Jennie Gerhardt. Theodore Dreiser

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      On their way home they encountered another gentleman, this time a real one, with high hat and distinguished cape coat, whom Jennie immediately recognized. This was the honorable Senator himself, newly returned from Washington, and anticipating a very unprofitable Christmas. He had arrived upon the express which had enlisted the attention of the children, and was carrying his light grip for the pleasure of it to the hotel. As he passed he thought that he recognized Jennie.

      "Is that you, Jennie?" he said, and paused to be more certain.

      The latter, who had discovered him even more quickly than he had her, exclaimed, "Oh, there is Mr. Brander!" Then, dropping her end of the basket, with a caution to the children to take it right home, she hurried away in the opposite direction.

      The Senator followed, vainly calling three or four times "Jennie! Jennie!" Losing hope of overtaking her, and suddenly recognizing, and thereupon respecting, her simple, girlish shame, he stopped, and turning back, decided to follow the children. Again he felt that same sensation which he seemed always to get from this girl—the far cry between her estate and his. It was something to be a Senator to-night, here where these children were picking coal. What could the joyous holiday of the morrow hold for them? He tramped along sympathetically, an honest lightness coming into his step, and soon he saw them enter the gateway of the low cottage. Crossing the street, he stood in the weak shade of the snow-laden trees. The light was burning with a yellow glow in a rear window. All about was the white snow. In the woodshed he could hear the voices of the children, and once he thought he detected the form of Mrs. Gerhardt. After a time another form came shadow-like through the side gate. He knew who it was. It touched him to the quick, and he bit his lip sharply to suppress any further show of emotion. Then he turned vigorously on his heel and walked away.

      The chief grocery of the city was conducted by one Manning, a stanch adherent of Brander, and one who felt honored by the Senator's acquaintance. To him at his busy desk came the Senator this same night.

      "Manning," he said, "could I get you to undertake a little work for me this evening?"

      "Why, certainly, Senator, certainly," said the grocery-man. "When did you get back? Glad to see you. Certainly."

      "I want you to get everything together that would make a nice Christmas for a family of eight—father and mother and six children—Christmas tree, groceries, toys—you know what I mean."

      "Certainly, certainly, Senator."

      "Never mind the cost now. Send plenty of everything. I'll give you the address," and he picked up a note-book to write it.

      "Why, I'll be delighted, Senator," went on Mr. Manning, rather affected himself. "I'll be delighted. You always were generous."

      "Here you are, Manning," said the Senator, grimly, from the mere necessity of preserving his senatorial dignity. "Send everything at once, and the bill to me."

      "I'll be delighted," was all the astonished and approving grocery-man could say.

      The Senator passed out, but remembering the old people, visited a clothier and shoe man, and, finding that he could only guess at what sizes might be required, ordered the several articles with the privilege of exchange. When his labors were over, he returned to his room.

      "Carrying coal," he thought, over and over. "Really, it was very thoughtless in me. I mustn't forget them any more."

CHAPTER IV

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      The desire to flee which Jennie experienced upon seeing the Senator again was attributable to what she considered the disgrace of her position. She was ashamed to think that he, who thought so well of her, should discover her doing so common a thing. Girl-like, she was inclined to imagine that his interest in her depended upon something else than her mere personality.

      When she reached home Mrs. Gerhardt had heard of her flight from the other children.

      "What was the matter with you, anyhow?" asked George, when she came in.

      "Oh, nothing," she answered, but immediately turned to her mother and said, "Mr. Brander came by and saw us."

      "Oh, did he?" softly exclaimed her mother. "He's back then. What made you run, though, you foolish girl?"

      "Well, I didn't want him to see me."

      "Well, maybe he didn't know you, anyhow," she said, with a certain sympathy for her daughter's predicament.

      "Oh yes, he did, too," whispered Jennie. "He called after me three or four times."

      Mrs. Gerhardt shook her head.

      "What is it?" said Gerhardt, who had been hearing the conversation from the adjoining room, and now came out.

      "Oh, nothing," said the mother, who hated to explain the significance which the Senator's personality had come to have in their lives. "A man frightened them when they were bringing the coal."

      The arrival of the Christmas presents later in the evening threw the household into an uproar of excitement. Neither Gerhardt nor the mother could believe their eyes when a grocery wagon halted in front of their cottage and a lusty clerk began to carry in the gifts. After failing to persuade the clerk that he had made a mistake, the large assortment of good things was looked over with very human glee.

      "Just you never mind," was the clerk's authoritative words. "I know what I'm about. Gerhardt, isn't it? Well, you're the people."

      Mrs. Gerhardt moved about, rubbing her hands in her excitement, and giving vent to an occasional "Well, isn't that nice now!"

      Gerhardt himself was melted at the thought of the generosity of the unknown benefactor, and was inclined to lay it all to the goodness of a great local mill owner, who knew him and wished him well. Mrs. Gerhardt tearfully suspected the source, but said nothing. Jennie knew, by instinct, the author of it all.

      The afternoon of the day after Christmas Brander encountered the mother in the hotel, Jennie having been left at home to look after the house.

      "How do you do, Mrs. Gerhardt," he exclaimed genially extending his hand. "How did you enjoy your Christmas?"

      Poor Mrs. Gerhardt took it nervously; her eyes filled rapidly with tears.

      "There, there," he said, patting her on the shoulder. "Don't cry. You mustn't forget to get my laundry to-day."

      "Oh no, sir," she returned, and would have said more had he not walked away.

      From this on, Gerhardt heard continually of the fine Senator at the hotel, how pleasant he was, and how much he paid for his washing. With the simplicity of a German workingman, he was easily persuaded that Mr. Brander must be a very great and a very good man.

      Jennie, whose feelings needed no encouragement in this direction, was more than ever prejudiced in his favor.

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