CHAPTER V. CHESTER'S FIRST SUCCESS.

 Chester and his mother and a few friends attended the funeral of Walter Bruce. Silas Tripp was too busy at the store to pay this parting compliment to his nephew. He expressed himself plainly about the folly¹ of the Rands in "runnin' into debt for a shif'less fellow" who had no claim upon them. "If they expect me to pay the funeral expenses they're mistaken," he added, positively². "I ain't no call to do it, and I won't do it."

 

But he was not asked to defray the expenses of the simple funeral. It was paid for out of the minister's charitable fund.

 

"Some time I will pay you back the money, Mr. Morris," said Chester. "I am Mr. Bruce's heir, and it is right that I should pay."

 

"Very well, Chester. If your bequest³ amounts to anything I will not object. I hope for your sake that the lots may become valuable."

 

"I don't expect it, Mr. Morris. Will you be kind enough to take care of the papers for me?"

 

"Certainly, Chester. I will keep them with my own papers."

 

At this time Tacoma contained only four hundred inhabitants. The Northern Pacific Railroad had not been completed, and there was no certainty when it would be. So Chester did not pay much attention or give much thought to his Western property, but began to look round anxiously for something to do.

 

During the sickness of Walter Bruce he had given up his time to helping⁵ his mother and the care of the sick man. The money received from the minister enabled him to do this. Now the weekly income had ceased, and it became a serious question what he should do to bring in an income.

 

He had almost forgotten his meeting with Herbert Conrad, the young artist, when the day after the funeral he received a letter in an unknown hand, addressed to "Master Chester Rand, Wyncombe, New York."

 

As he opened it, his eyes opened wide with surprise and joy, when two five-dollar bills fluttered to the ground, for he had broken the seal in front of the post office.

 

He read the letter eagerly. It ran thus:

 

"Dear Chester:—I am glad to say that I have sold your sketch⁶ for ten dollars to one of the papers I showed you at Wyncombe. If you have any others ready, send them along. Try to think up some bright, original idea, and illustrate⁷ it in your best style. Then send to me.

 

"Your sincere friend,    Herbert."

 

Chester hardly knew whether he was standing⁸ on his head or his heels. It seems almost incredible that a sketch which he had dashed off in twenty minutes should bring in such a magnificent sum.

 

And for the first time it dawned upon him he was an artist. Fifty dollars gained in any other way would not have given him so much satisfaction. Why, it was only three weeks that he had been out of a place, and he had received more than he would have been paid in that time by Mr. Tripp.

 

He decided⁹ to tell no one of his good luck but his mother and the minister. If he were fortunate enough to earn more, the neighbors might wonder as they pleased about the source of his supplies. The money came at the right time, for his mother needed some articles at the store. He concluded to get them on the way home.

 

Silas Tripp was weighing out some sugar for a customer when Chester entered. Silas eyed him sharply, and was rather surprised to find him cheerful and in good spirits.

 

"How's your mother this mornin', Chester?" asked the grocer.

 

"Pretty well, thank you, Mr. Tripp."

 

"Are you doin' anything yet?"

 

"There doesn't seem to be much work to do in Wyncombe," answered Chester, noncommittally.

 

"You was foolish to leave a stiddy job at the store."

 

"I couldn't afford to work for the money you offered me."

 

"Two dollars and a quarter is better than nothin'. I would have paid you two and a half. I like you better than that Wood boy. Is your mother workin'?"

 

"She is doing a little sewing, but she had no time for that with a sick man in the house."

 

"I don't see what made you keep a man that was no kith or kin⁴ to you."

 

"Would you have had us put him into the street, Mr. Tripp?"

 

"I'd have laid the matter before the selec'-men, and got him into the poorhouse."

 

"Well, it is all over now, and I'm not sorry that we cared for the poor fellow. I would like six pounds of sugar and two of butter."

 

"You ain't goin' to run a bill, be you?" asked Silas, cautiously. "I can't afford to trust out any more."

 

"We don't owe you anything, do we, Mr. Tripp?"

 

"No; but I thought mebbe——"

 

"I will pay for the articles," said Chester, briefly¹⁰.

 

When he tendered the five-dollar bill Silas Tripp looked amazed.

 

"Where did you get so much money?" he gasped¹¹.

 

"Isn't it a good bill?" asked Chester.

 

"Why, yes, but——"

 

"I think that is all you have a right to ask," said Chester, firmly. "It can't make any difference to you where it came from."

 

"I thought you were poor," said Mr. Tripp.

 

"So we are."

 

"But it seems strange that you should have so much money."

 

"Five dollars isn't much money, Mr. Tripp."

 

Then a sudden idea came to Silas Tripp, and he paused in weighing out the butter.

 

"Did my nephew leave any money?" he asked, sharply.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"Then I lay claim to it. I'm his only relation, and it is right that I should have it."

 

"You shall have it if you will pay the expense of his illness."

 

"Humph! how much did he leave?"

 

"Thirty-seven cents."

 

Mr. Tripp looked discomfited¹².

 

"You can keep it," he said, magnanimously. "I don't lay no claim to it."

 

"Thank you," returned Chester, gravely.

 

"Then this five-dollar bill didn't come from him?"

 

"How could it? he hadn't as much money in the world."

 

"He was a shif'less man. 'A rolling stone gathers no moss,'" observed Mr. Tripp, in a moralizing tone.

 

"You haven't been a rolling stone, Mr. Tripp."

 

"No; I've stuck to the store year in and year out for thirty-five years. I ain't had more'n three days off in that time."

 

"If I had your money, Mr. Tripp, I'd go off and enjoy myself."

 

"What, and leave the store?" said Silas, aghast at the thought.

 

"You could hire some one to run it."

 

"I wouldn't find much left when I came back; No, I must stay at home and attend to business. Do your folks go to bed early, Chester?"

 

"Not before ten," answered Chester, in some surprise.

 

"Then I'll call this evenin' after the store is closed."

 

"Very well, sir. You'll find us up."

 

The idea had occurred to Mr. Tripp that Mrs. Rand must be very short of money, and might be induced to dispose of her place at a largely reduced figure. It would be a good-paying investment for him, and he was not above taking advantage of a poor widow's necessities. Of course neither Mrs. Rand nor Chester had any idea of his motives¹³ or intentions, and they awaited his visit with considerable curiosity.

 

About fifteen minutes after nine a shuffling¹⁴ was heard at the door, there was a knock, and a minute later Chester admitted the thin and shriveled figure of Silas Tripp.

 

"Good-evening, Mr. Tripp," said Mrs. Rand, politely.

 

"Good-evenin', ma'am, I thought I'd call in and inquire how you were gettin' along."

 

"Thank you, Mr. Tripp, for the interest you show in our affairs. We are not doing very well, as you may imagine."

 

"So I surmised¹⁵, ma'am. So I surmised."

 

"It can't be possible he is going to offer us a loan," thought Chester.

 

"You've got a tidy little place here, ma'am. It isn't mortgaged, I rec'on."

 

"No, Sir."

 

"Why don't you sell it? You need the money, and you might hire another house, or pay rent for this."

 

"Do you know of anyone that wants to buy it, Mr. Tripp?"

 

"Mebbe I'd buy it myself, jest to help you along," answered Silas, cautiously.

 

"How much would you be willing to give?" put in Chester.

 

"Well, I calculate—real estate's very low at present—three hundred and fifty dollars would be a fair price."

 

Mrs. Rand looked amazed.

 

"Three hundred and fifty dollars!" she ejaculated. "Why, it is worth at least seven hundred."

 

"You couldn't get it, ma'am. That's a fancy price."

 

"What rent would you charge in case we sold it to you, Mr. Tripp," asked Chester.

 

"Well, say five dollars a month."

 

"About sixteen or seventeen per cent. on the purchase money."

 

"Well, I'd have to pay taxes and repairs," explained Tripp.

 

"I don't care to sell, Mr. Tripp," said Mrs. Rand, decisively.

 

"You may have to, ma'am."

 

"If we do we shall try to get somewhere near its real value."

 

"Just as you like, ma'am," said Silas, disappointed. "I'd pay you cash down."

 

"If I decide to sell on your terms I'll let you know," said Mrs. Rand.

 

"Oh, well, I ain't set upon it. I only wanted to do you a favor."

 

"We appreciate your kindness," said Mrs. Rand, dryly.

 

"Women don't know much about business," muttered Silas, as he plodded¹⁶ home, disappointed.

1 folly   

n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话

参考例句：

• Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
• Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

2 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

3 bequest   

n.遗赠；遗产，遗物

参考例句：

• In his will he made a substantial bequest to his wife.在遗嘱里他给妻子留下了一大笔遗产。
• The library has received a generous bequest from a local businessman.图书馆从当地一位商人那里得到了一大笔遗赠。

4 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 sketch   

n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述

参考例句：

• My sister often goes into the country to sketch. 我姐姐常到乡间去写生。
• I will send you a slight sketch of the house.我将给你寄去房屋的草图。

7 illustrate   

v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图

参考例句：

• The company's bank statements illustrate its success.这家公司的银行报表说明了它的成功。
• This diagram will illustrate what I mean.这个图表可说明我的意思。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

11 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 discomfited   

v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败

参考例句：

• He was discomfited by the unexpected questions. 意料不到的问题使得他十分尴尬。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He will be particularly discomfited by the minister's dismissal of his plan. 部长对他计划的不理会将使他特别尴尬。 来自辞典例句

13 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

14 shuffling   

adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Don't go shuffling along as if you were dead. 别像个死人似地拖着脚走。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some one was shuffling by on the sidewalk. 外面的人行道上有人拖着脚走过。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

15 surmised   

v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想

参考例句：

• From the looks on their faces, I surmised that they had had an argument. 看他们的脸色，我猜想他们之间发生了争执。
• From his letter I surmised that he was unhappy. 我从他的信中推测他并不快乐。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 plodded   

v.沉重缓慢地走（路）( plod的过去式和过去分词 )；努力从事；沉闷地苦干；缓慢进行（尤指艰难枯燥的工作）

参考例句：

• Our horses plodded down the muddy track. 我们的马沿着泥泞小路蹒跚而行。
• He plodded away all night at his project to get it finished. 他通宵埋头苦干以便做完专题研究。 来自《简明英汉词典》