paul the peddler-第7部分

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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。〃



〃I　haven't　got　anything　to　do　just　now；〃　said　Paul。　　〃I　was　in

the　prize…package　business；　but　two　fellows　stole　my　stock　in

trade；　and　I'm　not　going　into　it　again。　　It's　about　played　out。　

I'm　your　man。　　Just　make　me　an　offer。〃



〃I　should　like　to　have　you　take　my　place　for　a　day　or　two；　for　I

know　you　wouldn't　cheat　me。〃



〃You　may　be　sure　of　that。〃



〃I　am　sure。　　I　know　you　are　an　honest　boy；　Paul。　　But　I　don't

know　what　to　offer　you。〃



〃How　many　neckties　do　you　sell　a　day？〃　asked　Paul；　in　a

businesslike　tone。



〃About　a　dozen　on　an　average。〃



〃And　how　much　profit　do　you　make？〃



〃It's　half　profit。〃



Paul　made　a　short　calculation。　　Twelve　neckties　at　twenty…five

cents　each　would　bring　three　dollars。　　Half　of　this　was　a　dollar

and　a　half。



〃I'll　take　your　place　for　half　profits；〃　he　said。



〃That's　fair；〃　said　George　Barry。　　〃I'll　accept　your　offer。　　Can

you　begin　now？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Then　I'll　go　home　and　go　to　bed。　　It's　the　best　place　for　me。〃



〃You'd　better。　　I'll　come　round　after　closing　up；　and　hand　over

the　money。〃



〃All　right！　　You　know　where　I　live？〃



〃I'm　not　sure。〃



〃No。　　Bleecker　street。〃



〃I'll　come　up　this　evening。〃



George　Barry　walked　away；　leaving　Paul　in　charge　of　his　business。



He　did　so　with　perfect　confidence。　　Not　every　boy　in　Paul's

circumstances　can　be　trusted；　but　he　felt　sure　that　Paul　would　do

the　right　thing　by　him。



I　may　as　well　say；　in　this　connection；　that　George　Barry　had　a

mother　living。　　They　occupied　two　rooms　in　a　lodging…house　in

Bleecker　street；　and　lived　very　comfortably。　　Mrs。　Barry　had　an

allowance　of　two　hundred　dollars　a　year　from　a　relation。　　This；

with　what　she　earned　by　sewing；　and　her　son　by　his　stand；

supported　them　very　comfortably；　especially　as　they　provided　and

cooked　their　own　food；　which　was；　of　course；　much　cheaper　than

boarding。　　Still；　the　loss　of　the　young　man's　earnings；　even　for

a　short　time；　would　have　been　felt；　though　they　had　a　reserve　of

a　hundred　dollars　in　a　savings　bank；　from　which　they　might　draw

if　necessary。　　But　George　did　not　like　to　do　this。　　The

arrangement　which　he　made　with　Paul　was　a　satisfactory　one；　for

with　half　his　usual　earnings　they　would　still　be　able　to　keep　out

of　debt；　and　not　be　compelled　to　draw　upon　the　fund　in　the　bank。　

Of　course；　something　depended　on　Paul's　success　as　a　salesman；

but　he　would　not　be　likely　to　fall　much　below　the　average　amount

of　sales。　　So；　on　the　whole；　George　Barry　went　home　considerably

relieved　in　mind；　though　his　head　was　throbbing；　and　he　felt

decidedly　sick。



Arrived　at　home；　his　mother；　who　understood　sickness；　at　once

took　measures　to　relieve　him。



〃Don't　mind　the　loss　of　a　few　days；　George；〃　she　said；

cheerfully；　〃we　shall　be　able　to　get　along　very　well。〃



〃It'll　only　be　part　loss；　mother；〃　he　said。　　〃I've　got　Paul

Hoffman　to　take　my　place　for　half　the　profits。〃



〃Paul　Hoffman！　　Do　I　know　him？〃



〃I　don't　think　he　has　ever　been　here　but　I　have　known　him　for　a

year。〃



〃Can　you　trust　him？〃



〃Yes；　I'm　not　at　all　afraid。　　He　is　a　smart　boy；　and　as　honest　as

he　is　smart。　　I　think　he　will　sell　nearly　as　much　as　I　would。〃



〃That　is　an　excellent　arrangement。　　You　needn't　feel　uneasy；

then。〃



〃No；　the　business　will　go　on　right。〃



〃I　should　like　to　see　your　salesman。〃



〃You'll　see　him　to…night；　mother。　　He's　coming　round　this　evening

to　let　me　know　how　he's　got　along；　and　hand　over　the　money　he's

taken。〃



〃You'd　better　be　quiet　now；　George；　and　go　to　sleep；　if　you　can。　

I'll　make　you　some　warm　tea。　　I　think　it'll　do　you　good。〃



Meanwhile　Paul　assumed　charge　of　George　Barry's　business。　　He　was

sorry　his　friend　was　sick；　but　he　congratulated　himself　on

getting　into　business　so　soon。



〃It's　more　respectable　than　selling　prize　packages；〃　thought

Paul。　　〃I　wish　I　had　a　stand　of　my　own。〃



He　was　still　a　street　merchant；　but　among　street　merchants　there

are　grades　as　well　as　among　merchants　whose　claim　to　higher

respectability　rests　upon　having　rent　to　pay。　　Paul　felt　that　it

was　almost　like　having　a　shop　of　his　own。　　He　had　always　looked

up　to　George　Barry　as　standing　higher　than　himself　in　a　business

way；　and　he　felt　that　even　if　his　earnings　should　not　be　as

great；　that　it　was　a　step　upward　to　have　sole　charge　of　his

stand；　if　only　for　a　day　or　two。



Paul's　ambition　was　aroused。　　It　was　for　his　interest　to　make　as

large　sales　as　possible。　　Besides；　he　thought　he　would　like　to

prove　to　George　Barry　that　he　had　made　a　good　selection　in

appointing　him　his　substitute。



Now；　if　the　truth　must　be　told；　George　Barry　himself　was　not

possessed　of　superior　business　ability。　　He　was　lacking　in　energy

and　push。　　He　could　sell　neckties　to　those　who　asked　for　them；

but　had　no　particular　talent　for　attracting　trade。　　He　would　have

been　a　fair　clerk；　but　was　never　likely　to　rise　above　a　very

moderate　success。　　Paul　was　quite　different。　　He　was　quick；

enterprising；　and　smart。　　He　was　a　boy　likely　to　push　his　way　to

success　unless　circumstances　were　very　much　against　him。



〃I'd　like　to　sell　more　than　George　Barry；〃　he　said　to　himself。　

〃I　don't　know　if　I　can；　but　I'm　going　to　try。〃



The　day　was　half　over；　and　probably　the　most　profitable；　so　far

as　business　was　concerned。　　Paul　had　only　four　or　five　hours

left。



〃Let　me　see；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃I　ought　to　sell　six　neckties

to　come　up　to　the　average　of　half　a　day's　sale。　　I　wonder　whether

I　can　do　it。〃



As　his　soliloquy　ended；　his　quick　eye　detected　a　young　man

glancing　at　his　stock；　and　he　observed　that　he　paused

irresolutely；　as　if　half　inclined　to　purchase。〃



〃Can't　I　sell　you　a　necktie　to…day？〃　asked　Paul；　promptly。



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　other。　　〃What　do　you　charge？〃



〃You　can　have　your　choice　for　twenty…five　cents。　　That　is　cheap；

isn't　it？〃



〃Yes；　that's　cheap。　　Let　me　look　at　them。〃



〃Here's　one　that　will　suit　your　complexion；〃　said　Paul。



〃Yes；　that's　a　pretty　one。　　I　think　I'll　take　it。〃



〃You　have　to　pay　twice　as　much　in　the　shops；〃　continued　Paul；　as

he　rolled　it　up。　　〃You　see；　we　have　no　rent　to　pay；　and　so　we　can

sell　cheap。　　You'll　save　money　by　always　buying　your　neckties

here。〃



〃The　only　objection　to　that　is　that　I　don't　live　in　the　city。　　I

am　here　only　for　a　day。　　I　live　about　fifty　miles　in　the

country。〃



〃Then　I'll　tell　you　what　you'd　better　do；〃　said　Paul。　　〃Lay　in

half　a　dozen；　while　you　are　about　it。　　It'll　only　be　a　dollar　and

a　half；　and　you'll　save　as　much　as　that　by　doing　it。〃



〃I　don't　know　but　you　are　right；〃　said　his　customer；　whom　the

suggestion　impressed　favorably。　　〃As　you　say；　it's　only　a　dollar

and　a　half；　and　it'll　give　me　a　good　stock。〃



〃Let　me　pick　them　out　for　you；〃　said　Paul；　briskly；　〃unless

there's　something　you　see　yourself。〃



〃I　like　that　one。〃



〃All　right。　　What　shall　be　the　next？〃



Finally；　the　young　man　selected　the　entire　half…dozen；　and

deposited　a　dollar　and　a　half　in　Paul's　hands。



〃Come　and　see　me　again；〃　said　Paul；　〃and　if　you　have　any　friends

coming　to　the　city；　send　them　to　me。〃



〃I　will；〃　said　the　other。



〃Tell　them　it's　the　first　stand　south　of　the　Astor　House。　　Then

they　won't　miss　it。〃



〃That's　a　good　beginning；〃　said　Paul　to　himself；　with

satisfaction。　　〃Half　a　day's　average　sales　already；　and　I've　only

been　here　fifteen　minutes。　　Let　me　see；　what　will　my　profits　be

on　that？　　Three　shillings；　I　declare。　　That　isn't　bad；　now！〃



Paul　had　reason　to　be　satisfied　with　himself。　　If　he　had　not

spoken；　the　young　man　would　very　probably　have　gone　on　without

purchasing　at　all；　or；　at　any　rate；　remained　content　with　a

single　necktie。　　Paul's　manner　and　timely　word　had　increased　his

purchase　sixfold。　　That　is　generally　the　difference　between　a

poor　salesman　and　one　of　the　first　class。　　Anybody　can　sell　to

those　who　are　anxious　to　buy；　but　it　takes　a　smart　man　to

persuade　a　customer　that　he　wants　what　otherwise　he　would　go

without。　　The　difference　in　success　is　generally　appreciated　by

dealers；　and　a　superior　salesman　is　generally　paid　a　handsome

salary。



〃I　don't　believe　George　Barry　would　have　sold　that　man　so　many

ties；〃　thought　Paul。　　〃I　hope　I　shall　have　as　good　luck　next

time。〃



But　this；　of　course；　was　not　to　be　expected。　　It　is　not　every

customer　who　can　be　persuaded　to　buy　half…a…dozen　ties；　even　by

the　most　eloquent　salesman。　　However；　in　the　course　of　an　hour

more；　Paul　had　sold　three　more　to　single　customers。　　Then　came　a

man　who　bought　two。　　Then　there　was　a　lull；　and　for　an　hour　Paul

sold　none　at　all。　　But　business　improved　a　little　toward　the

close　of　the　afternoon；　and　when　it　was　time　to　close　up；　our

young　merchant　found　that　he　had　disposed　of　fifteen。



〃My　share　of　the　profits　will　be　ninety…three　cents；〃　thought

Paul；　with　satisfaction。　　〃That　isn't　bad　for　an　afternoon's

work。〃







CHAPTER　VIII



A　STROKE　OF　ILL　LUCK



Paul　transferred　his　frame　of　goods　to　a　neighboring　office　at

the　end　of　the　afternoon；　the　arrangement　having　been　made　by

George　Barry；　on　first　entering　into　business　as　a　street

merchant。　　This　saved　a　good　dea