Six Girls and the Tea Room

by Marion Ames Taggart

  CHAPTER IX

  AN UNPREJUDICED VIEW

  HAPPIE could not help feeling a little bit important and very muchgrown up as she brushed her gleaming hair before the mirror in hershady Patty-Pan chamber, preparing to go to business to take herbrother's place.

  The next room was Bob's, and, in spite of the portiere over theconnecting door, it was easy to hear Mrs. Scollard's voice as sheanxiously consulted the man of the house and he replied.

  "Do you think it is necessary, Bob? Can she really be useful? I sostrongly dislike her going," Mrs. Scollard was saying.

  "Well, I'll tell you, mother," Bob began. "Would you just hand my oldcoat out of the wardrobe, like the angel mother you are? There's nouse lolling about in my business suit. Thanks. I'll tell you: it isn'tprecisely necessary, but I think--I know--it will please Mr. Felton tohave Happie down. You see it shows a desire on our part to serve him,and he has been mighty nice to me. All the other three fellows therethink he's inclined to favor me. And of course she can be useful, evenif she can't go ahead as I could."

  "She's so young, Bob,--only fifteen! And she's such a frank, friendlycreature that she's sure to expect to find friends in an office as shefinds them everywhere. And I am troubled lest she encounter somethingunpleasant." Mrs. Scollard's soft voice was not enough stifled by thedoor and portiere to disguise its anxiety.

  "Not down there, motherums. Those are three nice young chaps in theoffice; they'll be all right to Happie. One might be fresh--DanLipton--but I guess he'll be civil. It isn't like going to business, togo down to Felton's in my place. I know just what she'll be up against,you know, or I wouldn't let her do it. Maybe the little experience willbe good for her; you can see she's delighted to try to help me out."Bob dropped his voice, but still Happie heard him, with a sensation ofhaving been reduced in age some five years by the conversation.

  How manly Bob was, and how businesslike in tone without trying to beso! Happie felt like a little girl who had suddenly discovered that thegrown people did not enjoy playing house with her just as she enjoyedhaving them. But how fortunate she was in her brother who would not lether face anything untried except he first knew what she "would be upagainst!"

  She came out to the savory breakfast which Margery and Gretta hadprepared, somewhat subdued, but still ready to do her best to be usefulin Mr. Felton's office, if not to be a thoroughly competent substitutefor Bob.

  For the next two days everything went smoothly and Happie secretlycherished the conviction that she was attaining her ambition and wasreally useful. The three young men, or "the two young men and thatboy," as Happie mentally classified Mr. Felton's clerks, for shecordially disliked pert Dan Lipton, were most polite, ready to serveher, plainly desirous of being friendly, but treating "Scollard's nicelittle sister," as they called her among themselves, with a respectthat convinced Happie of her success in playing her role with dignity.

  The fourth day of her business career was Friday. It was also to beher last day, for Bob thought he should be able to resume his desk onSaturday, if one of the girls came with him to the door to give him asupporting shoulder in case of need.

  Happie announced the joyful tidings on her arrival, and somehow itseemed to change the atmosphere around her. The two elder clerksbecame assiduous in their desire to serve her, and openly expressedtheir regret at the prospect of losing what one of them, inclined tosentiment and poetry, styled "the daily inspiration of her sunny face."But Dan Lipton was affected differently. Apparently he felt that therewas no time to be lost if he wished to try his hand at teasing thevanishing little substitute, and he revealed, not only that teasing washis preferred amusement, but that his idea of teasing was that of thepractical joker.

  The livelong morning he made himself a nuisance to Happie, who boregood-naturedly jarrings of her stool which cost her blots; the lossof pen, paper, pencils, blotters; a low whistling close by her sidethat made addition next to impossible, and the copying of letters verydifficult.

  At noon there came into the office a man who went up to the eldestclerk's table and asked if he had on his list any desirable apartmentfor a young man--himself, he added--who had just arrived in New Yorkand hoped to stay for many weeks. "I want good rooms with bath, ina thoroughly well-kept house," he said. "I don't care to turn inanywhere; I want the place recommended. A friend of mine told me Icould rely on the house to which I might be sent by Mr. Felton'soffice."

  Happie looked up, her attention attracted by the beautiful voice inwhich the stranger made known his wants, the pleasant accent, with ther's elided or softened, and the slight drawl, which, without beinglazy, was most attractive in its leisurely effect. She saw a man muchyounger than she had looked for. She had been conscious of his unusualheight as he entered, and expected to see him burdened with yearsproportioned to his inches. Instead she saw a man under thirty, lightlybut strongly built, the grace of repose in his motions, which were, atthe same time, lithe and alert. His face was handsome, rather from itsexpression and refinement than from regular beauty. His eyes, hair andmustache were uniformly brown, and the eyes were so filled with spiritand intelligence that they would have redeemed a face lacking the manycharms possessed by this one.

  "How nice he is!" thought Happie, surveying the newcomer from thevantage ground of his oblivion to her. "He looks as though he had beenmade just to illustrate the word gentleman. Even his clothes," thissharp-eyed young critic added in her thoughts.

  "We don't carry men's apartments on our books," the clerk wassaying, in the meantime. "But I can give you the addresses of two orthree,--more if you like,--first-class places, where you will find whatyou want, if you find a vacancy at all."

  "Thank you very much. I should like it exceedingly, if it isn't toomuch trouble," said the stranger. "It hardly seems fair to let youbother with it if the houses are not in your hands."

  "It isn't very much trouble to jot down a few addresses," returned theclerk with a smile. "Dan, suppose you do it. Copy the numbers and namesmarked on this list." He tossed a paper over on Dan's desk as he spoke,then pushed a chair forward for the tall young man, with a gestureinviting him to take it, and returned to his own work.

  Dan Lipton was sharpening a pencil. He shifted the knife into his lefthand holding the pencil, and with his right reached across and laid thelist of bachelor apartments on Happie's desk. "Here, junior clerk," hesaid. "That's about your size job. You do it."

  Happie flushed. She was entirely ready to do anything any one asked ofher, but she did not like the manner of the asking, and the fact thatneither of Mr. Felton's older assistants had heard the saucy transfer,while the stranger had and was regarding her with surprise, and for thefirst time, made it particularly trying.

  "If you don't care to do what you are told, Dan Lipton, you must speakto me properly if you hope to get me to help you," she said softly.

  The boy laughed insolently. "Come, puss, don't get your back up," hesaid, leaning so far over the desk at which Happie sat that she almostfell off the other side of her stool, retreating from him. "You knowyou'll do anything I ask you. Don't pretend you're mad, just to get meto notice you. You're a nice little puss, if you're not stroked thewrong way."

  Happie flushed scarlet. "Get off this desk," she said. "And if you dareto speak one more impertinent word I'll box your ears, and tell Mr.Felton why I did it."

  She looked perfectly capable of carrying out her threat, but her angerdelighted Dan's impish mood. He lolled forward a little further insteadof obeying Happie's order to get back from her desk. He was evidentlyrolling up some sweet morsel of impertinence under his tongue, andthere is no telling what form it might have taken but that a strong,nervous hand took him by the shoulder, while another stole up andseized him somewhere under his coat with a refreshing twist. MasterDan was straightened up vigorously, lifted from his stool, set downon it again with emphasis, and a sound cuff was administered first tohis right and then to his left ear by the hand that relinquished his
waistband.

  "Now, then, sir," said the stranger in his delicious English, alllabials, aspirates and vowels, apparently, "now, then, sir, you'reonly a cub but you need licking into shape, and I should be delightedto help in the task if I ever heard you speaking again to a young girlas I just heard you speak to this one." He turned to the amazed othertwo who had seen or heard nothing that preceded Dan's elevation andpunishment, and smiled as he settled his cuffs. "I beg your pardon, I'msure, if I've interfered in the discipline of this office, but thislittle girl was being annoyed by that stupid boy of yours, and I tookit on myself to cuff him. I hope you don't mind."

  The two clerks glanced at each other, at Happie, crimson, halflaughing, half crying, at Dan, furious, but cowed, and they beamedappreciatively. "Not a bit!" they cried together.

  "This young lady has been good enough to help us out here for the pastfour days, because her brother was laid up and she took his place.Dan has not been disagreeable till now. If we had caught him making anuisance of himself--to her especially--we should have pounded him topulp," said the elder.

  "Certainly," agreed the visitor. "Fun is all right, but a boy mustnever forget what is due a lady. The trouble with you, Master Cub, isa wrong sense of humor. You'll have to learn that rudeness is neverfunny, much less clever. If you've copied the list I'll take it now,please."

  "Copy your own lists," growled Dan. "I'll never touch a pen for you."

  "A pencil would do as well," returned the stranger unperturbed, whileHappie cried, "Let me copy the addresses, please. I am ever and ever somuch obliged to you."

  The tall young man laid the papers from Dan's desk on hers, bowing andlaughing. "It wasn't the copying you minded then? And you're entirelywelcome. We do enjoy a little muscle play once in a while, don't we?"

  "Sometimes we do, when they're needed, and our own aren't strongenough," returned Happie, copying away for dear life, with her flushedcheek bent low over her paper. She finished the few lines of addressesquickly, and handed them to her defender with a grateful smile,slipping from her stool as she did so.

  The young man took them, thanking her, and noting how youthful she waswith her reddish brown hair standing out around her dimpled cheeks, andher skirt at ankle length. Then he took his departure, with renewedthanks to the senior clerk and a nod to Dan, who glared at him with asoul far from forgivingly at peace.

  He left the office to a perturbed atmosphere. Happie was glad that thiswas her last day, though when it ended the two elder clerks bade hergood-bye with unmistakable regret, and Mr. Felton thanked her solemnlyfor her great kindness in filling her brother's place and for herfidelity and cleverness in his interests.

  At the tea room, when Happie arrived to go home with Margery and Laura,they were half shocked, half amused, and wholly impressed by heradventure of that day. Happie described her rescuer in enthusiasticterms and Margery was greatly interested.

  "I should really think, from what you say, that it was some one Iknow!" she cried, as they started homeward and Happie paused for breath.

  Happie caught the note in her voice as she made the discovery, andtossed her head. "No, indeed, Margery!" she declared positively. "Thisman was not a bit like any one you ever described. He is simple,has lovely manners, is not the least speck solemn nor affected. Andhandsome, and as manly!"

  "Yes," said Margery quietly. "All that is precisely like some one Iknow, but of course I don't know your knight. How funny the boy musthave looked, getting set down and his ears boxed! And how thoroughlyhe deserved it! But it was rather horrid, Happie dear. I'm glad thatto-morrow Bob can resume his desk."

  In the morning there was a little stir of excitement in the Patty-Pans,for Bob was going out, and it takes no more than that to agitate afamily wrapped up in one another, as was this family of boy and girls,"and one dear mother," Polly added.

  Gretta was to go with Bob to the office door, her strong shoulder,strengthened by hay-making and gardening, was the most reliable in caseBob's foot proved weak and played him false. The girls all hoveredaround seeing them start, till Bob laughed at their anxious faces."You'd think I was valuable bric-a-brac!" he cried, bursting in onMargery's grandmotherly injunctions to watch for stray bits of ice onthe sidewalk, and to be sure the car was stopped before he left it.

  "The man of the house is more than bric-a-brac," said Happie.

  "Man! He isn't seventeen!" cried Laura.

  "Just as much a man as this is a house," retorted Happie. And they alllaughed, for the beloved little Patty-Pans flat was small, and nobodycould deny it was crowded.

  Happie was glad to get back to the tea room. It was a busy day, butshe flew to and fro enjoying the rush. She was tempted to sing as shepoured tea like a rosy American goddess of plenty. Mrs. Jones-Dextercame in and vouchsafed a smile of cordial welcome to Happie, thoughMargery had been her favorite since her increased acquaintance with thegirls. Hans Lieder came too, and Happie was surprised to find herselfrather glad to see the mysterious man who had once made her pity him.

  "We missed you, little Miss Sonnenschein," he said. "You are suchdifferent young sisters that each leaves her own place vacant when shegoes. You are the one to do and to be, the warmth and dependence; theoldest one is the sweetness, the soul of you, and the third, ah, she isgifted; she is little Clara Schumann! I wish that I could spirit her toGermany, there to be made what she was meant to be."

  Happy felt alarmed. There was something about the great cloak anddrooping hat of this mysterious Herr Lieder which gave her the feelingthat he might bewitch Laura into Germany, and she more than halfdisliked his interest in their sentimental girl.

  "Oh, that is kind, of course," she said hastily. "But Laura could nevergo away from mother; she needs mother most of all of us."

  "_Natuerlich_, being the genius," said Hans Lieder, with a laugh."How funny it is to see your dislike to her genius! My good littleSonnenschein, your sister is not made for the safe homelife, andwhether it is better or worse for her you cannot help it. She will findher way to her place in the world, mark me."

  "Well," sighed Happie with a resigned philosophy, "if it is her placetruly, it must be the best place for her."

  Gretta came in at that moment; she had left Bob undamaged at Mr.Felton's door, had done a few errands, and came in bright and shiningfrom the cold wind, and with pride in her new ability to thread thebewildering streets and shops of New York alone. Margery was stayingat home until afternoon, when she would bring Polly and Penny to Mrs.Stewart.

  "A little music, Clara Schumann?" hinted Herr Lieder to Laura, passinghim. Laura shook her head.

  "Not mine," she said. "I've got to help the girls. If you would----"She stopped, hesitating to ask for his wonderful playing during thehour when his audience would surely be large.

  But to-day the mood for music was upon this strange man, and he noddedto Laura and went to the piano. Mrs. Jones-Dexter, who had lingered,forgot her original objection to music with her tea, and sat listeningwith tears streaming down her face, a face lined by her seventy yearsof hard battling with everything and everybody in her world; which cameto mean, after all, but one thing: perpetual strife with herself.

  Gradually the tea room filled. Those who came did not go away, and moreand more kept coming, and still Herr Lieder played, forgetful of time,place, human beings, everything but his music. It seemed to Happie thathe had not played before, when they had thought he played perfectly,as he played this day. Laura was entirely useless; the music made herhopeless as an assistant, and Happie and Gretta were at their wits'ends. There was an hour lacking to the time when Margery was due, theroom was crowded, and they were hardly better fitted than Laura tolook after their guests, with Herr Lieder playing as Orpheus must haveplayed to call back the soul of Eurydice.

  Happie looked about her wildly, and there in the doorway stood the tallyoung man, the hero of her adventure in Mr. Felton's office the daybefore.

  He bowed and smiled as they recognized each other, looking much lesssurprised than she as he made
his way forward and said: "Very glad tosee you again. You seem to be an all around genius. Are you one of thesix maidens of the card in the window?"

  "Yes, I am the second of the six, I suppose," said Happie. "I hope youare well?"

  The young man laughed. Plainly she had not meant to say that, and wasquite demoralized by her responsibilities.

  "Perfectly well, thank you, Miss Happie Scollard," he said, and Happywas too confused to wonder at his knowledge of her name. "You havemarvelous music for your tea room."

  "It doesn't belong to it," said Happie. "That is a mysterious Germangentleman who comes here a great deal and has played for us oncebefore. I never heard such playing. But I don't know what to do.Nobody goes, Laura--my sister--is delirious from it, and can't help us,and people keep on coming----" Happie broke off with a gesture thatcame near ignoring the little tray with its burden of teacups which sheheld.

  The tall young man took it from her. "Allow me," he said as coolly asif they had been at a party and he was offering to bring her cream."Now if you will tell me where you want these I will get them there.And you may as well let me help you. I am sure I can serve tea quiteas well as you girls do. I have often served harder things thantea--tennis balls, for instance."

  His brown eyes laughed into Happie's lighter brown ones so merrily andwith such friendly confidence that she would accept his offer, that sheyielded up her tray involuntarily with but a feeble protest.

  "Oh, how can I? I don't even----"

  "Know me," the stranger finished for her. "Let me help you,nevertheless. I assure you, upon my word and honor, that it is allright. If you will let me help you, before the afternoon is over youwill know me well, and I hope you will know me all your life."

  "That sounds more mysterious than Herr Lieder," said Happie with afrank laugh. There was something about this young man that carriedconviction with whatever he said or did. He was so unmistakablywell-bred, so simple, frank and honest that no one could doubt him.

  Laura aroused herself from her musical delirium to stare open-eyed andopen-mouthed at the spectacle, which at the same time nearly cost apale woman a bath of hot tea at the hands of Gretta, who also saw itsuddenly to her total undoing. It was that of a tall and very elegantyoung man gravely making his way through the crowded room, bearingtea, in Happie's wake, to the various little tables, while Happiesupplemented him with more tea and little cakes, looking immenselyrelieved and quite as though there were nothing unusual in thesituation.

  "My goodness! Who is he? What can it mean?" whispered Laura to Gretta,who shook her head so hard that the end of her braid of hair slippedout of its confining bow, as she offered to an indignant customer aslice of lemon that had already been used. Margery came in at the doorand stopped short, amazed to find the room so full. As she stood there,flushed and lovely, Polly and Penny in either hand, her eyes fell onHappie's assistant, and the color rushed up to her hair, while eyesand lips smiled radiantly. "Why, Mr. Gaston, what are you doing, andhow did you find us?" she said, to Happie's consternation, as the tallyoung man dashed towards her.