CHAPTER XIX FRANK SEEKS EMPLOYMENT IN VAIN

 It was a bright, pleasant day, and Broadway looked very lively. In spite of his being alone in a strange city, with uncertain prospects¹, Frank felt in good spirits.

 

Boys of his age usually like excitement and bustle², and Frank was quick to notice the shifting scenes of the great panorama³.

 

"Here are thousands of people," he reflected, "all of whom make a living in some way. I don't see why I can't succeed as well as they."

 

Some of the objects he saw amused him.

 

In front of him walked an elderly man with a large placard strapped⁴ to his back, on which was the advertisement of a "Great Clothing Emporium."

 

"I don't think I should fancy that kind of employment," thought our hero.

 

As he was looking in at a shop window, a boy about his own age hailed him.

 

"I say, Johnny, what's the price of turnips⁵?"

 

"Do you want to buy any?" asked Frank quietly.

 

"Well, I might. Have you got any with you?"

 

"I am sorry I can't supply you," said Frank, coolly. "Up our way we keep our cattle on turnips."

 

"You ain't so green, after all," said the boy, laughing good-naturedly.

 

"Thank you for the compliment!"

 

"I suppose I look countrylike," thought Frank, "but it won't last long. I shall get used to city ways."

 

Close by he saw in a window the sign:

 

"CASH BOY WANTED."

Frank as not altogether certain about the duties of cash boys nor their rate of compensation, but he made up his mind not to lose sight of any chances, and accordingly stepped into the store.

 

It proved to be a large dry-goods store.

 

Near the entrance he met a tall man, with black whiskers.

 

"Do you want any cash boys?" inquired Frank.

 

"Are you inquiring for yourself?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"You are too large. Besides, you would not be satisfied with the wages?"

 

"How much do you pay, sir?"

 

"Two dollars a week."

 

"No; I don't think I should like to work for that," said Frank. "Are those cash boys?" he asked, pointing out some boys of apparently⁶ ten to twelve years, old, who were flitting about from desk to counter.

 

"Yes."

 

"I see they are much younger than I. Excuse the trouble I have given you!"

 

"None whatever," said the man, politely.

 

Frank left the store, and continued his walk down Broadway.

 

He began to feel a little serious. It was evident that the boys did not receive as large compensation for their services as he had supposed.

 

The problem promised to be a perplexing one, but Frank was by no means discouraged. In fact, if he had been, he would hardly have deserved to be the hero of my story.

 

Though Clinton Place is not very far uptown, it is a considerable walk from this point to the Astor House.

 

There was so much to see, however, that Frank did not become tired, nor was he sensible of the distance. He walked a little beyond the Astor House, and, crossing Broadway, turned down Fulton Street.

 

On the left side of the street his attention was drawn⁷ to a restaurant, and he was led by the prompting of appetite to enter.

 

The prices he found to be reasonable, and the tables were already pretty well filled with clerks and business men, who were partaking of their midday lunch.

 

Frank found that a plate of meat, with potato and a small supply of bread and butter, could be obtained for fifteen cents.

 

He afterward⁸ found restaurants where the same could be gotten for ten cents, but generally there was a deficiency in quality or quantity, and there was less neatness in serving the articles.

 

Seated at the same table with Frank were two young men, neither probably much over twenty. One appeared to be filling a regular clerkship.

 

"What are you doing now, Jack⁹?" he asked of the other.

 

"I am in the tea business."

 

"How is that?"

 

"You know the Great Pekin Tea Company, of course?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Well, until I can get a place, I am selling for them."

 

"How do you make out?"

 

"I can't tell you, for I have only just commenced," said his friend.

 

"How do they pay—salary or commission?"

 

"They are to pay me a commission—twenty per cent on what I sell."

 

"That is a good commission."

 

"Yes; it is good enough, if I can make a fair amount of sales. There is a good deal of uncertainty¹⁰ about it of course. I would much rather have a place like yours."

 

Frank listened with interest. He wondered whether the Great Pekin Tea Company would employ him. If so, he would have a field for his energy, and every inducement to work hard, since his pay would depend on the amount of his sales. Besides, as an agent, he would occupy a comparatively independent position, and Frank was ambitious enough to enjoy this.

1 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

2 bustle   

v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。

3 panorama   

n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置]

参考例句：

• A vast panorama of the valley lay before us.山谷的广阔全景展现在我们面前。
• A flourishing and prosperous panorama spread out before our eyes.一派欣欣向荣的景象展现在我们的眼前。

4 strapped   

adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带

参考例句：

• Make sure that the child is strapped tightly into the buggy. 一定要把孩子牢牢地拴在婴儿车上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soldiers' great coats were strapped on their packs. 战士们的厚大衣扎捆在背包上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 turnips   

芜青( turnip的名词复数 )； 芜菁块根； 芜菁甘蓝块根； 怀表

参考例句：

• Well, I like turnips, tomatoes, eggplants, cauliflowers, onions and carrots. 噢，我喜欢大萝卜、西红柿、茄子、菜花、洋葱和胡萝卜。 来自魔法英语-口语突破（高中）
• This is turnip soup, made from real turnips. 这是大头菜汤，用真正的大头菜做的。

6 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

7 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

8 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

9 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

10 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。