No kings, nor dukes, nor lords here—but to the sovereignty of wealth the reddest or blackest republican, or the noisiest democrat, bends his servile knee and cowering head more abjectly than any serf in Russia bows before the imperial form.
Independence! Bah! ’Tis but a name!
CHAPTER IV.
TEA-TABLE TALK.
There was a regular flutter in the boarding-house of Miss Scrimp when the bindery girls got in that Friday evening; for they brought the news that Hattie Butler had been promoted in the bindery, a new position given her, and her wages raised to ten dollars a week. Some of the girls were really glad, for Hattie had ever been so gentle, so quiet, so kind when any of them were sick, that she had few enemies. But others were envious of her good fortune, as they ever had been of her beauty, so there were a few to sneer and hint that Mr. Jones, the foreman, or Mr. W——, one of the proprietors, had only promoted her because she was handsome, and they wanted her off by herself where they could talk to her and say things the other girls couldn’t hear.
The object of the flutter, the laudation, and the envy, seemed all this time to care the least for her promotion of any that knew it. She did not speak of it, even to Miss Scrimp, at whose right hand her chair at table was always placed; but the latter had heard of it before Hattie got home, and was ready with her congratulations the instant Hattie sat down.
“I’m awful glad to hear you’ve been set up in the bindery, and get so much better wages, dear,” she said.
And she screwed her sallow cheeks and thin lips into a picture of a smile which Nast would glory to copy, if he could only have seen it.
“Thank you, Miss Scrimp; but I do not know as it will be much better for me. My former work was very easy. It only exercised my fingers. This will tax both fingers and brain. My head aches over it already.”
“Dear, dear! Well, I’ll have Biddy Lanigan make you a real strong cup of tea and some toast.”
“No, thank you, Miss Scrimp, I do not wish it. The food which is good enough for the rest always satisfies me.”