Jennie Gerhardt - Драйзер Теодор - Страница 25

Quickly she kissed her mother and the children; then she hurried out.

As she went down the street with George she looked back and bravely

waved her hand. Mrs. Gerhardt responded, noticing how much more like

a woman she looked. It had been necessary to invest some of her money

in new clothes to wear on the train. She had selected a neat, ready-made

suit of brown, which fitted her nicely. She wore the skirt of this with a white shirtwaist, and a sailor hat with a white veil wound around it in

such fashion that it could be easily drawn over her face. As she went

farther and farther away Mrs. Gerhardt followed her lovingly with her

glance; and when she disappeared from view she said tenderly, through

her own tears:

"I'm glad she looked so nice, anyhow."

CHAPTER XIII

Bass met Jennie at the depot in Cleveland and talked hopefully of the

prospects. "The first thing is to get work," he began while the jingling sounds and the changing odors which the city thrust upon her were

confusing and almost benumbing her senses. "Get something to do. It

doesn't matter what, so long as you get something. If you don't get more

than three or four dollars a week, it will pay the rent. Then, with what

George can earn, when he comes, and what Pop sends, we can get along

all right. It'll be better than being down in that hole," he concluded.

"Yes," said Jennie, vaguely, her mind so hypnotised by the new display of life about her that she could not bring it forcibly to bear upon the topic under discussion. "I know what you mean. I'll get something."

She was much older now, in understanding if not in years. The ordeal

through which she had so recently passed had aroused in her a clearer

conception of the responsibilities of life. Her mother was always in her

mind, her mother and the children. In particular Martha and Veronica

must have a better opportunity to do for themselves than she had had.

They should be dressed better; they ought to be kept longer in school;

they must have more companionship, more opportunity to broaden their

lives.

Cleveland, like every other growing city at this time, was crowded with

those who were seeking employment. New enterprises were constantly

springing up, but those who were seeking to fulfil the duties they

provided were invariably in excess of the demand. A stranger coming to

the city might walk into a small position of almost any kind on the very

day he arrived; and he might as readily wander in search of employment

for weeks and even months. Bass suggested the shops and department

stores as a first field in which to inquire. The factories and other avenues of employment were to be her second choice.

"Don't pass a place, though," he had cautioned her, "if you think there's any chance of getting anything to do. Go right in."

"What must I say?" asked Jennie, nervously.

"Tell them you want work. You don't care what you do to begin with."

In compliance with this advice, Jennie set out the very first day, and was rewarded by some very chilly experiences. Wherever she went, no one

seemed to want any help. She applied at the stores, the factories, the little shops that lined the outlying thoroughfares, but was always met by a

rebuff. As a last resource she turned to housework, although she had

hoped to avoid that; and, studying the want columns, she selected four

which seemed more promising than the others. To these she decided to

apply. One had already been filled when she arrived, but the lady who

came to the door was so taken by her appearance that she invited her in

and questioned her as to her ability.

"I wish you had come a little earlier," she said. "I like you better than I do the girl I have taken. Leave me your address, anyhow."

Jennie went away, smiling at her reception. She was not quite so youthful looking as she had been before her recent trouble, but the thinner cheeks and the slightly deeper eyes added to the pensiveness and delicacy of her countenance. She was a model of neatness. Her clothes, all newly cleaned

and ironed before leaving home, gave her a fresh and inviting appearance.

There was growth coming to her in the matter of height, but already in

appearance and intelligence she looked to be a young woman of twenty.

Best of all, she was of that naturally sunny disposition, which, in spite of toil and privation kept her always cheerful. Any one in need of a servant-girl or house companion would have been delighted to have had her.

The second place at which she applied was a large residence in Euclid

Avenue; it seemed far too imposing for anything she might have to offer

in the way of services, but having come so far she decided to make the

attempt. The servant who met her at the door directed her to wait a few

moments, and finally ushered her into the boudoir of the mistress of the

house on the second floor. The latter, a Mrs. Bracebridge, a prepossessing brunette of the conventionally fashionable type, had a keen eye for

feminine values and was impressed rather favourably with Jennie. She

talked with her a little while, and finally decided to try her in the general capacity of maid.

"I will give you four dollars a week, and you can sleep here if you wish,"

said Mrs. Bracebridge.

Jennie explained that she was living with her brother, and would soon

have her family with her.

"Oh, very well," replied her mistress. "Do as you like about that. Only I expect you to be here promptly."

She wished her to remain for the day and to begin her duties at once, and Jennie agreed. Mrs. Bracebridge provided her a dainty cap and apron, and

then spent some little time in instructing her in her duties. Her principal work would be to wait on her mistress, to brush her hair and to help her

dress. She was also to answer the bell, wait on the table if need be, and do any other errand which her mistress might indicate. Mrs. Bracebridge

seemed a little hard and formal to her prospective servant, but for all that Jennie admired the dash and go and the obvious executive capacity of her

employer.

At eight o'clock that evening Jennie was dismissed for the day. She

wondered if she could be of any use in such a household, and marvelled

that she had got along as well as she had. Her mistress had set her to

cleaning her jewellery and boudoir ornaments as an opening task, and

though she had worked steadily and diligently, she had not finished by the time she left. She hurried away to her brother's apartment delighted to be able to report that she had found a situation. Now her mother could come

to Cleveland. Now she could have her baby with her. Now they could

really begin that new life which was to be so much better and finer and

sweeter than anything they had ever had before.

At Bass's suggestion Jennie wrote her mother to come at once, and a

week or so later a suitable house was found and rented. Mrs. Gerhardt,

with the aid of the children, packed up the simple belongings of the

family, including a single vanload of furniture, and at the end of a

fortnight they were on their way to the new home.

Mrs. Gerhardt always had had a keen desire for a really comfortable

home. Solid furniture, upholstered and trimmed, a thick soft carpet of

some warm, pleasing colour, plenty of chairs, settees, pictures, a lounge, and a piano—she had wanted these nice things all her life, but her