paul the peddler-第28部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



if　I　can　accomplish　it　by　industry　and　attention　to　business。〃



〃You'll　be　sure　to　succeed；〃　said　George　Barry。　　〃You're　just　the

right　sort。　　Good…by；　old　fellow。　　When　you　come　on　to

Philadelphia　come　and　see　me。〃



〃I　may　establish　a　branch　stand　in　Philadelphia　before　long；〃

said　Paul；　jocosely。







CHAPTER　XXVI



CONCLUSION



When　Paul　was　left　in　charge　of　the　stand；　and　realized　that　it

was　his　own；　he　felt　a　degree　of　satisfaction　which　can　be

imagined。　　He　had　been　a　newsboy；　a　baggage…smasher；　and　in　fact

had　pretty　much　gone　the　round　of　the　street　trades；　but　now　he

felt　that　he　had　advanced　one　step　higher。　　Some　of　my　readers

may　not　appreciate　the　difference；　but　to　Paul　it　was　a　great

one。　　He　was　not　a　merchant　prince；　to　be　sure；　but　he　had　a

fixed　place　of　business；　and　with　his　experience　he　felt

confident　he　could　make　it　pay。



〃I　am　sure　I　can　make　from　ten　to　fifteen　dollars　a　week；〃　he

said　to　himself。　　〃I　averaged　over　a　dollar　a　day　when　I　worked

for　George　Barry；　and　then　I　only　got　half…profits。　　Now　I　shall

have　the　whole。〃



This　consideration　was　a　very　agreeable　one。　　He　would　be　able　to

maintain　his　mother　and　little　Jimmy　in　greater　comfort　than

before；　and　this　he　cared　more　for　than　for　any　extra　indulgences

for　himself。　　In　fact；　he　could　relieve　his　mother　entirely　from

the　necessity　of　working；　and　yet　live　better　than　at　present。　

When　Paul　thought　of　this；　it　gave　him　a　thrill　of　satisfaction；

and　made　him　feel　almost　like　a　man。



He　set　to　work　soliciting　custom；　and　soon　had　sold　three

neckties　at　twenty…five　cents　each。



〃All　that　money　is　mine；〃　he　thought；　proudly。　　〃I　haven't　got　to

hand　any　of　it　over　to　George　Barry。　　That's　a　comfort。〃



As　this　thought　occurred　to　him　he　recognized　an　old　acquaintance

strolling　along　the　sidewalk　in　his　direction。　　It　was　no　other

than　Jim　Parker；　the　friend　and　crony　of　Mike　Donovan；　who　will

be　remembered　as　figuring　in　not　a　very　creditable　way　in　the

earlier　chapters　of　this　story。　　It　so　happened　that　he　and　Paul

had　not　met　for　some　time；　and　Jim　was　quite　ignorant　of　Paul's

rise　in　life。



As　for　Jim　himself；　no　great　change　had　taken　place　in　his

appearance　or　prospects。　　His　suit　was　rather　more　ragged　and

dirty　than　when　we　first　made　his　acquaintance；　having　been　worn

night　and　day　in　the　streets；　by　night　stretched　out　in　some

dirty　alley　or　out…of…the…way　corner；　where　Jim　found　cheap

lodgings。　　He　strolled　along　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　not

much　concerned　at　the　deficiencies　in　his　costume。



〃Hallo！〃　　said　he；　stopping　opposite　Paul's　stand。　　〃What　are　you

up　to？〃



〃You　can　see　for　yourself；〃　answered　Paul。　　〃I　am　selling

neckties。〃



〃How　long　you've　been　at　it？〃



〃Just　begun。〃



〃Who's　your　boss？〃



〃I　haven't　any。〃



〃You　ain't　runnin'　the　stand　yourself；　be　you？〃　asked　Jim；　in

surprise。



〃Yes。〃



〃Where'd　you　borrow　the　stamps？〃



〃Of　my　mother；〃　said　Paul。　　〃Can't　I　sell　you　a　necktie　this

morning？〃



〃Not　much；〃　said　Jim；　laughing　at　the　joke。　　〃I've　got　my　trunks

stuffed　full　of　'em　at　home；　but　I　don't　wear　'em　only　Sundays。　

Do　you　make　much　money？〃



〃I　expect　to　do　pretty　well。〃



〃What　made　you　give　up　sellin'　prize　packages？〃　asked　Jim　slyly。





〃Customers　like　you；〃　answered　Paul。



Jim　laughed。



〃You　didn't　catch　me　that　time　you　lost　your　basket；〃　he　said。



〃That　was　a　mean　trick；〃　said　Paul；　indignantly。



〃You　don't　want　to　hire　me　to　sell　for　you；　do　you？〃



〃That's　where　you're　right。　　I　don't。〃



〃I'd　like　to　go　into　the　business。〃



〃You'd　better　open　a　second…hand　clothing　store；〃　suggested　Paul；

glancing　at　his　companion's　ragged　attire。



〃Maybe　I　will；〃　said　Jim　with　a　grin；　〃if　you'll　buy　of　me。〃



〃I　don't　like　the　style；〃　said　Paul。　　〃Who's　your　tailor？〃



〃He　lives　round　in　Chatham　street。　　Say；　can't　you　lend　a　fellow

a　couple　of　shillin'　to　buy　some　breakfast？〃



〃Have　you　done　any　work　to…day？〃



〃No。〃



〃Then　you　can't　expect　to　eat　if　you　don't　work。〃



〃I　didn't　have　no　money　to　start　with。〃



〃Suppose　you　had　a　quarter；　what　would　you　do？〃



〃I'd　buy　a　ten…cent　plate　of　meat；　and　buy　some　evenin'　papers

with　the　rest。〃



〃If　you'll　do　that；　I'll　give　you　what　you　ask　for。〃



〃You'll　give　me　two　shillin'？〃　repeated　Jim；　incredulously；　for

he　remembered　how　he　had　wronged　Paul。



〃Yes；〃　said　Paul。　　〃Here's　the　money；〃　and　he　drew　a

twenty…five…cent　piece　from　his　vest　pocket；　and　handed　it　to

Jim。



〃You　give　me　that　after　the　mean　trick　I　played　you？〃　said　Jim。



〃Yes；　I　am　sorry　for　you　and　want　to　help　you　along。〃



〃You're　a　brick！〃　　exclaimed　Jim；　emphatically。　　〃If　any　feller

tries　to　play　a　trick　on　you；　you　just　tell　me；　and　I'll　lam

him。〃



〃All　right；　Jim！〃　　said　Paul；　kindly；　〃I'll　remember　it。〃



〃There　ain't　anybody　you　want　licked；　is　there？〃　asked　Jim；

earnestly。



〃Not　at　present；　thank　you；〃　said　Paul；　smiling。



〃When　you　do；　I'm　on　hand；〃　said　Jim。　　〃Now　I'll　go　and　get　some

grub。〃



He　shuffled　along　toward　Ann　street；　where　there　was　a　cheap

eating…house；　in　which　ten　cents　would　pay　for　a　plate　of　meat。　

He　was　decidedly　hungry；　and　did　justice　to　the　restaurant；　whose

style　of　cookery；　though　not　very　choice；　suited　him　so　well　that

he　could　readily　have　eaten　three　plates　of　meat　instead　of　one；

but　for　the　prudent　thought　that　compelled　him　to　reserve　enough

to　embark　in　business　afterwards。　　Jim　was　certainly　a　hard

ticket；　but　Paul's　unexpected　kindness　had　won　him；　and　produced

a　more　profound　impression　than　a　dozen　floggings　could　have

done。　　I　may　add　that　Jim　proved　luck　in　his　business　investment；

and　by　the　close　of　the　afternoon　had　enough　money　to　provide

himself　with　supper　and　lodging；　besides　a　small　fund　to　start

with　the　next　day。



Paul　sold　three　more　neckties；　and　then；　though　it　yet　lacked　an

hour　of　the　time　when　he　generally　proposed　to　close；　he　prepared

to　go　home。　　He　wanted　to　communicate　the　good　news　to　his　mother

and　little　Jimmy。



Mrs。　Hoffman　raised　her　eyes　from　her　sewing　as　he　entered。



〃Well；　Paul；〃　she　said；　〃have　you　heard　anything　of　the　ring？〃



〃Yes；　mother；　it's　sold。〃



〃Is　it？　　Well；　we　must　do　without　it；　then；〃　said　his　mother　in　a

tone　of　disappointment。



〃There　won't　be　any　trouble　about　that；　mother；　as　long　as　we

have　got　the　money　for　it。　　I　would　rather　have　that　than　the

ring。〃　　



〃Did　you　recover　it；　then？〃　asked　his　mother；　eagerly。



〃Yes；　motherlisten　and　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it。〃



He　sat　down　and　told　the　story　to　two　very　attentive　listeners。



〃What　did　you　do　with　the　money；　Paul？〃　asked　Jimmy。



〃Mr。　Preston　is　keeping　a　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　for　me。　　He

will　allow　seven　per　cent。　interest。　　But　I　must　not　forget　that

the　money　belongs　to　you；　mother；　and　not　to　me。　　Perhaps　you

would　prefer　to　deposit　it　in　a　savings　bank。〃



〃I　am　quite　satisfied　with　your　disposal　of　it；　Paul；〃　said　Mrs。

Hoffman。　　〃I　little　thought；　when　I　found　the　ring；　that　it　would

be　of　such　service　to　us。〃



〃It　has　set　me　up　in　business；〃　said　Paul；　〃and　I　am　sure　to　make

money。　　But　I　am　getting　out　of　stock。　　I　must　go　round　and　buy

some　more　neckties　to…morrow。〃



〃How　much　do　you　pay　for　your　ties；　Paul？〃　asked　his　mother。



〃One　shilling；　I　sell　them　for　two。　　That　gives　me　a　good

profit。〃



〃I　wonder　whether　I　couldn't　make　them？〃　said　Mrs。　Hoffman。　　〃I

find　there　is　no　sewing　at　present　to　be　got；　and；　besides；〃　she

added；　〃I　think　I　would　rather　work　for　you　than　for　a　stranger。〃



〃There　is　no　need　of　your　working；　mother。　　I　can　earn　enough　to

support　the　family。〃



〃While　I　have　health　I　would　prefer　to　work；　Paul。〃



〃Then　I　will　bring　round　some　of　the　ties　to…morrow。　　I　have　two

or　three　kinds。　　There　is　nothing　very　hard　about　any　of　them。　　I

think　they　would　be　easy　to　make。〃



〃That　will　suit　me　much　better　than　making　shirts。〃



〃Suppose　I　admit　you　to　the　firm；　mother？　　I　can　get　a　large

signboard；　and　have　painted　on　it：

　　　　PAUL　HOFFMAN　AND　MOTHER；　DEALERS　IN　NECKTIES。

How　would　that　sound？〃



〃I　think　I　would　leave　the　business　part　in　your　hands；　Paul。〃



〃I　begin　to　feel　like　a　wholesale　merchant　already；〃　said　Paul。　

〃Who　knows　but　I　may　be　one　some　day？〃



〃Many　successful　men　have　begun　as　low　down；〃　said　his　mother；

〃with　energy　and　industry　much　may　be　accomplished。〃



〃Do　you　think　I'll　ever　be　a　wholesale　painter？〃　asked　Jimmy；

whose　small　ears　had　drank　in　the　conversation。



〃Better　try　for　it；　Jimmy；〃　said　Paul。　　〃I　don't　know　exactly

what　a　wholesale　painter　is；　unless　it's　one　who　paints　houses。〃



〃I　shouldn't　like　that；〃　said　the　little　boy。



〃Then；　Jimmy；　you'd　better　be　a　retail　painter。〃



〃I　guess　I　will；〃　s