Paul the Peddler; Or, The Fortunes of a Young Street Merchant

His face was serious, but there was a merry twinkle of fun in his eyes.

“Of course, I know you draw better,” said Jimmy, seriously.

“What shall I draw?” asked Paul.

“Try this horse, Paul.”

“All right!” said Paul. “But you must go away; I don’t want you to see it till it is done.”

Jimmy left the table, and Paul commenced his attempt. Now, though Paul is the hero of my story, I am bound to confess that he had not the slightest talent for drawing, though Jimmy did not know it. It was only to afford his little brother amusement that he now undertook the task.

Paul worked away for about five minutes.

“It’s done,” he said.

“So quick?” exclaimed Jimmy, in surprise. “How fast you work!”

He drew near and inspected Paul’s drawing. He had no sooner inspected it than he burst into a fit of laughter. Paul’s drawing was a very rough one, and such a horse as he had drawn will never probably be seen until the race has greatly degenerated.

“What’s the matter, Jimmy?” asked Paul. “Don’t you like it?”

“It’s awful, Paul,” said the little boy, almost choking with mirth.

“I see how it is,” said Paul, with feigned resentment. “You’re jealous of me because you can’t draw as well.”

“Oh, Paul, you’ll kill me!” and Jimmy again burst into a fit of merriment. “Can’t you really draw any better?”

“No, Jimmy,” said Paul, joining in the laugh. “I can’t draw any better than an old cow. You’ve got all the talent in the family in that line.”

“But you’re smart in other ways, Paul,” said Jimmy, who had a great admiration of Paul, notwithstanding the discovery of his artistic inferiority.

“I’m glad there’s one that thinks so, Jimmy,” said Paul. “I’ll refer to you when I want a recommendation.”

Jimmy resumed his drawing, and was proud of the praises which Paul freely bestowed upon him.

“I’ll get you a harder drawing book when you’ve got through with these,” said Paul; “that is, if I don’t get reduced to poverty by having my stock in trade stolen again.”

After a while came dinner. This meal in Mrs. Hoffman’s household usually came at twelve o’clock. It was a plain, frugal meal always, but on Sunday they usually managed to have something a little better, as they had been accustomed to do when Mr. Hoffman was alive.

Paul was soon through.

He took his hat from the bureau, and prepared to go out.

“I’m going out to try my luck, mother,” he said. “I’ll see if I can’t get into something I like a little better than the prize-package business.”

“I hope you’ll succeed, Paul.”

“Better than I did in drawing horses, eh, Jimmy?”

“Yes, I hope so, Paul,” said the little boy.

“Don’t you show that horse to visitors and pretend it’s yours, Jimmy.”

“No danger, Paul.”

Paul went downstairs and into the street. He had no definite plan in his head, but was ready for anything that might turn up. He did not feel anxious, for he knew there were plenty of ways in which he could earn something. He had never tried blacking boots, but still he could do it in case of emergency. He had sold papers, and succeeded fairly in that line, and knew he could again. He had pitted himself against other boys, and the result had been to give him a certain confidence in his own powers and business abilities. When he had first gone into the street to try his chances there, it had been with a degree of diffidence. But knocking about the streets soon gives a boy confidence, sometimes too much of it; and Paul had learned to rely upon himself; but the influence of a good, though humble home, and a judicious mother, had kept him aloof from the bad habits into which many street boys are led.

So Paul, though his stock in trade had been stolen, and he was obliged to seek a new kind of business, was by no means disheartened. He walked a little way downtown, and then, crossing the City Hall Park, found himself on Broadway.

A little below the Astor House he came to the stand of a sidewalk-merchant, who dealt in neckties. Upon an upright framework hung a great variety of ties of different colors, most of which were sold at the uniform price of twenty-five cents each.

Paul was acquainted with the proprietor of the stand, and, having nothing else to do, determined to stop and speak to him.

CHAPTER VII

A NEW BUSINESS

The proprietor of the necktie stand was a slender, dark-complexioned young man of about twenty-five, or thereabouts.

His name was George Barry. Paul had known him for over a year, and whenever he passed his stand was accustomed to stop and speak with him.

“Well, George, how’s business?” asked Paul.

“Fair,” said Barry. “That isn’t what’s the matter.”

“What is it, then?”

“I’m sick. I ought not to be out here to-day.”

“What’s the matter with you?”

“I’ve caught a bad cold, and feel hot and feverish. I ought to be at home and abed.”

“Why don’t you go?”

“I can’t leave my business.”

“It’s better to do that than to get a bad sickness.”

“I suppose it is. I am afraid I am going to have a fever. One minute I’m hot, another I’m cold. But I can’t afford to close up my business.”

“Why don’t you get somebody to take your place?”

“I don’t know anybody I could get that I could trust. They’d sell my goods, and make off with the money.”

“Can you trust me?” asked Paul, who saw a chance to benefit himself as well as his friend.

“Yes, Paul, I could trust you, but I’m afraid I couldn’t pay you enough to make it worth while for you to stand here.”