Slow and Sure: The Story of Paul Hoffman the Young Street-MerchantAlger, Horatio, Jr.
General
Slow and Sure: The Story of Paul Hoffman the Young Street-Merchant
Alger, Horatio, Jr.
Boys -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; New York (N.Y.) -- Juvenile fiction
"Then he wasn't found out, I suppose," said Sam.
"He never did anything bad," retorted Jimmy indignantly.
"Thank you, Jimmy," said Paul, laughing. "I'll come to you when I want
a first-class recommendation. If I never did anything bad, I suppose
you won't call that horse bad that I drew the other day."
"It was a bad picture," said the little boy; "but people don't get
took up for making bad pictures."
"That's lucky," said Sam, "or I shouldn't stand much chance of keeping
out of the station-house. I move Jimmy gives us a specimen of his
skill. I've got a comic paper here somewhere. He can copy a picture
out of that."
"Where is it?" asked Jimmy eagerly.
The paper was found, and the little boy set to work with great
enthusiasm, and soon produced a copy of one of the pictures, which was
voted excellent. By that time he was ready to go to bed. Paul and he
had to take up with a bed on the floor, but this troubled them little.
They felt thankful, under the circumstances, to have so comfortable a
shelter. Indeed, Jimmy troubled himself very little about the future.
He had unbounded faith in Paul, to whom he looked up with as much
confidence as he would have done to a father.
Early the next morning Mr. Norton was obliged to enter upon his daily
duties. The poor must be stirring betimes, so they all took an early
breakfast.
"Mother," said Paul, "it won't be much use to look up new rooms before
the middle of the forenoon. I think I will open my stand as usual, and
return at ten, and then we can go out together."
"Very well, Paul. I will help Mrs. Norton, if she will let me, till
then."
"There is no need of that, Mrs. Hoffman."
"I would rather do it. I want to make some return for your kindness."
So the two women cleared away the breakfast dishes and washed them,
and then Mrs. Hoffman sewed for two hours upon a shirt which his
mother had commenced for Sam. Jimmy amused himself by copying another
picture from the comic paper before mentioned.
Meantime Paul got out his stock in trade, and began to be on the watch
for customers. He bought a copy of the _Herald_ of his friend Sam, and
began to pore over the advertisements headed "FURNISHED ROOMS AND
APARTMENTS TO LET."
"Let me see," soliloquized Paul; "here are four elegantly furnished
rooms on Fifth avenue, only fifty dollars a week, without board. Cheap
enough! But I'm afraid it would be rather too far away from my
business."
"I suppose that's the only objection," said Sam slyly.
"There might be one or two others, Sam. Suppose you pick out something
for me."
"What do you say to this, Paul?" said Sam, pointing out the following
advertisement:
"FURNISHED NEATLY FOR HOUSEKEEPING. Front parlor, including piano,
with front and back bedrooms on second floor; front basement; gas,
bath, hot and cold water, stationary tubs; rent reasonable. West
Twenty-seventh street."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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