PAGE 8
Just Going To Do It
by
“I think I had better do the same,” Lucy said.
“It won’t be of any use,” replied the mother, in a tone of despondency.
“We don’t know that, mother,” said Lucy. “We must use the best means that offer themselves for the accomplishment of what we desire.”
“There is already one advertisement for a situation such as you desire–some disappointed applicant for the place at Mr. C—-‘s, no doubt. It is hardly to be supposed that two more French teachers are wanted in the city.”
“Let us try, mother,” returned Lucy to this.
“If you feel disposed to do it, child, I have no objection,” said Mrs. Ellison; “but I shall count nothing on it.”
“It is the only method that now presents itself, and I think it will be right at least to make the trial. It can do no harm.”
The more Lucy thought about an advertisement, the more hopeful did she feel about the result. During the day she prepared one and sent it down to a newspaper office. Her messenger had not been long gone before the servant came up to the room where she sat with her mother, and said that a gentleman was in the parlour and wished to see them. He had sent up his card.
“Mr. Burgess!” ejaculated Lucy, on taking the card from the servant’s hand.
“I do not wish to see him,” said Mrs. Ellison, as soon as the servant had withdrawn. “You will have to go down alone, Lucy.”
Lucy descended to the parlour with reluctant steps, for she had little desire to see the man whose thoughtlessness and neglect had so cruelly wronged them. The moment she entered the parlour, Mr. Burgess stepped forward to meet her with a cheerful expression of countenance.
“Yesterday,” he began immediately, “I had discouraging news for you, but I am happy to bring you a better story to-day. I have obtained a situation for you as a French teacher, in a new seminary which has just been opened, at a salary of six hundred dollars a year. If you will go with me immediately, I will introduce you to the principal, and settle all matters preliminary to your entering upon the duties of your station.”
“I will be with you in a few minutes,” was all that Lucy could say in reply, turning quickly away from Mr. Burgess and gliding from the room. Her heart was too full for her to trust herself to say more. In a moment after she was sobbing upon her mother’s bosom. It was some minutes before she could command her feelings enough to tell the good news she had just heard. When she did find utterance, and briefly communicated the intelligence she had heard, her mother’s tears of joy were mingled with her own.
Lucy accompanied Mr. Burgess to the residence of the principal of the new seminary, and there entered into a contract for one year to teach the French language, at a salary of six hundred dollars, her duties to commence at once, and her salary to be drawn weekly if she desired it. She did not attempt an expression of the gratitude that oppressed her bosom. Words would have been inadequate to convey her real feelings. But this was not needed. Mr. Burgess saw how deeply grateful she was, and wished for no utterance of what she felt.
That night both Mr. Burgess, as well as those he had benefited, had sweeter dreams than visited their pillows on the night preceding. The latter never knew how much they stood his debtor. He put in the advertisement which Lucy had read, and she was the person it described. Five hundred dollars was all the principal of the seminary paid; the other hundred was placed in his hands by Mr. Burgess, that the salary might be six hundred.