"I don't know. Is there any particular news this morning?" asked the individual addressed.
"Yes, sir, lots of it. You will find ten cents' worth in every one of the papers, which will give you a clear profit of six cents on your investment. Which will you have?"
"Let me look at a paper a minute, and I'll see."
"I don't do business that way," said the newsboy; "not since one morning when I let an old gentleman look at a paper just for a minute. He read it for half an hour, and then returned it, sayin' there wasn't much in it, and he guessed he wouldn't buy."
"Well, here's your money. Give me the 'Times,'" said the other.
"Here you are!" said the newsboy, pocketing the money, and placing a "Times" in the hand of the purchaser.
"Give me the 'Herald,'" said another.
Unfolding the paper, he glanced his eye over it, and said, in evident disappointment, "I heard there was a railroad accident somewhere, with about fifty persons killed and wounded; but I don't see it anywhere."
"I'm sorry you're disappointed," said the newsboy. "It's soothin' to the feelings to read about a smash-up, with lots of persons killed and wounded. Just come along to-morrow mornin', and I guess you'll find what you want."
"What makes you think so?" asked the customer, suspiciously.
"If you won't mention it," said Rough and Ready, lowering his voice, "I don't mind telling you that the 'Herald' has sent up a reporter to put a big rock on the Erie Road, and throw off the afternoon train. As he will be on the spot, he can give a full report, exclusive for the 'Herald'! Then again, the 'Times' and 'Tribune' are arrangin' to get up some 'horrid3 murders.' Maybe they'll have 'em in to-morrow's paper. You'd better come round, and buy 'em all. I'll make a discount to a wholesale4 customer."
"It's my belief that you're a humbug," said the disappointed customer.
"Thank you, sir," said Rough and Ready; "I've been takin' lessons of Barnum, only I haven't made so much money yet."
The next customer asked for the "Tribune."
"Here it is, sir."
"Did you ever see Mr. Greeley?" he inquired. "I live in the country, and I have often thought I should like to see so intrepid5 a champion of the people's rights."
"There he is now," said the newsboy, pointing to a somewhat portly man, who had just got out of a horse-car.
"You don't say so!" ejaculated the country reader of the "Tribune." "I should like to go and shake hands with him, but he might take it as too great a liberty. I didn't know he was so stout6."
"Go ahead!" said the newsboy. "He won't mind. He's used to it."
"I think I will. I should like to tell the folks at home that I had shaken hands with Horace Greeley."
Now it happened that the personage who had been pointed2 out as Horace Greeley was really no other than Mr. Barnum himself, the illustrious showman. The newsboy was well aware of this, and was led to make the statement by his desire to see a little fun. I shall not attempt to justify7 him in this deception8; but I have undertaken to set Rough and Ready before the reader as he was, not as he ought to be, and, though a good boy in the main, he was not without faults.
Mr. Greeley's admirer walked up to Mr. Barnum, and grasped his hand cordially.
"Sir," he said, "I hope you will excuse the liberty I am taking, but I couldn't help addressing you."
"I am glad to meet you, sir," said Mr. Barnum, courteously9. "Perhaps I have met you before, but I meet so many people that I cannot always remember faces."
"No, sir, we have never met before, but your fame has reached our village; indeed, I may say, it has spread all over the country, and when I was told who you were I could not help coming up and telling you how much we all sympathize with you in your philanthropic efforts."
Mr. Barnum looked somewhat perplexed10. He was not altogether certain whether his temperance lectures were referred to, or his career as manager of the Museum. He answered therefore rather vaguely11, "I try to do something to make the world happier. I am very glad my efforts are appreciated."
"Yes, sir, you may be certain they are appreciated throughout the length and breadth of the land," said the other, fervently12.
"You are very kind," said Barnum; "but I am afraid you will not get all to agree with you. There are some who do not view me so favorably."
"Of course. Such is always the fate of the philanthropist. There are some, no doubt, who decry13 you, but their calumnies14 are unavailable. 'Truth crashed to earth will rise again.' I need not continue the quotation15."
"You are certainly very complimentary16, Mr.——; perhaps you will oblige me with your name."
"Nathan Bedloe. I keep a seminary in the country. I have read the 'Tribune' for years, Mr. Greeley, and have found in your luminous17 editorials the most satisfactory exposition of the principles which I profess18."
Mr. Barnum's eyes distended19 with astonishment20 as he caught the name Greeley, and his facial muscles twitched21 a little.
"How did you know me?" he asked.
"That newsboy pointed you out to me," said the other, indicating Rough and Ready, who was watching with interest the conversation between the two.
"Yes, the newsboys know me," said Barnum. "So you like the 'Tribune'?"
"Yes, sir, it is an admirable paper. I would as soon do without my dinner as without it."
"I am very glad you like it," said Barnum; "but I fear my own contributions to it (referring to the advertisement of the Museum) are not worthy22 of such kind compliments. I must bid you good-morning, at present, as my engagements are numerous."
"I can easily believe it, Mr. Greeley. Good-by, sir. Thank you for your kind reception of an humble23 stranger."
There was another shaking of hands, and Mr. Bedloe departed under the firm conviction that he had seen and talked with Horace Greeley.
Three minutes later, Rough and Ready felt a hand upon his shoulder. Lifting up his eyes, he recognized Mr. Barnum.
"Do you know me?" asked the latter.
"Yes, sir, you are Mr. Barnum."
"Were you the boy who pointed me out as Horace Greeley?"
"Yes, sir," said Rufus, laughing; "but I didn't think the man would believe it."
"He thinks so still," said Barnum. "I don't think there's much personal resemblance between me and the editor of the 'Tribune,'" he continued, meditatively24.
"No, sir, not much."
"Don't do it again, my lad. It's wrong to hum-bug people, you know. By the way, do you ever come to the Museum?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, your joke is worth something. Here is a season ticket for three months."
"Admit the bearer to any performance in the Museum
during the next three months.
P. T. Barnum."
"I got off better than I expected," thought Rough and Ready. "I didn't know but both of 'em would get mad, and be down upon me. I wish he'd given me a ticket for three, and I'd have taken Miss Manning and Rose along with me."
As he thought of Rose, it was with a feeling of satisfaction that she was so well provided for. He had the utmost confidence in Miss Manning, and he saw that a mutual26 affection had sprung up between her and his little sister.
"It'll be jolly when Rose grows up, and can keep house for me," he said to himself. "I hope I'll be in some good business then. Selling papers will do very well now, but I want to do something else after a while. I wonder whether that three hundred dollars I've got in the bank wouldn't set me up in some kind of business."
While these thoughts were passing through his mind, he still kept crying his papers, and presently he had sold the last one. It was still comparatively early, and he thought he would look about a little to see if there was no chance of earning a little extra money by running on an errand.
After a while he was commissioned to carry a message to Twenty-Second Street, for which he was to receive twenty-five cents, and his car fares.
"I'll walk back," he thought, "and in that way I'll save six cents out of the fares."
The walk being a long one, he was absent a considerable time, especially as he stopped for a while at an auction27 on Broadway. At last he reached his old stand, and was thinking of buying some evening papers, when he heard his name called in a tone of anxiety.
Turning suddenly, he recognized Miss Manning.
"Miss Manning!" he exclaimed, in surprise. "How do you happen to be here?"
"I came to see you, Rufus."
"Has anything happened?" he asked anxiously, seeing the troubled expression of her countenance28. "Nothing is the matter with Rose, is there?"
"She has gone."
"Gone!"
"Yes, she has disappeared."
"Don't say that, Miss Manning. Tell me quick all about it."
"I sent her out on an errand this morning, just around the corner, for a spool29 of cotton, and she has not got back."
"Do you think she lost her way?"
"She couldn't very well do that, it was so near by. No, Rufus, I am afraid she has been carried off by your stepfather."
"What makes you think so, Miss Manning?" demanded Rufus, in excitement.
"I waited half an hour after she went out, wondering what could keep her so long. Then I began to feel anxious, and put on my bonnet30, and slipped downstairs into the street. I went round to the store, and found she had gone there and made the purchase, and gone away directly. I was wondering what to do next, when one of the neighbors came up, and said she saw Rose dragged away by a tall man. She gave me a description of him, and it corresponds exactly to the description of Mr. Martin. I am afraid, Rufus, that he has carried our dear little Rose away. What shall we do?"
"I'll have her back," said Rufus, energetically. "He's got her now; but he shan't keep her. But I'm afraid," he added, sorrowfully, "she'll be ill-treated before I can recover her, poor Rose!"
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1
herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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7
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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8
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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9
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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10
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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12
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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decry
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| v.危难，谴责 | |
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calumnies
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| n.诬蔑，诽谤，中伤（的话）( calumny的名词复数 ) | |
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15
quotation
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| n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情 | |
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16
complimentary
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| adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的 | |
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17
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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18
profess
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| v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰 | |
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distended
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| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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21
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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22
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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24
meditatively
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| adv.冥想地 | |
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25
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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auction
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| n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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29
spool
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| n.（缠录音带等的）卷盘（轴）；v.把…绕在卷轴上 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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