The telegraph operator noticed at once that he looked disturbed.
"What has happened, Jed?" he asked.
"I am discharged! That is all."
"Discharged? Who discharged you?"
"Miss Holbrook."
"What is her reason? What have you done?" asked Bertram, much surprised.
"I have done nothing, but she has discovered that I was brought up in the Scranton poorhouse," announced Jed despondently3.
"As if that made you any the worse!" ejaculated Bertram indignantly.
"It isn't to my credit, at any rate. I am ashamed of it myself."
"I don't know why you should be ashamed.[Pg 173] You have left it, and are now earning your own living."
"I was, but I am out of work now, and I may find it hard to get another position."
"You can perhaps go back to the stage."
"If I can take my part in the 'Gold King' I shall be satisfied," said Jed hopefully. "When will the season commence?"
"September 7—three weeks from next Thursday."
At that moment one of the bell boys came to the telegraph office with a letter in his hand.
"I have a letter for you, Mr. Bertram," he said.
"Ha! This is from Mordaunt. Now we shall know."
He tore open the envelope hastily. His countenance4 fell, and he handed it in silence to Jed.
This is the letter.
Dear Bertram:
Season of the Gold King opens at Jersey5 City on the seventh of September. As we shall have two new actors I shall call rehearsals6 for the Tuesday[Pg 174] previous. Please report at Middleton Agency in New York on the first.
John Mordaunt, Manager.
P. S.—Ralph Clinton has recovered from his sickness, and will be ready to resume his part.
"That settles it!" said Jed soberly, as he handed back the letter. "That opening is closed to me."
"I am awfully7 sorry, Jed," returned Bertram in a tone of sympathy. "Perhaps if you enroll8 your name at the agency you can get a chance in some other play. I will speak a good word for you, and so I am sure will Mordaunt."
Jed shook his head.
"I don't think my chance would be very good," he said, "as I have had so little experience. Besides, it is three weeks from now. I must try to get work before then."
"Stay here, Jed. I will pay your expenses."
"Thank you, Mr. Bertram, but I have more than money enough for that, and you will need all yours. It will be better for me to leave Sea Spray, and go out in the world in search of work."
[Pg 175]
"I hate to have you go, Jed. I shall feel lonesome."
"So shall I, Mr. Bertram, but we are sure to meet again," said Jed with forced cheerfulness.
"You must promise if things don't go well with you to write to me. You can learn from the Clipper or any of the dramatic papers where we are playing."
"I'll promise that, Harry," said Jed, pressing the hand of his friend.
"That's right, Jed! Don't call me Mr. Bertram again."
"I will remember."
"Don't go till to-morrow."
"No, I won't. I shall need a little time to get ready."
At this point a message came for Bertram to transmit, and Jed walked over to the beach, feeling dull and despondent2. As he sauntered on slowly with his eyes on the sand some one called out, "Hallo, there!"
Looking up, he met the gaze of Percy Dixon.
"Where's Chester?" asked Percy.
"In the hotel, I suppose."
[Pg 176]
"Why isn't he with you?"
"Ho, ho! you don't mean to say that you're bounced!" queried10 Percy, with a look of malicious11 pleasure.
"That is about the size of it."
"Well, I am surprised," returned Percy cheerfully. "What have you been up to?"
"Nothing."
"Then why are you discharged?" asked Percy with a look of innocent wonder.
"I don't think you need ask, Percy Dixon," said Jed coldly. "If you had not made your appearance at Sea Spray I should have kept my place."
"Ho, ho! What have I been doing, I should like to know?" asked Percy smiling.
"I don't need to tell you. You told Miss Holbrook that I had been brought up in the Scranton poorhouse."
"Well, it's true, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is true, but you understood very well what would be the result of your communication."
[Pg 177]
"As she asked me about you, I had to tell."
"You gave her the name of Mr. Fogson, and led to her writing to him."
"So he's written, has he."
"Yes; Miss Holbrook showed me the letter this morning."
"What did he say?" asked Percy, smiling.
"Probably Miss Holbrook will show you the letter if you ask her."
"I will. I should like to see what old Fogson says. He don't admire you very much."
"There is no love lost between us."
"Well, what are you going to do?" inquired Percy, whose weak point was curiosity.
"I shall try to get another position."
"Do you expect to go back to the stage?"
"No; my old part in the 'Gold King' has been taken by the actor whose place I filled during his sickness."
"Then you haven't anything in view."
"Nothing particular."
"Then I advise you to go back to the poorhouse. Fogson will be glad to see you. I will arrange it with father."
"You are very kind, but I have no more[Pg 178] idea of returning to the poorhouse than you have of making your home there."
"I'll thank you not to mention my name in connection with the poorhouse," said Percy, coloring and speaking angrily.
"I will make the same request of you."
"You are getting on your high horse," remarked Percy sarcastically12.
"Perhaps so. Good morning."
"That fellow's the proudest beggar I ever saw," mused13 Percy, as he stood still on the beach and watched Jed's receding14 figure. "It's so ridiculous, too! A boy brought up in a poorhouse! I wonder if he has any idea what a fool he is making of himself."
"Why is Percy so malicious?" thought Jed, as he pursued his way, feeling, if anything, a little more despondent than before. "If our situations were changed I should delight in helping15 him along. He seems determined16 to force me back to the poorhouse. But I won't go! I'll starve first."
To one who has been steadily17 employed enforced idleness is tedious and tiresome18. As Jed paced the sands his life seemed perfectly[Pg 179] aimless, and he wondered how he was going to get through the day.
Moreover he missed Chester. The boy's warm heart and affectionate ways had endeared him to his young guardian19, and Jed felt sad to think that in all probability he should never again be on terms of intimacy20 with the little fellow.
Plunged21 in thought and despondent he sauntered along till suddenly he heard a young fresh voice, that brought a brighter look to his face.
"Jed, Jed!"
Jed turned, and saw only a couple of rods distant the boy of whom he had been thinking, walking beside his tall and stately aunt, who, after discharging Jed, had felt obliged to undertake the charge of her young nephew herself.
"Why, Chester!" said Jed with a bright smile.
Chester broke away from his aunt, and running up to Jed took his hand confidingly22.
"Aunt Maria says you are going away!" he broke out. "What makes you go away?"
[Pg 180]
"Your aunt has sent me away," announced Jed.
"But I won't let you go," said the little boy, taking a firmer grip of Jed's hand.
"Come back directly, Chester!" said Miss Holbrook frowning.
"I want to stay with Jed," said Chester rebelliously23.
"But I don't want you to stay with him. Come back directly, you naughty boy!" exclaimed Miss Holbrook angrily.
"I'd rather stay with Jed!"
"Jedediah!" said Miss Holbrook, turning a look of displeasure upon Jed. "I am sorry that you incite24 Chester to acts of disobedience."
"Miss Holbrook," returned Jed independently, "I don't think I have done what you charge me with. I like Chester, and I cannot drive him away."
"Excuse me, I have no such thought. If your brother will take me back I shall be glad to return to him."
[Pg 181]
"I will see that he does not recall you. Chester, if you don't come back at once I will punish you."
Looking at his aunt's angry face, Chester very reluctantly felt compelled to obey.
"Kiss me, Jed!" he said.
Jed bent26 over and kissed the little boy. Tears nearly came to his eyes when he felt that it might be for the last time.
"I trust, Jedediah," said Miss Holbrook stiffly, "that your sense of propriety27 will prevent your speaking to Chester again."
"Miss Holbrook," said Jed with a tremor28 in his voice, "as I am to leave Sea Spray to-morrow morning I shall hardly meet Chester again."
Then, as Chester walked away unwillingly29 with his aunt, Jed's heart sank within him. In all the world he seemed to be alone, and he cared little at that moment what was to become of him in the future.
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1
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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despondent
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| adj.失望的，沮丧的，泄气的 | |
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despondently
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| adv.沮丧地，意志消沉地 | |
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4
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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5
jersey
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| n.运动衫 | |
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6
rehearsals
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| n.练习( rehearsal的名词复数 )；排练；复述；重复 | |
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7
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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8
enroll
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| v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol | |
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9
fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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10
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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11
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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13
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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14
receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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15
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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16
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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17
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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18
tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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19
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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confidingly
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| adv.信任地 | |
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rebelliously
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| adv.造反地，难以控制地 | |
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24
incite
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| v.引起，激动，煽动 | |
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25
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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26
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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27
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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28
tremor
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| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
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unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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