paul the peddler-第26部分

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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；〃　said　Jimmy；　seriously。



Thus　far　we　have　accompanied　Paul　Hoffman　in　his　career。　　He　is

considerably　better　off　than　when　we　met　him　peddling　prize

packages　in　front　of　the　post　office。　　But　we　have　reason　to

believe　that　greater　success　awaits　him。　　He　will　figure　in　the

next　two　volumes　of　this　series；　more　particularly　in　the　second；

to　be　called　〃Slow　and　Sure；　or；　From　the　Sidewalk　to　the　Shop。〃　

Before　this　appears；　however；　I　propose　to　describe　the

adventures　of　a　friend　and　protegee　of　Paul'sunder　the　title　of

PHIL　THE　FIDDLER；　OR；　THE　YOUNG　STREET　MUSICIAN。











End