Pride and Prudence CHAPTER 16.
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But, economize and manage as Jane would, their income fell short of their expenses. Every quarter they went a little and a little more behindhand; and every quarter George was subjected to the importunities of an exacting landlord. Thus matters went on for nearly two years, during which time Mrs. Ashton had not once seen her sister. But the cousins visited each other constantly, and were on terms of affectionate intimacy.
Before this time, George had attained his majority, and with it, an advance of salary to eight hundred dollars. William Este had also come of age, and was receiving one thousand dollars per annum. With the advance in the income of George, came increased demands from his mother, whose pride and selfishness ever kept in advance of the means of gratification. It was impossible for the son to refuse to meet his mother's wishes in everything. But in almost every instance, he yielded to her under the conviction that the result to him would be a new financial embarrassment.
At the time George came of age, he owed his landlord nearly six month's rent. He was paying him in monthly installments; but not as fast as rent was accumulating. The landlord worried him constantly; frequently calling at the store, sometimes asking his employer about his ability to pay.
"I wish you would keep away from the store," George said to him one day, when he was paying him a proportion of rent.
"I wish you would pay me up what is due," was the cutting reply.
"I am paying you as fast as I can. And, therefore, running to the store after me won't bring your rent any faster."
"Something else may," returned the landlord, significantly. "But I deprecate last resorts."
George looked his landlord in the face with a bewildered air. He could hardly believe that his ears had heard aright the sentence just uttered.
He made no reply. The landlord put the money he had received, into his pocket, and, bowing formally, withdrew.
This threat was only intended by the landlord as a spur to his tardy tenant. Still, he meant to do all he threatened, if, in his view, necessity required it.
"I think we ought to have a new set of chairs, George," his mother said, about six months after he had arrived at the age of maturity. "All our furniture begins to look shabby and poor."
"But we can't yet afford new chairs," George objected.
"I don't see why we can't. Your salary has been advanced; and will, no doubt, go up to a thousand at the end of this year."
"I am not at all sure of that. But, one thing I know. I am now in debt for rent nearly a hundred dollars."
"A hundred dollars!"
"Yes, fully that sum."
"How in the world did that happen?"
"It happened naturally enough. We have been living beyond our means."
"Wouldn't your aunt lend you enough to payoff Mr. Langston"
"Aunt Este! I wouldn't ask her if I were to starve. What right have I to ask her for money. She has supported her whole family upon less than it has cost us to live."
"She might do it easily enough; that's all I can say. And if she had a particle of true feeling, she would do it without being asked."
"For one, I do not wish her to do it. Let us take care of ourselves — as she has done."
Mrs. Ashton made some angry, unreasonable reply to this. George seeing no use that could possibly arise from opposing her, said nothing.
Another rent day came round. In a moment of weakness, George had yielded to his mother's importunities, and bought a new set of chairs, for which he paid thirty-five dollars. But, for his eyes, they had no beauty. He never looked at them, that he did not think of his landlord, and of the pain and mortification that the money spent for the chairs, would have saved him, if it had been appropriated for the liquidation of rent.
"Indeed, my son, we must have a new set of window blinds," his mother said to him, as he sat musing on what he would say to the landlord when he called for his rent that day. "The old things in the parlor are not fit to look at. They are actually, not decent."
"It's out of the question, just now," George replied, firmly. "We cannot, we must not expend another dollar for furniture — until our rent is paid up. It is not just to our landlord, nor prudent for ourselves."
The tone and manner of George silenced, if it did not convince, his mother. At dinner time he was visited, as he expected would be the case, by Mr. Langston, his landlord.
"I can only pay you thirty-seven dollars and a half, or the amount of last quarter's bill," George said, as he handed over the sum specified.
"And not a cent on the back rent?"
"Not now. But in a few weeks, I will pay you something."
"In a few weeks! O yes! I've heard of that few weeks until I'm tired. But it won't do, young man. I must have that rent paid up, or proceed to extremities. Look here!" glancing round the room as he spoke. "A new set of chairs — as I live! and yet you can't pay a dollar on the back claim. If this is the way you are going on, I might just as well, for your good and mine too, put a stop to it!"
Saying this, the landlord strode out of the room, fully resolved to obtain the amount due him by constraint.
George returned to the store with a heavy heart. He had been there only a little while, when his employer called him aside, and said, with evident reluctance —
"Mr. Ashton, I am sorry it is so, but the great falling off in my business, and the necessity there is, likewise, to take two of my sons into the store, requires me to dispense with your services. I wish I could retain you. But I cannot. All that lies in my power, shall be done towards getting you another job."
George grew instantly pale. He could only stammer out a confused reply.
"Be assured, sir, that nothing but necessity causes me to do what I am now doing."
"It is all right, of course," George said, more calmly. "I hope I shall be able to get another job soon."
"I am sure you will, Mr. Ashton. I can, and will, speak of you in the warmest terms."
Only a few weeks remained before the end of George's quarter. That time passed, and no new place of employment was found. He was deeply distressed in mind, as he well might be. Not wishing unnecessarily to distress the mind of his sister, he had said nothing to her about the loss of his place. He hoped that before the arrival of the time when he would have to leave his job, that another could be obtained. Then he would only have to announce the change. But it did not so turn out. No new place could be found, and he finally returned home from the store in which he had been for several years, for the last time. He found Jane half sick from fatigue, and much dispirited. He could not find it in his heart, to pain her by an announcement of the truth.
The night that followed was passed, not in refreshing, but in a troubled sleep. He sat down at the breakfast table on the next morning, but he had no relish for food. He could not bear to look either his mother or sister in the face. It seemed to him, as if he were guilty of wrong to them.
After breakfast, he went out and wandered through the streets, a prey to the most gloomy feelings. It was near eleven o'clock when he returned. Jane met him as he entered. The unusual time for him to come home and his unusual appearance, alarmed her.
"Are you sick, brother?" she asked, with an anxious look.
"Yes," he faintly murmured. "Sick at heart!"
"O, George! What is the matter?" Jane now eagerly said.
"I am no longer at Mr. Thompson's," he forced himself to say.
The words came forth huskily.
"George!" was the surprised ejaculation.
"It is true, Jane. Mr. Thompson has taken two of his sons into the store. He could not afford to keep me any longer. He told me this two or three weeks ago, and ever since then, I have been trying to get a new place. But in vain."
"What are we going to do, George?" Jane said in a calm, serious, desponding tone, looking steadily into his face, her own very pale.
"Heaven only knows, sister! If we had prudently continued to live under our means, we might now be able to meet this difficulty, and keep up until a new situation offered. But there is little hope for us. Our landlord will be down upon us in a day or two, and seize and sell our furniture for rent. What we shall then do — where we shall then turn — I know not."
"Do not give up to entire despondency, George," Jane said. "Even if that should take place, we shall not be left without a friend. Aunt Este — "
"Don't speak of her, Jane. We have no claim upon her. To become dependent upon aunt Este, I would deprecate above all things. We have already been compelled to receive too much from her hands. I would more gladly make her some return."
Jane felt about this as did her brother. She had only spoken of her aunt in the hope of buoying up his mind. While they were conversing, the one dreaded visitor was announced — the landlord. We will not dwell upon the interview that passed between him and George Ashton. Suffice it to say that he avowed, on leaving, his determination to proceed forthwith to extremities.
Fully satisfied that this threat was not an idle one, George awaited in a kind of mental stupor the result. Mrs. Ashton was half frantic when the painful truth was communicated to her. She insisted upon her children going immediately to see Mrs. Este, and informing her of their situation, with a request from her to lend them enough to pay off the landlord's bill. But this they both positively declined doing. She could not conquer her own pride sufficiently to do so, even in this extremity.
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