Phil, the Fiddler Part 22

"Sometimes I make two dollars," answered Phil.

"That is excellent, especially when you are your own padrone. You will be able to save up money. You will have to buy a pocketbook, Phil."

"Where will you sleep, Phil?" asked Jimmy, interested.

Phil shrugged his shoulders. He had not thought of that question particularly.

"I don't know," he said. "I can sleep anywhere."

"Of course he will stop at the first-cla.s.s hotels, Jimmy," said Paul, "like all men of distinction. I shouldn't wonder if he married an heiress in six months, and went back to Italy on a bridal tour."

"He is too young to be married," said Jimmy, who, it will be perceived, understood everything literally.

"I don't know but he is," said Paul, "but he isn't too old to be hungry.

So, mother, whenever dinner is ready we shall be."

"It is all ready except peeling the potatoes, Paul."

"We can do that ourselves. It is good exercise, and will sharpen our appet.i.tes. You will have to eat fast or there won't be much left. Jimmy is the most tremendous eater I ever saw, and won't leave much for the rest of us, if we give him the chance."

"Now, Paul," expostulated Jimmy, feeling aggrieved at this charge, "you know I don't eat as much as you do."

"Hear him talk, Phil. I don't eat more than enough to keep a fly alive."

"It must be a pretty large fly, Paul," said Jimmy, slyly.

"Good joke, Jimmy. Mother, you must give Jimmy twelve potatoes to-day instead of the ten he usually eats."

"Oh, Paul, how can you tell such stories?" exclaimed Jimmy, shocked at such an extravagant a.s.sertion. Phil laughed, for there was something ludicrous in the idea of Jimmy, who was a slight boy of seven, making away with such a large quant.i.ty, and the little boy began to see that it was a joke at his expense.

The dinner went off well. All had a good appet.i.te, and did full justice to Mrs. Hoffman's cookery. The pudding in particular was p.r.o.nounced a success. It was so flaky and well-seasoned, and the sauce, flavored with lemon, was so good, that everyone except Mrs. Hoffman took a second piece. For the first time since he had left Italy, Phil felt the uncomfortable sensation of having eaten too much. However, with the discomfort was the pleasant recollection of a good dinner, and to the mind of the little fiddler the future brightened, as it is very apt to do under such circ.u.mstances, and he felt ready to go out and achieve his fortune.

"Why won't you stop with us to-night, Phil, and start on your journey to-morrow?" asked Mrs. Hoffman. "I am sure Jimmy would be glad of your company."

"Yes, Phil, stay," said Paul.

Phil hesitated. It was a tempting invitation, but, on the other hand, if he remained in the city till the next day he might be in danger from the padrone.

He expressed this fear.

"I am afraid the padrone would catch me," he said.

"No, he won't. You can go out with me and buy the fiddle now, and then come back and play to mother and Jimmy. To-morrow morning I will go with you to the Jersey City Ferry myself, and if we meet the padrone, I'll give him a hint to be off."

Phil still hesitated, but finally yielded to the united request. But it was now one o'clock, and Paul must be back to his business. Phil took his cap and went with him to purchase the fiddle, promising to come back directly.

They went into Chatham Street, and soon halted before a small shop, in front of which were three gilt b.a.l.l.s, indicating that it was a p.a.w.nbroker's shop.

Entering, they found themselves in a small apartment, about twelve feet front by twenty in depth, completely filled with p.a.w.nable articles in great variety a large part, however, consisting of clothing; for when the poor have occasion to raise money at a p.a.w.nbroker's, they generally find little in their possession to p.a.w.n except their clothing. Here was a shawls p.a.w.ned for a few s.h.i.+llings by a poor woman whose intemperate husband threw the burden of supporting two young children upon her.

Next to it was a black coat belonging to a clerk, who had been out of employment for three months, and now was out of money also. Here was a child's dress, p.a.w.ned by the mother in dire necessity to save the child from starving. There was a plain gold ring, s.n.a.t.c.hed by a drunken husband from the finger of his poor wife, not to buy food, but to gratify his insatiable craving for drink.

Over this scene of confusion presided a little old man with blear eyes and wrinkled face, but with a sharp glance, fully alive to his own interests. He was an Englishman born, but he had been forty years in America. He will be remembered by those who have read "Paul the Peddler." Though nearly as poverty-stricken in appearance as his poorest customers, the old man was rich, if reports were true. His business was a very profitable one, allowing the most exorbitant rates of interest, and, being a miser, he spent almost nothing on himself, so that his h.o.a.rds had increased to a considerable amount.

He looked up sharply, as Paul and Phil entered, and scanned them closely with his ferret-like eyes.

CHAPTER XVI

THE FAs.h.i.+ONABLE PARTY

Eliakim Henderson, for this was the p.a.w.nbroker's name, did not remember Paul, though on one occasion our hero had called upon him. Nearly all his customers came to p.a.w.n articles, not to purchase, and Eliakim naturally supposed that the two boys had come on this errand. Before entering, Paul said to Phil, "Don't say anything; leave me to manage."

As they entered, Phil espied a fiddle hanging up behind the counter, and he saw at a glance that it was better than the one he had been accustomed to play upon. But to his surprise, Paul did not refer to it at first.

"What will you give me on this coat?" asked Paul, indicating the one he had on.

He had no intention of selling it, but preferred to come to the fiddle gradually, that the p.a.w.nbroker might not think that was his main object, and so charge an extra price.

Eliakim scanned the garment critically. It was nearly new and in excellent condition, and he coveted it.

"I will give you a dollar," said he, naming a price low enough to advance upon.

"That is too little," said Paul, shaking his head.

"I might give you fifty cents more, but I should lose if you didn't redeem it."

"I don't think you would. I paid ten dollars for it."

"But it is old."

"No, it isn't; I have only had it a few weeks."

"How much do you want on it?" asked Eliakim, scanning Paul sharply, to see how much he seemed in want of money.

"I don't want any to-day. If I should want some next week, I will come in."

"It will be older next week," said Eliakim, not wanting to lose the bargain, for he hoped it would not be redeemed.

"Never mind; I can get along till then."

"Can I do no business with you this morning?" asked Eliakim, disappointed.

"I don't know," said Paul, looking carelessly around. "My friend here would like a fiddle, if he can get one cheap. What do you ask for that one up there?"

Eliakim took down the fiddle with alacrity. He had had it on hand for a year without securing a customer. It had originally been p.a.w.ned by a poor musician, for a dollar and a quarter, but the unfortunate owner had never been able to redeem it. Among his customers, the p.a.w.nbroker had not found one sufficiently musical to take it off his hands. Here was a slight chance, and he determined to effect a sale if he could.

"It is a splendid instrument," he said, enthusiastically, brus.h.i.+ng off the dust with a dirty cotton handkerchief. "I have had many chances to sell it."