MOLLIE A BREAD-WINNER.
It was a strange experience for this hitherto delicately nurtured girl
to go out into the world and work to support herself and her father, who
had always so watchfully shielded her from every care; who had scarce
allowed her to express a wish before it was gratified, and almost
surfeited her with the luxuries of life.
But she met it bravely. She did not once say to herself that it was a
hardship--she did not even feel it to be such. The heroic element was
strong in her nature, and it showed itself grandly now in this
emergency.
The one thing that did seem hard and cruel to her was the fact that her
dear father was beyond realizing her good fortune and sympathizing with
her in her joy that a future of comparative comfort was assured them, if
she should prove herself competent to retain the position which Monsieur
Lamonti had offered her. She did not feel much doubt upon this point,
for she was sure that he would be very considerate until she became
accustomed to her duties, and she was determined to master every
difficulty and acquit herself with satisfaction.
She presented herself in his office a few minutes before nine o'clock
the next morning and found him awaiting her. He received her with all
the courtesy which characterized his manner toward her the previous day
in her own home.
"Mademoiselle is prompt; that is well," he smilingly observed, "and now,
if you please, we will attend directly to business, for it is urgent."
He pointed to several piles of letters, lying unopened upon a desk, and
Mollie slipped into the chair before it and prepared to give her
undivided attention to his instructions.
He selected several epistles which demanded immediate replies, and,
after clearly explaining what her duty would be, left her to do the
work. Her task was not difficult. Monsieur Lamonti possessed the faculty
of being clear and concise in his directions, and with her natural
fluency of diction, her thorough knowledge of both French and German,
she found everything moving along very smoothly.
The hours slipped swiftly by, and Mollie was greatly surprised when the
clock on the desk above her struck one, and Monsieur Lamonti, glancing
up at the sound, observed:
"That will be all for to-day, Mademoiselle Heatherford, and everything
has been most satisfactory. Allow me to add that I regard myself as very
fortunate in securing such a helper."
"Thank you, monsieur," replied Mollie gratefully. Then she added as she
glanced at the numerous missives still unopened upon both desks: "Pray
let me work another hour; I am not in the least weary."
"But your luncheon, Mademoiselle," said the gentleman in a doubtful
tone.
"I am not in the least hungry, either," said the fair girl, smiling. "I
seldom lunch before half-past one, and I shall not mind waiting thirty
minutes longer; while I am sure there is work here which is equally as
important as what I have already done."
"Mademoiselle is right," returned monsieur, his thoughtful glance
following hers, "but this is your first day and you should not be
overtaxed."
"Do not fear; I have not thought of being tired, and it will give me
pleasure to work another hour and continue to do so every day until the
ordinary routine of business is attained."
She spoke with so much of sincerity, even eagerness, that Monsieur
Lamonti accepted the offer in the same spirit that it was made. At the
end of the hour Mollie was politely dismissed, and went home with a
light heart and with a feeling of importance that was as delightful as
it was novel.
Every morning, promptly at nine o'clock, found her at her desk, where
for five hours she worked patiently and industriously for a week, when
Monsieur Lamonti informed her that his business had been reduced to its
normal condition, and there would be no more extra hours required.
It was a proud moment for the beautiful girl when, as she was about to
leave the office, that gentleman handed her a check for the first money
she had ever earned in her life. She thanked him with a smile and flush
of pleasure; then, as she glanced at it and saw the amount, she started
slightly and exclaimed:
"But monsieur! this is too much; you have made a mistake."
"Pardon, mademoiselle; there is no mistake," quietly returned her
companion. "The check is for twenty-six dollars, is it not?"
"Yes, monsieur."
"Very good. The agreement was that mademoiselle should work four hours a
day for ninety dollars per month; but she has labored one extra hour
every day during this week, which calls for extra remuneration, and--as
near as can be estimated--the amount which the check represents," Mr.
Lamonti explained.
"But, monsieur, I never thought--I did not intend----" Mollie faltered
in some confusion.
"Very true--I understand," said the gentleman, smiling kindly into the
lovely face; "but it is only just compensation, and you will oblige me
by making no objection to it. I am also exceedingly obliged for the
accommodation and well pleased with your services. We shall go on very
nicely for the future."
This was a delightful surprise, and she felt highly elated as she ran
about, before going home, to settle some small bills which she had been
obliged to contract, and to purchase a few luxuries for the invalid.
As the weeks slipped by she became deeply interested in her work, and
had her father been well she would have been perfectly happy, for she
felt that she had now a more worthy object in life than that of living
for her own amusement and the demands of fashionable society, as
heretofore.
She entertained a profound respect for Monsieur Lamonti, who was
invariably courteous and considerate, and never appeared to be ruffled
in the slightest degree, no matter how perplexing his business might be.
She gradually learned considerable of his history, as from time to time
he referred to his past, and ascertained that his life had been full of
romance and sorrow.
He belonged to a noble family of France, but had incurred the lasting
displeasure of his relatives by marrying contrary to their wishes and
was disinherited in consequence. But he loved his beautiful girl-wife
with all the strength of his manhood, and preferred exile and poverty a
thousand times with her, to fame and fortune without her.
They had retired to a quiet little village immediately after their
marriage, and where, with a little money, together with unlimited energy
and perseverance, Monsieur Lamonti had perfected an invention which ere
long brought him large returns in sales and royalties, and at the end of
fifteen years he was the possessor of a large fortune.
Then his wife was suddenly taken from him, leaving him with a lovely
daughter, fourteen years of age, and who now became all-in-all to his
almost broken heart.
Wishing her to profit by the very best education which his country
afforded and her future position would demand, he transferred his
residence to Paris, where he remained for the ten succeeding years, and
where his daughter married a worthy young man, of whom he heartily
approved.
Her child, the little Lucille, was born a year later, and she was only a
few months old when her mother's health began to fail and she was
ordered to Italy for change of scene and climate. She was accompanied by
her husband, but the child was left behind with Monsieur Lamonti and in
the care of an efficient nurse.
Two months later, both father and mother were drowned during a terrible
gale while on a yachting excursion in the Mediteranean, and this tragic
event and terrible affliction nearly deprived him of his mind for a time
and aged him many years in appearance. But from that time all his
thought and affection was centered in his granddaughter, who was a
bright and promising child, and who, eventually, if she lived, would
become sole heiress to his immense fortune.
When she was a year old certain interests connected with his invention
demanded Monsieur Lamonti's presence in America, while, during the last
few years, having become somewhat prominent in matters of a political
nature, he was elected a sort of charge d'affaires to conduct certain
negotiations of a delicate nature in this country, and which would
require the exercise of tact, judgment, and diplomacy.
He had accepted the commission, more for the sake of having plenty to
occupy his mind and prevent him from dwelling upon his many sorrows,
than because he desired public office and emolument, hence his presence
in the nation's capital, where he had resided during the last two years.
"Thus you will understand, mademoiselle," he had observed to Mollie with
a heavy sigh, when telling her something of his life, "how utterly
desolate I should have been to-day, if you had not so bravely risked
your life to save my little Lucille. The world would hold nothing for me
if I were to lose her--she is the one link that now holds me here--that
makes me prize in the least a life that has been full of sorrow. See!"
he interposed, touching the silvery locks above his temples. "I am not
yet quite fifty years of age, and any one would declare that I am more
than sixty."
It was all very sad, Mollie thought--there were many sad and
incomprehensible things in life that were forcing themselves more and
more upon her observation of late, and she could not be reconciled to
them. If she could have known how she cheered the sorrow-burdened man
with her sweet and sunny presence--how like a ray of bright, warm
sunshine she seemed, whenever she appeared in his office, and that her
voice was, like Lucille's, as inspiring and soothing to him as a strain
of sweetest music, she would have been very happy.
He frequently brought the child to the office, to make a little call
upon her, and the two soon began to grow very fond of each other. Then,
too, Monsieur Lamonti would often call for her in the afternoon to go
for a drive with them, and, upon several occasions, he had invited her
to be present when he made a small fete for his granddaughter, to assist
in entertaining the children, since he had no mistress in his home to
manage such festivities, and he had learned that she dearly loved little
ones. At such times he exerted himself to make the occasion pleasant for
her in other ways--by showing her works of art and numerous curios which
he had gathered from various portions of the world by playing various
instruments, for he was very talented in music and could play the organ,
harp, piano, and violin with more skill than many a professional while
he could talk of masters and artists, giving their history and merits,
with a fluency which proved him thoroughly posted in such matters. He
was also very thoughtful for Mr. Heatherford, often sending his carriage
to take him out for an airing, the coachman and footman being instructed
to show him every attention while wines, fruits, and other delicacies
for him mysteriously found their way into Eliza's domains.
He also had learned much of the girl's past, previous to her
misfortunes; he studied her from day to day and learned to reverence the
strength of character and purity of purpose which were apparent in her
every act, and thus there grew up a strong and abiding friendship
between the fair young girl and the courtly Frenchman.
One morning Mollie started forth, at the usual hour, to go to the
office, and for some reason she seemed brighter and happier than common.
She was in perfect health, there was an exquisite color in her cheeks,
her lips were like holly berries, and her eyes glowed with the hope and
vigor that belonged to her young life.
She was clad in a golden-brown broadcloth costume, trimmed with narrow
bands of sable fur. It was one of the last dresses she had bought in
Paris, recently made over by a clever modiste--whom she had discovered
near her--and it fitted her exquisitely, showing her finely proportioned
figure to good advantage. Her hat matched her suit in color and was
brightened by the wing of a Baltimore oriole. In her well-gloved hands
she carried a rich, but modest pocketbook--another relic of the past,
and no one would have dreamed, as this stylish and elegantly clad young
woman stepped upon the street-car on her way to Monsieur Lamonti's
office, that she was working for her daily bread.
She might have passed for the wife or daughter of some senator or other
distinguished official--although it was rather an early hour for the
elite to be abroad--and many an admiring eye lingered upon her bright
beauty.
In the car her eye was attracted by a gentleman who was standing near
her. He was clinging to a strap overhead, and as Mollie's glance swept
over him and upward, along his arm to the hand above, her heart gave a
great startled bound, her cheeks flushed a vivid scarlet, and her eyes
darkened until they seemed almost black.