paul the peddler-第16章

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four　in　a　week。　　This；　however；　gave　her　five　dollars　weekly；

instead　of　a　dollar　and　a　half　as　formerly。　　Now；　five　dollars

may　not　seem　a　very　large　sum　to　some　of　my　young　readers；　but　to

Mrs。　Hoffman　it　seemed　excellent　compensation　for　a　week's　work。



〃If　I　could　only　earn　as　much　every　week；〃　she　said　to　Paul　on

Saturday　evening；　〃I　should　feel　quite　rich。〃



〃Your　work　will　last　three　weeks；　mother；　and　perhaps　at　the　end

of　that　time　some　of　Mr。　Preston's　friends　may　wish　to　employ

you。〃



〃I　hope　they　will。〃



〃How　much　do　you　think　I　have　made？〃　continued　Paul。



〃Six　dollars。〃



〃Seven　dollars　and　a　half。〃



〃So　between　us　we　have　earned　over　twelve　dollars。〃



〃I　wish　I　could　earn　something；〃　said　little　Jimmy；　looking　up

from　his　drawing。



〃There's　time　enough　for　that；　Jimmy。　　You　are　going　to　be　a

great　artist　one　of　these　days。〃



〃Do　you　really　think　I　shall？〃　asked　the　little　boy；　wistfully。



〃I　think　there　is　a　good　chance　of　it。　　Let　me　see　what　you　are

drawing。〃



The　picture　upon　which　Jimmy　was　at　work　represented　a　farmer

standing　upright　in　a　cart；　drawn　by　a　sturdy；　large…framed

horse。　　The　copy　bore　a　close　resemblance　to　the　original；　even

in　the　most　difficult　portionsthe　face　and　expression；　both　in

the　man　and　the　horse；　being　carefully　reproduced。



〃This　is　wonderful；　Jimmy；〃　exclaimed　Paul；　in　real　surprise。　

〃Didn't　you　find　it　hard　to　get　the　man's　face　just　right？〃



〃Rather　hard；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃I　had　to　be　careful；　but　I　like　best

the　parts　where　I　have　to　take　the　most　pains。〃



〃I　wish　I　could　afford　to　hire　a　teacher　for　you；〃　said　Paul。　

〃Perhaps；　if　mother　and　I　keep　on　earning　so　much　money；　we　shall

be　able　to　some　time。〃



By　the　middle　of　the　next　week　six　of　the　shirts　were　finished；

and　Paul；　as　had　been　agreed　upon；　carried　them　up　to　Mr。

Preston。　　He　was　fortunate　enough　to　find　him　at　home。



〃I　hope　they　will　suit　you；〃　said　Paul。



〃I　can　see　that　the　sewing　is　excellent；〃　said　Mr。　Preston；

examining　them。　　〃As　to　the　fit；　I　can　tell　better　after　I　have

tried　one　on。〃



〃Mother　made　them　just　like　the　one　you　sent；　but　if　there　is

anything　wrong；　she　will；　of　course；　be　ready　to　alter　them。〃



〃If　they　are　just　like　the　pattern；　they　will　be　sure　to　suit

me。〃



〃And　now；　my　young　friend；〃　he　added；　〃let　me　know　how　you　are

getting　on　in　your　own　business。〃



〃I　am　making　a　dollar　a　day；　sometimes　a　little　more。〃



〃That　is　very　good。〃



〃Yes；　sir；　but　it　won't　last　long。〃



〃I　believe　you　told　me　that　the　stand　belonged　to　some　one　else。〃



〃Yes；　sir；　I　am　only　tending　it　in　his　sickness；　but　he　is

getting　better；　and　when　he　gets　about　again；　I　shall　be　thrown

out　of　business。〃



〃But　you　don't　look　like　one　who　would　remain　idle　long。〃



〃No；　sir；　I　shall　be　certain　to　find　something　to　do；　if　it　is

only　blacking　boots。〃



〃Have　you　ever　been　in　that　business？〃



〃I've　tried　about　everything；〃　said　Paul；　laughing。



〃I　suppose　you　wouldn't　enjoy　boot…blacking　much？〃



〃No；　sir；　but　I　would　rather　do　that　than　be　earning　nothing。〃



〃You　are　quite　right　there；　and　I　am　glad　you　have　no　false　shame

in　the　matter。　　There　are　plenty　who　have。　　For　instance；　a

stout；　broad…shouldered　young　fellow　applied　to　me　thus　morning

for　a　clerkship。　　He　said　he　had　come　to　the　city　in　search　of

employment；　and　had　nearly　expended　all　his　money　without　finding

anything　to　do。　　I　told　him　I　couldn't　give　him　a　clerkship；　but

was　in　want　of　a　porter。　　I　offered　him　the　place　at　two　dollars

per　day。　　He　drew　back；　and　said　he　should　not　be　willing　to

accept　a　porter's　place。〃



〃He　was　very　foolish；〃　said　Paul。



〃So　I　thought。　　I　told　him　that　if　such　were　his　feelings；　I

could　not　help　him。　　Perhaps　he　may　regret　his　refusal；　when　he

is　reduced　to　his　last　penny。　　By　the　way；　whenever　you　have　to

give　up　your　stand；　you　may　come　to　me；　and　I　will　see　what　I　can

do　for　you。〃



〃Thank　you；　sir。〃



〃And　now；　about　these　shirts；　I　believe　I　agreed　to　pay　a　dollar

and　a　quarter　each。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃As　they　are　of　extra　size；　I　think　I　ought　to　pay　twelve

shillings；　instead　of　ten。〃



〃My　mother　thinks　herself　well　paid　at　ten　shillings。〃



〃There　must　be　a　great　deal　of　work　about　one。　　Twelve　shillings

are　none　too　much；〃　and　Mr。　Preston　placed　nine　dollars　in　Paul's

hand。



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Paul；　gratefully。　　〃My　mother　will　consider

herself　very　lucky。〃



When　Mrs。　Hoffman　received　from　Paul　a　dollar　and　a　half　more

than　she　anticipated；　she　felt　in　unusually　good　spirits。　　She

had　regretted　the　loss　of　her　former　poorly　paid　work；　but　it

appeared　that　her　seeming　misfortune　had　only　prepared　the　way

for　greater　prosperity。　　The　trouble　was　that　it　would　not　last。　

Still；　it　would　tide　over　the　dull　time；　and　when　this　job　was

over；　she　might　be　able　to　resume　her　old　employment。　　At　any

rate；　while　the　future　seemed　uncertain；　she　did　not　feel　like

increasing　her　expenditures　on　account　of　her　increased　earnings；

but　laid　carefully　away　three…quarters　of　her　receipts　to　use

hereafter　in　case　of　need。



Meanwhile；　Paul　continued　to　take　care　of　George　Barry's

business。　　He　had　been　obliged　to　renew　the　stock；　his　large

sales　having　materially　reduced　it。　　Twice　a　week　he　went　up　to

see　his　principal　to　report　sales。　　George　Barry　could　not

conceal　the　surprise　he　felt　at　Paul's　success。



〃I　never　thought　you　would　do　so　well；〃　he　said。　　〃You　beat　me。〃



〃I　suppose　it's　because　I　like　it；〃　said　Paul。　　〃Then；　as　I　get

only　half　the　profits；　I　have　to　work　the　harder　to　make　fair

wages。〃



〃It　is　fortunate　for　my　son　that　he　found　you　to　take　his　place；〃

said　Mrs。　Barry。　　〃He　could　not　afford　to　lose　all　the　income

from　his　business。〃



〃It　is　a　good　thing　for　both　of　us；〃　said　Paul。　　〃I　was　looking

for　a　job　just　when　he　fell　sick。〃



〃What　had　you　been　doing　before？〃



〃I　was　in　the　prize…package　business；　but　that　got　played　out；

and　I　was　a　gentleman　at　large；　seeking　for　a　light；　genteel

business　that　wouldn't　require　much　capital。〃



〃I　shall　be　able　to　take　my　place　pretty　soon　now；〃　said　the

young　man。　　〃I　might　go　to…morrow；　but　mother　thinks　it

imprudent。〃



〃Better　get　back　your　strength　first；　George；〃　said　his　mother；

〃or　you　may　fall　sick　again。〃



But　her　son　was　impatient　of　confinement　and　anxious　to　get　to

work　again。　　So；　two　days　afterward；　about　the　middle　of　the

forenoon；　Paul　was　surprised　by　seeing　George　Barry　get　out　of　a

Broadway　omnibus；　just　in　front　of　the　stand。



〃Can　I　sell　you　a　necktie；　Mr。　Barry？〃　he　asked；　in　a　joke。



〃I　almost　feel　like　a　stranger；〃　said　Barry；　〃it's　so　long　since

I　have　been　here。〃



〃Do　you　feel　strong　enough　to　take　charge　now？〃　asked　Paul。



〃I　am　not　so　strong　as　I　was；　and　the　walk　from　our　rooms　would

tire　me；　but　I　think　if　I　rode　both　ways　for　the　present　I　shall

be　able　to　get　along。〃



〃Then　you　won't　need　me　any　longer？〃



〃I　would　like　to　have　you　stay　with　me　to…day。　　I　don't　know　how

I　shall　hold　out。〃



〃All　right！　　I'll　stop。〃



George　Barry　remained　in　attendance　the　rest　of　the　day。　　He

found　that　his　strength　had　so　far　returned　that　he　should　be

able　to　manage　alone　hereafter；　and　he　told　Paul　so。



〃I　am　glad　you　are　well　again；　George；〃　said　Paul。　　〃It　must　have

been　dull　work　staying　at　home　sick。〃



〃Yes；　it　was　dull；　but　I　felt　more　comfortable　from　knowing　that

you　were　taking　my　place。　　If　I　get　sick　again　I　will　send　for

you。〃



〃I　hope　you　won't　get　sick；　but　if　you　do；　I　will　do　what　I　can

to　help　you。〃



So　the　two　parted　on　the　best　of　terms。　　Each　had　been　of　service

to　the　other；　and　neither　had　cause　to　complain。



〃Well；〃　said　Paul　to　himself；　〃I　am　out　of　work　again。　　What

shall　I　go　at　next？〃



It　was　six　o'clock；　and　there　wa