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CHAPTER IV TEDDY GIVES UP BUSINESS
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 “Have you sold all your packages, Paul?” asked Jimmy, as our hero entered the humble1 room, where the table was already spread with a simple dinner.
“No,” said Paul, “I only sold twenty. I begin to think that the prize-package business will soon be played out.”
“Why?”
“There's too many that'll go into it.”
Here Paul related his experience of the morning, explaining how it was that Teddy had managed to distance him in the competition.
“Can't you do the same, Paul?” asked Jimmy. “Mother's got a gold dollar she could lend you.”
“That might do,” said Paul; “but I don't know any boy I could trust to draw it except you, and some of them would know we were brothers.”
“I think, Paul, that would be dishonest,” said Mrs. Hoffman. “I would rather make less, if I were you, and do it honestly.”
“Maybe you're right, mother. I'll try it again this afternoon, keeping as far away from Teddy as I can. If I find I can't make it go, I'll try some other business.”
“Jimmy, have you shown Paul your drawing?” said his mother.
“Here it is, Paul,” said Jimmy, producing his drawing-book, from which he had copied a simple design of a rustic2 cottage.
“Why, that's capital, Jimmy,” said Paul, in real surprise. “I had no idea you would succeed so well.”
“Do you really think so, Paul?” asked the little boy, much pleased.
“I really do. How long did it take you?”
“Only a short time—not more than half an hour, I should think,” said Mrs. Hoffman. “I think Jimmy succeeded very well.”
“You'll make a great artist some time, Jimmy,” said Paul.
“I wish I could,” said the little boy. “I should like to earn some money, so that you and mother need not work so hard.”
“Hard work agrees with me. I'm tough,” said Paul. “But when we get to be men, Jimmy, we'll make so much money that mother needn't work at all. She shall sit in the parlor3 all day, dressed in silk, with nothing to do.”
“I don't think I would enjoy that,” said Mrs. Hoffman, smiling.
“Will you be in the candy business, then, Paul?” said Jimmy.
“No, Jimmy. It would never do for the brother of a great artist to be selling candy round the streets. I hope I shall have something better to do than that.”
“Sit down to dinner, Paul,” said his mother. “It's all ready.”
The dinner was not a luxurious4 one. There was a small plate of cold meat, some potatoes, and bread and butter; but Mrs. Hoffman felt glad to be able to provide even that, and Paul, who had the hearty5 appetite of a growing boy, did full justice to the fare. They had scarcely finished, when a knock was heard at the door. Paul, answering the summons, admitted a stout6, pleasant-looking Irishwoman.
“The top of the mornin' to ye, Mrs. Donovan,” said Paul, bowing ceremoniously.
“Ah, ye'll be afther havin' your joke, Paul,” said Mrs. Donovan, good-naturedly. “And how is your health, mum, the day?”
“I am well, thank you, Mrs. Donovan,” said Mrs. Hoffman. “Sit down to the table, won't you? We're just through dinner, but there's something left.”
“Thank you, mum, I've jist taken dinner. I was goin' to wash this afternoon, and I thought maybe you'd have some little pieces I could wash jist as well as not.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Donovan, you are very kind; but you must have enough work of your own to do.”
“I'm stout and strong, mum, and hard work agrees with me; but you're a rale lady, and ain't used to it. It's only a thrifle, but if you want to pay me, you could do a bit of sewin' for me. I ain't very good with the needle. My fingers is too coarse, belike.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Donovan; on those terms I will agree to your kind offer. Washing is a little hard for me.”
Mrs. Hoffman collected a few pieces, and, wrapping them up in a handkerchief, handed them to her guest.
“And now what have you been doin', Jimmy darlint?” said Mrs. Donovan, turning her broad, good-humored face toward the younger boy.
“I've been drawing a picture,” said Jimmy. “Would you like to see it?”
“Now, isn't that illigant?” exclaimed Mrs. Donovan, admiringly, taking the picture and gazing at it with rapt admiration7. “Who showed you how to do it?”
“Paul bought me a book, and I copied it out of that.”
“You're a rale genius. Maybe you'll make pictures some time like them we have in the church, of the Blessed Virgin8 and the Saints. Do you think you could draw me, now?” she asked, with curiosity.
“I haven't got a piece of paper big enough,” said Jimmy, slyly.
“Ah, it's pokin' fun at me, ye are,” said Mrs. Donovan, good-humoredly. “Just like my Pat; he run into the room yesterday sayin', 'Mother, there's great news. Barnum's fat woman is dead, and he's comin' afther you this afternoon. He'll pay you ten dollars a week and board.' 'Whist, ye spalpeen!' said I; 'is it makin' fun of your poor mother, ye are?' but I couldn't help laughing at the impertinence of the boy. But I must be goin'.”
“Thank you for your kind offer, Mrs. Donovan. Jimmy shall go to your room for the sewing.”
“There's no hurry about that,” said Mrs. Donovan. “I'll jist bring it in meself when it's ready.”
“She is very kind,” said Mrs. Hoffman, when Bridget Donovan had gone. “I shall be glad to have her wash. I am apt to feel weak after it. What are you going to do this afternoon, Paul?”
“I'll try to sell out the rest of my stock of packages. Perhaps I shan't succeed, but I'll do my best. Shall you have another picture to show me when I come back tonight, Jimmy?”
“Yes, Paul; I love to draw. I'm going to try this castle.”
“It's rather hard, isn't it?”
“I can do it,” said Jimmy, confidently.
Paul left the room with his basket on his arm.
He was drawn9 by curiosity to the spot where he had met with his first success, as well as his first failure—the front of the post office. Here he became witness to an unexpectedly lively scene; in other words, a fight, in which Teddy O'Brien and his confederate, Mike, were the contestants10. To explain the cause of the quarrel, it must be stated that it related to a division of the spoils.
Teddy had sold out his last package, seventy-five in number. For these he had received five cents apiece, making in all three dollars and seventy-five cents, of which all but a dollar and seventy-five cents, representing the value of the prizes and the original cost of the packages and their contents, was profit. Now, according to the arrangement entered into between him and Mike, the latter, for his services, was to receive one cent on every package sold. This, however, seemed to Teddy too much to pay, so, when the time of reckoning came, he stoutly11 asseverated12 that there were but sixty packages.
“That don't go down,” said Mike, indignantly; “it's nearer a hundred.”
“No, it isn't. It's only sixty. You've got the fifty cents, and I'll give you ten more.”
“You must give me the whole sixty, then,” said Mike, changing his ground. “I drawed the fifty as a prize.”
Teddy was struck with astonishment13 at the impudence14 of this assumption.
“It wasn't no prize,” he said.
“Yes, it was,” said Mike. “You said so yourself. Didn't he, Jim?”
Jim, who was also a confederate, but had agreed to accept twenty-five cents in full for services rendered, promptly15 answered:
“Shure, Mike's right. It was a prize he drew.”
“You want to chate me!” said Teddy, angrily.
“What have you been doin' all the mornin'?” demanded Mike. “You're the chap to talk about chatin', ain't you?”
“I'll give you twenty-five cents,” said Teddy, “and that's all I will give you.”
“Then you've got to fight,” said Mike, squaring off.
“Yes, you've got to fight!” chimed in Jim, who thought he saw a chance for more money.
Teddy looked at his two enemies, each of whom was probably more than a match for himself, and was not long in deciding that his best course was to avoid a fight by running. Accordingly, he tucked all the money into his pocket, and, turning incontinently, fled down Liberty street, closely pursued by his late confederates. Paul came up just in time to hear the termination of the dispute and watch the flight of his late business rival.
“I guess Teddy won't go into the business again,” he reflected. “I may as well take my old stand.”
Accordingly he once more installed himself on the post office steps, and began to cry, “Prize packages. Only five cents!”
Having no competitor now to interfere16 with his trade, he met with fair success, and by four o'clock was able to start for home with his empty basket, having disposed of all his stock in trade.
His profits, though not so great as the day before, amounted to a dollar.
“If I could only make a dollar every day,” thought Paul, “I would be satisfied.”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低
参考例句:
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见,他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
2 rustic mCQz9     
adj.乡村的,有乡村特色的;n.乡下人,乡巴佬
参考例句:
  • It was nearly seven months of leisurely rustic living before Michael felt real boredom.这种悠闲的乡村生活过了差不多七个月之后,迈克尔开始感到烦闷。
  • We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.我们希望新鲜的空气和乡村的氛围能帮他调整自己。
3 parlor v4MzU     
n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅
参考例句:
  • She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
  • Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店?
4 luxurious S2pyv     
adj.精美而昂贵的;豪华的
参考例句:
  • This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
  • The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。
5 hearty Od1zn     
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的
参考例句:
  • After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了,他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
  • We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。
7 admiration afpyA     
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕
参考例句:
  • He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
  • We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。
8 virgin phPwj     
n.处女,未婚女子;adj.未经使用的;未经开发的
参考例句:
  • Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗?
  • There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。
9 drawn MuXzIi     
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。
10 contestants 6183e6ae4586949fe63bec42c8d3a422     
n.竞争者,参赛者( contestant的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The competition attracted over 500 contestants representing 8 different countries. 这次比赛吸引了代表8个不同国家的500多名参赛者。
  • Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency. 两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 stoutly Xhpz3l     
adv.牢固地,粗壮的
参考例句:
  • He stoutly denied his guilt.他断然否认自己有罪。
  • Burgess was taxed with this and stoutly denied it.伯杰斯为此受到了责难,但是他自己坚决否认有这回事。
12 asseverated 506fcdab9fd1ae0c79cdf630d83df7f3     
v.郑重声明,断言( asseverate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He asseverated that he had seen a flying saucer. 他坚持说,他看见了飞碟。 来自辞典例句
13 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇,惊异
参考例句:
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
14 impudence K9Mxe     
n.厚颜无耻;冒失;无礼
参考例句:
  • His impudence provoked her into slapping his face.他的粗暴让她气愤地给了他一耳光。
  • What knocks me is his impudence.他的厚颜无耻使我感到吃惊。
15 promptly LRMxm     
adv.及时地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
  • She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
16 interfere b5lx0     
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰
参考例句:
  • If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话,可能弊多利少。
  • When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件,棘手的事情就来了。


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