Ben Pepper
VI
BEN GOES SHOPPING WITH MADAM VAN RUYPEN
All the rest of the Peppers crowded up to the windows to watch Ben gooff in state in the Van Ruypen carriage, Phronsie climbing up on a chairto see him the better. As for Ben himself, he was so amazed at the wholething, to think that he was by Madam Van Ruypen's side, and expected togive his opinion as to matters and things, that for some minutes he hadall he could do to keep his attention on what she was saying.
"You see, Ben," at last he made out, "I don't know in the least what toget for a boy, and if it were not for you, I shouldn't think of such athing as to pick out clothes for one. Well, here we are," as Carson drewup to a large tailoring establishment. "We'll go in and do our best, butit must be you who does the selecting."
Ben, with an awful feeling at his heart at all this responsibility,stumbled after her as she marched down the long store, the salesmen allvying with each other to attract her attention and wait upon her. Shedidn't notice any of them, but kept on her way, her Roman nose and whitepuffs of hair held well up, until at the end of the aisle a littledapper man stepped up, rubbing his hands obsequiously together, andstopped her progress.
"Anything I can show you, madam?" he said with a bow and a flourish.
Madam Van Ruypen looked him all over carelessly. "Oh, well, I supposeyou can; this boy here," she turned to Ben, "understands what I want.Now then, Ben, speak up and tell the man, for I know nothing about it."With that she looked around for a chair, which the little dapper man,hurrying off, soon brought, and, sitting down, she drew up her statelyfigure to its full height, and left Ben to his own devices.
"I suppose it must be a coat," began Ben. Oh, if Mamsie were only there!Instead, was the big figure in the black silk coat, whose eyes had sucha way of boring right through one that it seemed to take the breath awayof the one being inspected.
"I suppose so," said the old lady, "as we have come for clothes; why, acoat appears to be essential, and if I were to express an opinion, Ishould consider that the rest of the suit would be a good investment,too."
"Quite right," assented the shopman. "Now I will show you some. Thisway, madam; here, stay, and I will move your chair."
"You will do nothing of the sort," said Madam Van Ruypen, shortly; "thisis not to be of my purchasing; this boy will attend to it for me. Ben,you go along with the man and select the articles."
"Do you mean I'm to go without you, ma'am?" asked Ben, quite aghast atthe very idea, his blue eyes very wide.
"Of course," said the old lady, having hard work not to laugh; "I saidso, I believe."
"But, but--I may not pick out the right things," stammered Ben.
"I'll trust you," said Madam Van Ruypen, waving him off summarily. So asthere was nothing else to do, Ben followed the little man down whatseemed an interminable number of aisles, at last pausing before a set ofdrawers, on either hand of which was a cabinet with doors.
"Now, here," said the salesman, swinging wide one of the doors, "is justthe thing. It's for yourself, I suppose," and he took down with a defthand a jacket and a pair of trousers.
"Oh, no, it isn't," Ben made haste to say, answering the question.
"Hey--oh!" the little man whirled around to stare at him,--"your brotherthen?"
"No," said Ben, growing hot and red in the face. "It isn't for any ofus,--no one I know; she's going to give them away to some boy who--" hewas going to say "needs them," but the salesman shut off the words fromhis mouth, and, clapping to the door, led the way off down another aisleto a counter where the suits were piled high; "I've got just the verything for you here," he announced, twitching one out; "there, now, seethat."
"But that is much too nice," said Ben, putting his finger on the finegoods, and wishing he were anywhere else in the world but in that store,and the perspiration began to trickle in little drops down his face.
"So?" the salesman leaned his hands meditatively on the counter, andsurveyed him. "Well, I'll show you some other goods. Come this way," andagain they traversed some more aisles, took an elevator, and went upwhat seemed to Ben a great many floors, at last coming out to adepartment which, as far as the eye could see, was stacked with thick,ready-made goods of serviceable materials.
"There," said the little man, giving quick, birdlike glances on eitherside, and, at last pausing, he slapped his hand smartly down on a smallpile of suits, "is just the ticket for you."
"Yes," said Ben, and he ran his hand approvingly over the thick surface,"I guess it is; it looks good."
"And it is good," said the salesman, emphatically; "it'll outwear threeof those other ones downstairs. We haven't but a few of these left. Now,how big is the boy you want it for?"
"I don't know," said Ben, helplessly.
"Well, we've got to have something to go by," said the salesman; "ofcourse you can't buy at random and haphazard."
"She didn't say," said Ben, with a nod over in the direction supposed tobe where Madam Van Ruypen was waiting several floors below for thetransaction to be completed. "But she's going to give them to a boy," headded desperately, "and so I guess I'll pick out the very best you havefor the money, and it'll be right. They'll fit some boy."
"Right you are," declared the salesman, delighted to have the mattersatisfactorily arranged, and, pulling out a coat and jacket, he heldthem up before Ben's eyes. "Now that is the best money value we've gotin the store. Fact. We're closing them out. Couldn't afford to give 'emat this low figure, but there's only these few left, and we don't allowremnants to bother us long, no, sir." He rattled on so fast that Ben,who was slowly going over the coat, which he had by this time gotteninto his own hands, in a close examination as to buttons andbuttonholes, only half heard him. Indeed, it wasn't in the leastnecessary, for he hadn't held the garment for a moment before he knewquite well that here was a good bargain, and one well fitted to warmsome poor boy, and to wear well.
"You can't find fault," said the little man, in great satisfaction, whenthe whole suit had been gone over in this slow way, "'cause there ain'tany. Fact! Well, do you want it?"
"How much is it?" asked Ben.
"Nine-fifty. It's worth three dollars more, but we're closing them out,as I told you, and we don't give room to remnants. It's a bargain ifever there was one. Fact! Do you want it?"
"Yes, if she says so," said Ben. And now his spirits quite rose, for itwas a good thing, and he was not ashamed to show it to Madam Van Ruypen,or to any one else, as his selection. So the salesman flung the suitover his arm, and skipped off, followed by Ben. And they shot down theelevator and went back down all the aisles. There she sat, stiff andimmovable, in her chair.
"Oh, only one?" she asked, as the salesman held up the bargain.
"I didn't know you wanted two," gasped Ben; "you didn't say so."
"Oh, I suppose I did not mention it. But have you been all this timepicking out a paltry one?" She didn't even offer to touch the suit, andscarcely glanced at it.
"Do you like it?" asked Ben. "See, it's thick and warm, isn't it?"lifting the sleeve for her to see it the better.
"Oh, I suppose it will serve its purpose, and be warm enough," she saidcarelessly. "Well, now," to the salesman, "will you go back and bringanother one, a smaller size, and stay, still another, for there must besome more boys in the family? There ought to be. No, you don't need togo, Ben; he can pick them out. Just the same quality, mind," and shedismissed the little man.
When he had disappeared, she cast an approving glance at the suit thrownacross the counter. "Very well chosen," she said. "And now, see here,run down to the neckwear counter--or stay," and she raised her blackglove.
A small army of salesmen seemed to rush to the scene, so many appeared."What is it, madam?" for all knew, at least by sight, the wealthy oldlady, who, try as hard as she might, never seemed to be able to makemuch impression on the Van Ruypen money-bags. "Take this boy to thedifferent departments that he selects, and let him buy what pleaseshim," she said to the first salesman that reached her.
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nbsp; "Yes, madam," he said, well pleased, and leading off with Ben. But justthen a floor-walker touched him on the shoulder, "Mr. Moses wants you,"he said, "about those vests."
"Oh, all right," said the salesman; "here, Perkins," and beckoning to atall young man, who appeared to Ben very much dressed up, he turned theboy over to him, and went off.
"Well, what do you want?" asked Mr. Perkins, leisurely surveying Ben'ssturdy figure from his greater height.
"A red woollen tippet, I think," said Ben.
"A red woollen tippet!" repeated the salesman, nearly falling backward."Oh, we haven't got one in the store!"
"Haven't you?" asked Ben, very much disappointed, for he had set hisheart on seeing that the boy who was to have those good warm clothesshould have a red woollen tippet to tie around his throat, and perhapsgo over his cap, and down around his ears, if it was very cold. Anyway,the ends were to tuck in the jacket. Ben knew just exactly how thattippet was to look when it was all fixed, ready for a sharp, cold, snowyday.
"Well, I can suit you," said the salesman, noting the disappointed tone;"we've got silk scarfs, nice ones, all--"
"Oh, I don't want a silk scarf," said Ben, quickly.
"Some of them are plaid; you don't know how fine they are. This way,"and he stepped off.
But as Ben stood quite still, there was nothing for the salesman to dobut to come back, which he did, quite discomfited.
"Have you got any caps?" asked Ben, leaving the red tippet out of thequestion as an impossibility in this shop.
"Caps? Oh, yes, this way," and away they went, down aisles, up inelevators, and into the department where nothing but headgear showeditself.
This time, knowing there were to be three boys provided for with suits,Ben picked out the same number of good, strong caps, the salesman allthrough the process plainly showing his disgust and disappointment atwhat he thought was to be a fine purchase, turning out to be such a poortrade. But Ben knew nothing of what was going on in the other one'smind, and would have cared still less, had he known, all his attentionbeing absorbed in the bargain he was making for Madam Van Ruypen. Atlast the business was concluded.
"Do you keep gloves?" he asked, as they turned away.
"Yes," said the salesman, sullenly, and slapping the three cloth capstogether disdainfully.
"Mittens?" asked Ben.
"No, indeed," said Mr. Perkins, emphatically. "Mittens, the very idea!"then he winked at a young man, who looked as if a wrinkle, by anychance, never existed in his clothes, and whose hair was evidently justfresh from the barber's. "We don't keep anything but first-class goods."
The other young man made no attempt to conceal his broad smile. And bythis time Ben had considerable attention down the long store. Hecouldn't help but see it, and he held his head high, and his blue eyesflashed.
"Well, give me the money--" Mr. Perkins held out his hand, the one withthe big ring on.
"I don't pay for them," said Ben.
"Well, I guess you do, young man," declared Mr. Perkins, in a high key,designed to impress the onlookers. "You've bought these caps," and hegave them another disdainful slap together, "and you'll pay for them,and now, right sharp off!" he added in a very unpleasant way.
"But I haven't bought them for myself," said Ben.
"Hey? Oh! What are you talking about?" Mr. Perkins whirled around athim. "Who sent you here, anyway?" glaring down at him.
"I haven't been sent," said Ben; "I came with the one who is going tobuy them."
"Well, who is he? Take me to him." Mr. Perkins craned his neck this wayand that, trying to see the friend of his customer.
"If you will follow me, you will see for yourself," said Ben, steppingoff. When he paused by Madam Van Ruypen's chair, Mr. Perkins was in abad state. His long limbs seemed wobbling under him, and his usuallyglib tongue appeared to be fastened to the roof of his mouth. Hedelivered up the caps with a limp and feeble hand, then cast anappealing eye down at Ben.
"Very good," said the old lady, without a glance at them. "Put them withthese other articles," pointing to the suit left on the counter. "Now,then, Ben, are these all the things you can find here, pray tell?"
"Yes," said Ben, "they don't seem to keep what I want in this shop."
"Let me look again," cried Mr. Perkins, in great distress, "I thinkmaybe I can find something to suit you. Don't go yet, I almost know wecan find something," he kept on in such misery, saying the same thingover and over, that Madam Van Ruypen stared at him in amazement.
Meanwhile, the other young man, who had followed Ben and Mr. Perkinswith his eye till they arrived at Madam Van Ruypen's chair, soon spreadthe astounding news that the boy who wanted mittens had good reason tohold his own against everybody, and was by no means a person to besafely laughed at. "And Perkins is having a fit," he wound up, to thegroup of salesmen unencumbered by customers.
"I don't think you can," said Ben, quickly; "I must try some othershop."
"But just come and let me show you some things," begged Mr. Perkins, ina frenzy.
"Oh, go along, Ben," said Madam Van Ruypen; "you might as well, for Imust wait here until the other man brings down those extra suits."
So Ben had nothing to do but to move off with Mr. Perkins. When they hadturned into a convenient corner, "See here," said the salesman, and hisface paled, "you won't tell on me, will you?" His mouth twitched, andanxious wrinkles seemed to run all over his face, making him suddenlyquite old and worn.
"What do you think?" said Ben, indignantly, and he turned on his heel incontempt.
"You see," Mr. Perkins hurried after him, and spoke as if his throatwere parched, the words came out so jerkily, "I couldn't stay here aminute, you know, if the old man knew I'd treated any one belonging toher badly."
"I don't belong to her," said Ben.
"Well, you came with her," said Mr. Perkins, quite willing now tobelieve Ben much higher up yet, if that were possible, in the socialscale. "And I've got a mother," he swallowed hard with a kind of choke,"and three sisters, and--"
"You needn't be afraid," Ben stopped the rest; "I give you my word I'llnot speak of it."
"Honest Injun, now?" said Mr. Perkins, anxiously.
"I've given you my word," said Ben; "that's all I'll say," looking athim squarely.
Mr. Perkins drew a long breath, and the wrinkles seemed to drop rightout of his face. "Thank you," he said. "Now, if you'll come this way,I'll show you some things that you want."
When the two joined the old lady there was quite a little array ofarticles in Mr. Perkins's hands, which he did not slap disdainfullytogether. To be sure there were no mittens; but there were some thickcloth gloves, and a stout, large handkerchief, and some heavy stockings.And as the other two suits had been brought down from the top floor,there was quite a respectable pile of purchases to be done up and put inthe handsome brougham waiting at the door.
And Mr. Perkins insisted, also, on seeing them out, although the firstsalesman, by his manner, proclaimed it quite unnecessary, and the tallyoung man's "Thank you" was said last of all, and he appeared to lookonly at Ben.
"Quite a gentle-mannered young man," observed Madam Van Ruypen, as thecarriage door was closed; "such a contrast to the ordinary, pertcreature. I shall make an excuse to shop there again, and I shall insistupon having him wait upon me. Well, now, Ben, while we are driving toBirdsall's, where you can, maybe, get the articles you couldn't findhere, let us think up some boys to give these things to." She pointed tothe big bundle on the opposite seat, which, more for the pleasure ofactually carrying it home, than because of the Christmas rush, she haddecided to take with her.
"Don't you know the boys you are going to give the clothes to?"exclaimed Ben, turning in great astonishment to gaze at her.
"Dear me, no," said Madam Van Ruypen, with a laugh, "but that doesn'tmake any matter. There are boys enough who will like those things, Ihaven't any doubt. I only thought, seeing you've been such a help to mein buying them, that perhaps you'd think of the boys to fit them to
.Well, there's the City Missionary Society; they'll tell me, probably."
Ben removed his gaze from the white puffs and Roman nose, and lookedsteadily out of the window. Gone seemed the city buildings and streetsto give place to country lanes, with here and there a farm-house tobreak the stretch of long, snow-covered roads. If only he dared to sayhis thought!
"And as long as you can't help me," Madam Van Ruypen's voice had alittle break in it, as if she were not, somehow, finding quite as muchsatisfaction in the expedition as she had hitherto enjoyed, "why, Isuppose--"
"Why don't you send them to a country boy?" cried Ben, whirling suddenlyaround on the green leather seat, his blue eyes shining.
"Hey, what--why--" began the old lady. Then there was an awful pause.And just as Ben had made up his mind that the whole morning expeditionhad been made a failure, and by him, she broke out, "I have the verything, and, Ben, there are three boys in that family. Only think, I'veforgotten them all this time, since I saw them up in the mountains lastsummer."
Ben drew a long breath, and his face said, "Do tell me about them,"though he couldn't say a word.
"There isn't much to tell," said the old lady in a shamefaced way, "for,being boys, I didn't somehow get interested in them. Their mother did mywashing when I was at the hotel. Their father had died, you see."
"Oh," said Ben.
"And now it comes to me, though I didn't think much of it at the time,that the people at the hotel said the boys, that is the two older ones,had to walk three miles to school every day. It was only a littlesettlement, you see." Madam Van Ruypen didn't add that she had sent somemoney to the mother, on hearing this story, and then straightway forgotall about the matter.
"So now, oh, Ben, just think what you've made me remember! And we'llmake the box just as big as we can. What do you want to buy now?" Sheturned on him eagerly.
"Mittens," said Ben, promptly, "and a red woollen tippet."