Paul the Peddler Part 14

"Ten s.h.i.+llings! Why, that's a dollar and a quarter."

"Of course it is. I told him I thought you would accommodate him."

"You are sure I can get the work to do?"

"Certainly. I am to go up to his house this evening and get the pattern and an order for the materials."

"It seems too good to be true," said his mother. "Why, I can earn at least a dollar a day."

"Then you will be doing as well as I am."

"Tell me how you heard of it, Paul," said Mrs. Hoffman.

Paul told the story of the manner in which he formed Mr. Preston's acquaintance.

"It's lucky you ran into him, Paul," said Jimmy.

"He didn't think so at the time," said Paul, laughing. "He said I nearly knocked the breath out of him."

"You won't go out this afternoon, mother, will you?" asked Jimmy.

"No, it will not be necessary now; I didn't think this morning that such a piece of good luck was in store for, me."

CHAPTER X

ANOTHER LOSS

After supper Paul brushed his clothes carefully and prepared to go to the address given him by Mr. Preston. He decided to walk one way, not wis.h.i.+ng to incur the expenses of two railroad fares.

The distance was considerable, and it was nearly eight o'clock when he arrived at his destination.

Paul found himself standing before a handsome house of brown stone.

He ascended the steps, and inquired, on the door being opened, if Mr.

Preston was at home.

"I'll see," said the servant.

She returned in a short time, and said: "He says you may come upstairs."

Paul followed the servant, who pointed out a door at the head of the first staircase.

Paul knocked, and, hearing "Come in" from within, he opened the door and entered.

He found himself in a s.p.a.cious chamber, handsomely furnished. Mr.

Preston, in dressing-gown and slippers, sat before a cheerful, open fire.

"Come and sit down by the fire," he said, sociably.

"Thank you, sir, I am warm with walking," and Paul took a seat near the door.

"I am one of the cold kind," said Mr. Preston, "and have a fire earlier than most people. You come about the s.h.i.+rts, I suppose?"

"Yes, sir."

"Will your mother undertake them?"

"With pleasure, sir. She can no longer get work from the shop."

"Business dull, I suppose?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then I am glad I thought of giving her the commission. How's business with you to-day, eh?"

"Pretty good, sir."

"How many neckties did you sell?"

"Nineteen, sir."

"And how much do you get for that?"

"Nine s.h.i.+llings and a half--a dollar and eighteen cents."

"That's pretty good for a boy like you. When I was of your age I was working on a farm for my board and clothes."

"Were you, sir?" asked Paul, interested.

"Yes, I was bound out till I was twenty-one. At the end of that time I was to receive a hundred dollars and a freedom suit to begin the world with. That wasn't a very large capital, eh?"

"No, sir."

"But the death of my employer put an end to my apprentices.h.i.+p at the age of eighteen. I hadn't a penny of money and was thrown upon my own resources. However, I had a pair of good strong arms, and a good stock of courage. I knew considerable about farming, but I didn't like it. I thought I should like trade better. So I went to the village merchant, who kept a small dry-goods store, and arranged with him to supply me with a small stock of goods, which I undertook to sell on commission for him. His business was limited, and having confidence in my honesty, he was quite willing to intrust me with what I wanted. So I set out with my pack on my back and made a tour of the neighboring villages."

Paul listened with eager interest. He had his own way to make, and it was very encouraging to find that Mr. Preston, who was evidently rich and prosperous, was no better off at eighteen than he was now.

"You will want to know how I succeeded. Well, at first only moderately; but I think I had some tact in adapting myself to the different cla.s.ses of persons with whom I came in contact; at any rate, I was always polite, and that helped me. So my sales increased, and I did a good thing for my employer as well as myself. He would have been glad to employ me for a series of years, but I happened to meet a traveling salesman of a New York wholesale house, who offered to obtain me a position similar to his own. As this would give me a larger field and larger profits, I accepted gladly, and so changed the nature of my employment. I became very successful. My salary was raised from time to time, till it reached five thousand dollars. I lived frugally and saved money, and at length bought an interest in the house by which I had been so long employed. I am now senior partner, and, as you may suppose, very comfortably provided for.

"Do you know why I have told you this?" asked Mr. Preston, noticing the eagerness with which Paul had listened.

"I don't know, sir; but I have been very much interested."

"It is because I like to give encouragement to boys and young men who are now situated as I used to be. I think you are a smart boy."

"Thank you, sir."

"And, though you are poor, you can lift yourself to prosperity, if you are willing to work hard enough and long enough."