her
the money as a favor, and--you comprehend?"
"Yes, I see. The fact is, Rose is pretty, and if I were not a
married man I would try to obtain a smile from her myself."
"Just do as I tell you, there's a good fellow, and you won't lose by
it."
When Rose had obtained by good fortune the powerful friendship
of the rich Miss Wilmot, she, of course, decided to give up
vest-making. She had some time left, but she felt that it would be
necessary for her to keep up her practice at home, if she aspired
to become a successful piano-teacher. However, she would finish the
vests she had in hand, and let those be the last.
When the vests were finished she took them round to Mr. Walton's
establishment.
The vigilant Daniells did not fail to note her appearance, and
prepared to serve the interests of his superior in the way which had
been arranged between them.
"So you've finished the vests?" he said, carelessly. "Let me look at
them."
Rose regarded this as a mere formality, knowing that they had been
well made, and never before having had her work objected to.
What was her surprise, therefore, when Daniells went over them one
by one, frowning and shaking his head, disapprovingly.
"Really," he said, "these vests are hardly satisfactory."
"What is amiss with them?" asked Rose, in genuine surprise.
"I can't go into particulars," said Daniells, who would have found
it hard to do so, by the way; "I can only say that they are not as
well made as we expect."
"They are as well made as usual," said Rose, flushing indignantly.
"I cannot understand why you object to them, when all the work I've
done before has passed without objection."
"All I can say, Miss Beaufort, is that I do not feel authorized to
pay you for them. Mr. Parkinson, however, is my superior. You can
refer the matter to him."
"I should like to do so, sir," said Rose, with cold dignity.
"I will accompany you."
The two passed on to the superintendent's desk, and Daniells
explained the matter to his superior.
"I will look over the work myself," said Parkinson. "You may go
back, Mr. Daniells. I will settle the matter."
Rose stood quiet, while the superintendent examined the vests.
"Really, Miss Beaufort," said Hugh, with his fascinating smile, "I
think Mr. Daniells has done you injustice. To my eye, the vests are
very neatly made."
"Thank you, sir," said Rose, gratefully. "I am sure they are as well
made as any I have brought here."
"The fact is," said Parkinson, confidentially, "Daniells is rather
fussy--I might say cranky--I have had more than once to reverse his
decision. You shall certainly be paid promptly, as usual."
"Thank you, sir."
Rose had never admired the superintendent, but he seemed to her
now a just and agreeable man. The money was not now of so much
importance to her, but she strongly objected to being unjustly
treated, and being deprived of the money which she had fairly earned.
Mr. Parkinson himself paid over to Rose the money due for the six
vests.
"Miss Beaufort," he said, "I hope you won't think we men of business
are all hard and disposed to take advantage of the poor. Now, in
your case, I assure you that I feel very kindly toward you."
"Thank you, sir," said Rose, considerably surprised.
Mr. Parkinson's vanity led him to think that she was regarding him
with a look of interest, but he misinterpreted her. She looked upon
him as old enough to be her father, and not a suspicion had ever
entered her mind that he thought of her as a possible wife.
"If you will permit me," said the superintendent, "I am about to go
out to lunch, and will communicate to you a plan I have for your
advantage. It will be better not to take any new work now."
"I did not intend to," said Rose.
Mr. Parkinson looked a little surprised.
They passed through the store together, and out into Broadway. Rose
waited for Mr. Parkinson to say what he appeared to have in his mind.
"I think, Miss Beaufort," he said, as they emerged into the street,
"you could do better than make vests at thirty-five cents each."
"I think so, too," answered Rose. "I wonder what he means?" she
thought.
"Such a beautiful girl as you are----"
"Sir!" exclaimed Rose, haughtily.
"No offense, my dear. Quite the contrary, I assure you. I have had
my eye upon you for some time, and I admire you exceedingly. You are
poor, but I shall overlook that. My dear girl, I am very well off,
as you may suppose, and I offer to make you Mrs. Parkinson."
"Good-evening, sir," said Rose, coldly. "I don't wish to continue
the conversation."
"Don't be foolish, my dear girl. It is a fine chance for a poor
vest-maker to marry a man in my position."
Rose did not deign to answer, but tried to escape. He attempted to
seize her by the arm, when his hat was violently knocked over his
eyes, and he came near measuring his length on the sidewalk.