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She had stood thus, meekly, for nearly five minutes, when Berlaps raised his head, and looking at her sternly over the top of his desk, said "What are you waiting for, Mrs. Gaston?" "I should like to have the money for the pants I have brought in. I am out of every" "I never pay until the whole job is done. Bring in the other pair, and you can have your money." "Yes; but Mr. Berlaps"
Perkins then turned from the somewhat crestfallen salesman, and walked back to where Berlaps was standing at his desk. "Do you know any thing about that young woman I just now saw leave here, Mr. Berlaps?" he asked. "I do not, Mr. Perkins," was the respectful answer. "She is a stranger, who came in some days ago for work." "What is her name?" "Lizzy Glenn, I believe." "Where does she live?"
He was from the South, and his daughter has, in all probability, taken him home." "Where did they go when they left here?" But the attendant could not tell. Nor did any one in the institution know. The daughter had never told her place of residence. Excited beyond measure, Perkins returned to Boston, and went to see Berlaps. From him he could learn nothing.
If he could only afford to pay seven cents for coarse shirts, and so on, in proportion, up through the entire list of articles made, how came it that the profits on these very articles enabled him to live in elegance, build houses, and keep his own carriage and horses? Such questions apply not alone to, the single instance of Berlaps, here introduced.
He's gone out to Roxbury to see about some houses he is putting up there." "You can pay me for them pantys, I suppose?" "No. I never settle any bills in his absence." "But it's a very small matter, Michael. Only a dollar and five cents," said Mrs. Gaston, earnestly, her heart sinking in her bosom. "Can't help it. It's just as I tell you." "When will Mr. Berlaps be home?"
"You had seven pair, ma'am." "I know that, Mr. Berlaps. But only six are finished; and, as I want some money, I have brought them in." "It is more than a week since we gave them out. You ought to have had the whole seven pair done. We want them all now. They should have been in day before yesterday." "They would have been finished, Mr.
But he took not the slightest notice of her. She remained thus for nearly ten minutes longer. Then she came up to the side of the counter, and, leaning over toward him, said, in a half whisper "Can I speak a word with you, Mr. Berlaps?" "I've no time to attend to you now, woman," he answered, gruffly, and the half-frightened creature shrunk away quickly, and again stood far back in the store.
Thus it continued for nearly half an hour, when, the poor woman became so anxious about the little ones she had left at home, and especially about Ella, who had appeared to have a good deal of fever when she came away, that she walked slowly down the store, and paused opposite to where Berlaps stood waiting upon a customer, in order to attract his attention.
Gaston took the two jackets, which had been out now five days to the shop. "Why, bless me, Mrs. Gaston, I thought you had run off with them jackets!" was Michael's coarse salutation as she came in. The poor, heart-oppressed seamstress could not trust herself to reply, but laid her work upon the counter in silence. Berlaps, seeing her, came forward.
"There is some mystery connected with her, certainly. This afternoon I went in to make some inquiries in regard to her of Berlaps. I was just in time to hear Michael, his salesman, give her some insulting language, for which I rebuked the fellow sharply." "Indeed! How did she take it?" said Milford.
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