From Farm to Fortune Part 14

"Go on, and find out for yourself. A good job isn't open more than an hour in this city."

"Then, I'd better hurry along."

Nat had written down about a dozen addresses on a slip of paper, and the newsboy showed him how he could get around from one place to the next with the least walking. Nat started off at a swift gait. d.i.c.k watched him out of sight with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"That boy means well," he murmured. "But he has got a whole lot to learn!"

The distance to the first place on Nat's list was almost half a mile. It was a s.h.i.+rt factory, where an a.s.sistant packer was desired, at eight dollars per week. Arriving there, Nat found about twenty young men and boys a.s.sembled, waiting to get into the office.

"d.i.c.k was right, a place here doesn't go begging long," thought the boy from the country.

It was some time before Nat could get into the office. He faced a tall, sharp-eyed man, who was in his s.h.i.+rt sleeves.

"Want the job, eh?" said the man. "Had any experience as a packer?"

"No, sir, but----"

"Can't use you. Next!"

Nat stared at the man in bewilderment.

"Won't you please try----"

"No." The man shook his head vigorously. "Next!" And our hero was elbowed toward the door by some others who wanted the position. In a moment more he found himself on the street again.

"Well, of all the mean men!" he began, and stopped short. "All right, he can keep his job. I'll try the next place."

The next was in a hat store, and the place was filled. Then came a clothing establishment, a hardware store, and a wholesale rubber factory. At none of these places was he wanted. By this time it was nearly noon, and he was getting just a little discouraged.

"It's going to be up-hill work, that's certain!" he told himself with a sigh.

The next place he visited was a seed store. Here a very elderly man came forward to greet him.

"So you want a place?" said he slowly. "Have you had any experience as an errand boy?"

"No, sir, but I am willing to learn."

"So they all say, but many boys don't seem to learn very fast. You look like a country lad." And the elderly man peered at Nat closely through his spectacles.

"I am a country boy. But if you'll give me a chance, I'll do my best."

"We can't pay you very much at the start."

"How much?"

"Two dollars and a half a week."

"I can't live on that. I've got to pay my board."

The elderly man shrugged his shoulders.

"Guess you had better look elsewhere then."

"Couldn't you pay me a little more? I am willing to work hard."

"Well, we might give you three dollars a week after the first month, but that is our limit for an errand boy."

"I can't take it," answered Nat. "I've got to earn more," and after a little additional talking he left the seed store.

He had a lunch in a bit of newspaper, and as it was nearly one o'clock, he sat down on a box on the sidewalk and ate it, was.h.i.+ng it down with a drink of water from a cooler in a railroad ticket office. Then he went on his way once more, but at sundown had to give it up. He was so tired, and his feet were so sore from the pavements, that he could scarcely walk to his boarding house.

"I trust you found something," said Mrs. Talcott, as he entered.

"No," he answered, soberly. "I could have had one position, but it only paid two dollars and a half a week, so I didn't take it."

"I am sorry."

"I shall go out to-morrow again. I am bound to strike something sooner or later."

Being tremendously hungry Nat ate the supper provided with a relish.

There were two other boarders--girls who worked in a large department store--and they were quite interested in him.

"You might get work at our place," said one of the girls. "They advertised to-day for wrappers."

"Yes, but they want experienced wrappers," said the other girl.

"I'll try them, anyway," said Nat. "And I am much obliged to you for telling me about it," he added.

On the following morning he was up as before and got the list from the papers again. Fortune was now with him, and at noon he found a position in a wholesale paper house. One of the clerks was going to visit some relatives down south, and Nat was hired to fill his place, at seven dollars per week.

"You've struck luck!" cried d.i.c.k Talcott, on hearing the news. "I hope the job lasts."

"So do I," answered Nat. "But even if it doesn't, it is better than nothing."

Nat went to work the next day. He found his duties rather simple and wondered how the firm could afford to pay him seven dollars for the little he was called on to do. Everybody treated him nicely, and he considered himself lucky to have made the connection with the firm.

CHAPTER X

OUT OF WORK ONCE MORE

During the time that he worked in the wholesale paper establishment Nat wrote a long letter to Sam Price, telling his friend of his adventures since leaving home, and asking for news from the farm. A few days later an answer came back, which ran as follows:

"I got your letter and found it very interesting. I hope you make your fortune in the city. It's certainly a fine place to go to, and maybe I'll try it myself some day. Country life is awful slow, and work is mighty hard. I have been hoeing corn to-day till my back aches ready to fall apart.