paul the peddler-第1章

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PAUL　THE　PEDDLER



　OR　THE　FORTUNES　OF　A　YOUNG　STREET　MERCHANT







BY　HORATIO　ALGER；　JR。









BIOGRAPHY　AND　BIBLIOGRAPHY



Horatio　Alger；　Jr。；　an　author　who　lived　among　and　for　boys　and

himself　remained　a　boy　in　heart　and　association　till　death；　was

born　at　Revere；　Mass。；　January　13；　1834。　He　was　the　son　of　a

clergyman；　was　graduated　at　Harvard　College　in　1852；　and　at　its

Divinity　School　in　1860　and　was　pastor　of　the　Unitarian　Church　at

Brewster；　Mass。；　in　1862…66。



In　the　latter　year　he　settled　in　New　York　and　began　drawing

public　attention　to　the　condition　and　needs　of　street　boys。　He

mingled　with　them；　gained　their　confidence　showed　a　personal

concern　in　their　affairs；　and　stimulated　them　to　honest　and

useful　living。　With　his　first　story　he　won　the　hearts　of　all

red…blooded　boys　everywhere；　and　of　the　seventy　or　more　that

followed　over　a　million　copies　were　sold　during　the　author's

lifetime。



In　his　later　life　he　was　in　appearance　a　short；　stout；

bald…headed　man；　with　cordial　manners　and　whimsical　views　of

things　that　amused　all　who　met　him。　He　died　at　Natick；　Mass。；

July　18；　1899。



Mr。　Alger's　stories　are　as　popular　now　as　when　first　published；

because　they　treat　of　real　live　boys　who　were　always　up　and

about…just　like　the　boys　found　everywhere　to…day。　They　are　pure

in　tone　and　inspiring　in　influence；　and　many　reforms　in　the

juvenile　life　of　New　York　may　be　traced　to　them。　Among　the　best

known　are：



Strong　and　Steady；　Strive　and　Succeed；　Try　and　Trust；　Bound　to

Rise；　Risen　from　the　Ranks；　Herbert　Carter's　Legacy；　Brave　and

Bold；　Jack's　Ward；　Shifting　for　Himself；　Wait　and　Hope；　Paul　the

Peddler；　Phil　the　Fiddler；　Slow　and　Sure；　Julius　the　Street　Boy；

Tom　the　Bootblack；　Struggling　Upward；　Facing　the　World；　The　Cash

Boy；　Making　His　Way；　Tony　the　Tramp；　Joe's　Luck；　Do　and　Dare；

Only　an　Irish　Boy；　Sink　or　Swim；　A　Cousin's　Conspiracy；　Andy

Gordon；　Bob　Burton；　Harry　Vane；　Hector's　Inheritance；　Mark

Mason's　Triumph；　Sam's　Chance；　The　Telegraph　Boy；　The　Young

Adventurer；　The　Young　Outlaw；　The　Young　Salesman；　and　Luke　Walton。











PAUL　THE　PEDDLER



CHAPTER　I



PAUL　THE　PEDDLER



〃Here's　your　prize　packages！　　Only　five　cents！　　Money　prize　in

every　package！　　Walk　up；　gentlemen；　and　try　your　luck！〃



The　speaker；　a　boy　of　fourteen；　stood　in　front　of　the　shabby

brick　building；　on　Nassau　street；　which　has　served　for　many　years

as　the　New　York　post　office。　　In　front　of　him；　as　he　stood　with

his　back　to　the　building；　was　a　small　basket；　filled　with

ordinary　letter　envelopes；　each　labeled　〃Prize　Package。〃



His　attractive　announcement；　which；　at　that　time；　had　also　the

merit　of　noveltyfor　Paul　had　himself　hit　upon　the　idea；　and

manufactured　the　packages；　as　we　shall　hereafter　explaindrew

around　him　a　miscellaneous　crowd；　composed　chiefly　of　boys。



〃What's　in　the　packages；　Johnny？〃　asked　a　bootblack；　with　his

box　strapped　to　his　back。



〃Candy；〃　answered　Paul。　　〃Buy　one。　　Only　five　cents。〃



〃There　ain't　much　candy；〃　answered　the　bootblack；　with　a

disparaging　glance。



〃What　if　there　isn't？　　There's　a　prize。〃



〃How　big　a　prize？〃



〃There's　a　ten…cent　stamp　in　some　of　'em。　　All　have　got　something

in　'em。〃



Influenced　by　this　representation；　the　bootblack　drew　out　a

five…cent　piece；　and　said：



〃Pitch　one　over　then。　　I　guess　I　can　stand　it。〃　　An　envelope　was

at　once　handed　him。



〃Open　it；　Johnny；〃　said　a　newsboy　at　his　side。　　Twenty　curious

eyes　were　fixed　upon　him　as　he　opened　the　package。　　He　drew　out

rather　a　scanty　supply　of　candy；　and　then　turning　to　Paul；　with　a

look　of　indignation；　said：



〃Where's　the　prize？　　I　don't　see　no　prize。　　Give　me　back　my　five

cents。〃



〃Give　it　to　me。　　I'll　show　you；〃　said　the　young　merchant。



He　thrust　in　his　finger；　and　drew　out　a　square　bit　of　paper；　on

which　was　written…　One　Cent。



〃There's　your　prize；〃　he　added；　drawing　a　penny　from　his　pocket。



〃It　ain't　much　of　a　prize；〃　said　the　buyer。　　〃Where's　your　ten

cents？〃



〃I　didn't　say　I　put　ten　cents　into　every　package；〃　answered　Paul。



〃I'd　burst　up　pretty　quick　if　I　did　that。　　Who'll　have　another

package？　　Only　five　cents！〃



Curiosity　and　taste　for　speculation　are　as　prevalent　among

children　as　with　men；　so　this　appeal　produced　its　effect。



〃Give　me　a　package；〃　said　Teddy　O'Brien；　a　newsboy；　stretching

out　a　dirty　hand；　containing　the　stipulated　sum。　　He　also　was

watched　curiously　as　he　opened　the　package。　　He　drew　out　a　paper

bearing　the　words…　Two　Cents。



〃Bully　for　you；　Teddy！　　You've　had　better　luck　than　I；〃　said　the

bootblack。



The　check　was　duly　honored；　and　Teddy　seemed　satisfied；　though

the　amount　of　candy　he　received　probably　could　not　have　cost　over

half…a…cent。　　Still；　he　had　drawn　twice　as　large　a　prize　as　the

first　buyer；　and　that　was　satisfactory。



〃Who'll　take　the　next？〃　asked　Paul；　in　a　businesslike　manner。　

〃Maybe　there's　ten　cents　in　this　package。　　That's　where　you

double　your　money。　　Walk　up；　gentlemen。　　Only　five　cents！〃



Three　more　responded　to　this　invitation；　one　drawing　a　prize　of

two　cents；　the　other　two　of　one　cent　each。　　Just　then；　as　it

seemed　doubtful　whether　any　more　would　be　purchased　by　those

present；　a　young　man；　employed　in　a　Wall　street　house；　came　out

of　the　post　office。



〃What　have　you　got　here？〃　　he　asked；　pausing。



〃Prize　packages　of　candy！　　Money　prize　in　every　package！　　Only

five　cents！〃



〃Give　me　one；　then。　　I　never　drew　a　prize　in　my　life。〃



The　exchange　was　speedily　made。



〃I　don't　see　any　prize；〃　he　said；　opening　it。



〃It's　on　a　bit　of　paper；　mister；〃　said　Teddy；　nearly　as　much

interested　as　if　it　had　been　his　own　purchase。



〃Oh；　yes；　I　see。　　Well；　I'm　in　luck。　　Ten　cents！〃



〃Ten　cents！〃　　exclaimed　several　of　the　less　fortunate　buyers；

with　a　shade　of　envy。



〃Here's　your　prize；　mister；〃　said　Paul；　drawing　out　a　ten…cent

stamp　from　his　vest　pocket。



〃Well；　Johnny；　you　do　things　on　the　square；　that's　a　fact。　　Just

keep　the　ten　cents；　and　give　me　two　more　packages。〃



This　Paul　did　with　alacrity；　but　the　Wall　street　clerk's　luck　was

at　an　end。　　He　got　two　prizes　of　a　penny　each。



〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　not　much　out　of　pocket。　　I've　bought　three

packages；　and　it's　only　cost　me　three　cents。〃



The　ten…cent　prize　produced　a　favorable　effect　on　the　business　of

the　young　peddler。　　Five　more　packages　were　bought；　and　the

contents　eagerly　inspected；　but　no　other　large　prize　appeared。　

Two　cents　was　the　maximum　prize　drawn。　　Their　curiosity　being

satisfied；　the　crowd　dispersed；　but　it　was　not　long　before

another　gathered。　　In　fact；　Paul　had　shown　excellent　judgment　in

selecting　the　front　of　the　post　office　as　his　place　of　business。　

Hundreds　passed　in　and　out　every　hour；　besides　those　who　passed

by　on　a　different　destination。　　Thus　many　ears　caught　the　young

peddler's　cry〃Prize　packages！　　Only　five　cents　apiece！〃and

made　a　purchase；　most　from　curiosity；　but　some　few　attracted　by

the　businesslike　bearing　of　the　young　merchant；　and　willing　to

encourage　him　in　his　efforts　to　make　a　living。　　These　last；　as

well　as　some　of　the　former　class；　declined　to　accept　the　prizes；

so　that　these　were　so　much　gain　to　Paul。



At　length　but　one　package　remained；　and　this　Paul　was　some　time

getting　rid　of。　　At　last　a　gentleman　came　up；　holding　a　little

boy　of　seven　by　the　hand。



〃Oh；　buy　me　the　package；　papa？〃　he　said；　drawing　his　father's

attention。



〃What　is　there　in　it；　boy？〃　asked　the　gentleman。



〃Candy；〃　was　the　answer。



Alfred；　for　this　was　the　little　boy's　name；　renewed　his

entreaties；　having；　like　most　boys；　a　taste　for　candy。



〃There　it　is；　Alfred；〃　said　his　father；　handing　the　package　to

his　little　son。



〃There's　a　prize　inside；〃　said　Paul；　seeing　that　they　were　about

to　pass。



〃We　must　look　for　the　prize　by　all　me