paul the peddler-第12章
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work long。〃
〃There are fewer things for me to do;〃 said his mother; 〃but
perhaps you can think of something。 I shall go out this
afternoon; and try my luck once more。 If I do not succeed; I
will consult with you this evening。〃
〃Suppose I tell you that I have work for you; enough to last for
two or three weeks; that will pay five times as well as the work
you have been doing; what would you say to that?〃 asked Paul;
smiling。
〃Are you in earnest; Paul?〃 asked his mother; very much
surprised。
〃Quite in earnest; mother。 There's a gentleman up…town that
wants a dozen shirts made; and is willing to pay ten shillings
apiece。〃
〃Ten shillings! Why; that's a dollar and a quarter。〃
〃Of course it is。 I told him I thought you would accommodate
him。〃
〃You are sure I can get the work to do?〃
〃Certainly。 I am to go up to his house this evening and get the
pattern and an order for the materials。〃
〃It seems too good to be true;〃 said his mother。 〃Why; I can
earn at least a dollar a day。〃
〃Then you will be doing as well as I am。〃
〃Tell me how you heard of it; Paul;〃 said Mrs。 Hoffman。
Paul told the story of the manner in which he formed Mr。
Preston's acquaintance。
〃It's lucky you ran into him; Paul;〃 said Jimmy。
〃He didn't think so at the time;〃 said Paul; laughing。 〃He said
I nearly knocked the breath out of him。〃
〃You won't go out this afternoon; mother; will you?〃 asked
Jimmy。
〃No; it will not be necessary now; I didn't think this morning
that such a piece of good luck was in store for; me。〃
CHAPTER X
ANOTHER LOSS
After supper Paul brushed his clothes carefully and prepared to
go to the address given him by Mr。 Preston。 He decided to walk
one way; not wishing to incur the expenses of two railroad fares。
The distance was considerable; and it was nearly eight o'clock
when he arrived at his destination。
Paul found himself standing before a handsome house of brown
stone。 He ascended the steps; and inquired; on the door being
opened; if Mr。 Preston was at home。
〃I'll see;〃 said the servant。
She returned in a short time; and said: 〃He says you may come
upstairs。〃
Paul followed the servant; who pointed out a door at the head of
the first staircase。
Paul knocked; and; hearing 〃Come in〃 from within; he opened the
door and entered。
He found himself in a spacious chamber; handsomely furnished。
Mr。 Preston; in dressing…gown and slippers; sat before a
cheerful; open fire。
〃Come and sit down by the fire;〃 he said; sociably。
〃Thank you; sir; I am warm with walking;〃 and Paul took a seat
near the door。
〃I am one of the cold kind;〃 said Mr。 Preston; 〃and have a fire
earlier than most people。 You come about the shirts; I suppose?〃
〃Yes; sir。〃
〃Will your mother undertake them?〃
〃With pleasure; sir。 She can no longer get work from the shop。〃
〃Business dull; I suppose?〃
〃Yes; sir。〃
〃Then I am glad I thought of giving her the commission。 How's
business with you to…day; eh?〃
〃Pretty good; sir。〃
〃How many neckties did you sell?〃
〃Nineteen; sir。〃
〃And how much do you get for that?〃
〃Nine shillings and a halfa dollar and eighteen cents。〃
〃That's pretty good for a boy like you。 When I was of your age I
was working on a farm for my board and clothes。〃
〃Were you; sir?〃 asked Paul; interested。
〃Yes; I was bound out till I was twenty…one。 At the end of that
time I was to receive a hundred dollars and a freedom suit to
begin the world with。 That wasn't a very large capital; eh?〃
〃No; sir。〃
〃But the death of my employer put an end to my apprenticeship at
the age of eighteen。 I hadn't a penny of money and was thrown
upon my own resources。 However; I had a pair of good strong
arms; and a good stock of courage。 I knew considerable about
farming; but I didn't like it。 I thought I should like trade
better。 So I went to the village merchant; who kept a small
dry…goods store; and arranged with him to supply me with a small
stock of goods; which I undertook to sell on commission for him。
His business was limited; and having confidence in my honesty; he
was quite willing to intrust me with what I wanted。 So I set out
with my pack on my back and made a tour of the neighboring
villages。〃
Paul listened with eager interest。 He had his own way to make;
and it was very encouraging to find that Mr。 Preston; who was
evidently rich and prosperous; was no better off at eighteen than
he was now。
〃You will want to know how I succeeded。 Well; at first only
moderately; but I think I had some tact in adapting myself to the
different classes of persons with whom I came in contact; at any
rate; I was always polite; and that helped me。 So my sales
increased; and I did a good thing for my employer as well as
myself。 He would have been glad to employ me for a series of
years; but I happened to meet a traveling salesman of a New York
wholesale house; who offered to obtain me a position similar to
his own。 As this would give me a larger field and larger
profits; I accepted gladly; and so changed the nature of my
employment。 I became very successful。 My salary was raised from
time to time; till it reached five thousand dollars。 I lived
frugally and saved money; and at length bought an interest in the
house by which I had been so long employed。 I am now senior
partner; and; as you may suppose; very comfortably provided for。
〃Do you know why I have told you this?〃 asked Mr。 Preston;
noticing the eagerness with which Paul had listened。
〃I don't know; sir; but I have been very much interested。〃
〃It is because I like to give encouragement to boys and young men
who are now situated as I used to be。 I think you are a smart
boy。〃
〃Thank you; sir。〃
〃And; though you are poor; you can lift yourself to prosperity;
if you are willing to work hard enough and long enough。〃
〃I am not afraid of work;〃 said Paul; promptly。
〃No; I do not believe you are。 I can tell by a boy's face; and
you have the appearance of one who is willing to work hard。 How
long have you been a street peddler?〃
〃About a year; sir。 Before that time my father was living; and I
was kept at school。〃
〃You will find the street a school; though of a different kind;
in which you can learn valuable lessons。 If you can get time in
the evening; however; it will be best to keep up your school
studies。〃
〃I am doing that now; sir。〃
〃That is well。 And now; about the shirts。 Did your mother say
how long it would take her to make them?〃
〃About three weeks; I think; sir。 Will that be soon enough?〃
〃That will do。 Perhaps it will be well; however; to bring half
the number whenever they are finished。〃
〃All right; sir。〃
〃I suppose your mother can cut them out if I send a shirt as a
pattern?〃
〃Yes; sir。〃
Mr。 Preston rose; and; going to a bureau; took therefrom a shirt
which he handed to Paul。 He then wrote a few lines on a slip of
paper; which he also handed our hero。
〃That is an order on Barclay & Co。;〃 he explained; 〃for the
requisite materials。 If either you or your mother presents it;
they will be given you。〃
〃Very good; sir;〃 said Paul。
He took his cap; and prepared to go。
〃Good…evening; Mr。 Preston;〃 he said。
〃Good…evening。 I shall expect you with the shirts when they are
ready。〃
Paul went downstairs and into the street; thinking that Mr。
Preston was very sociable and agreeable。 He had fancied that
rich men were generally 〃stuck up;〃 but about Mr。 Preston there
seemed an absence of all pretense。 Paul's ambition was aroused
when he thought of the story he had heard; and he wondered
whether it would be possible for him to raise himself to wealth
and live in as handsome a house as Mr。 Preston。