He was a boy of fifteen, who, for three years, had been drifting about the streets of New York, getting his living as he could; now blacking boots, now selling papers, now carrying bundles—"everything by turns, and nothing long." He was not a model boy, as those who have read his early history, in "The Young Outlaw," are aware; but, on the other hand, he was not extremely bad. He liked fun, even if it involved mischief1; and he could not be called strictly2 truthful3 nor honest. But he would not wantonly injure or tyrannize over a smaller boy, and there was nothing mean or malicious4 about him. Still he was hardly the sort of boy a merchant would be likely to select as an office boy, and but for a lucky chance Sam would have been compelled to remain a bootblack or newsboy. One day he found, in an uptown street, a little boy, who had strayed away from his nurse, and, ascertaining5 where he lived, restored him to his anxious parents. For this good deed he was rewarded by a gift of five dollars and the offer of a position as errand boy, at five dollars a week.
Sam decided6 that he must have some new clothes before he could enter upon his place. At present his costume consisted of a ragged7 shirt, and a pair of equally ragged pantaloons. Both were of unknown antiquity8, and had done faithful service, not only to Sam, but to a former owner. It was quite time they were released from duty.
To buy a complete outfit9 with five dollars might have puzzled many an able financier. But Sam knew just where to go. Somewhere in the neighborhood of Baxter Street there was a second-hand10 clothing establishment, which he had patronized on previous occasions, and where he knew that the prices were low. It was to this place that he bent11 his steps.
A wrinkled old man—the proprietor—stood outside, scanning, with cunning eyes, the passers-by. If any one paused to examine his stock, he was immediately assailed12 by voluble recommendations of this or that article, and urgently entreated13 to "just step inside."
When Sam approached, the old man's shrewdness was at fault. He did not suspect that the ragged street boy was likely to become a customer, and merely suffered his glance to rest upon him casually14.
"Look here, old man, have you got any tiptop clo'es to sell to-day?"
"Who are you a-takin' to? I ain't your son, and I wouldn't be. My father's a member of Congress."
"Did he send you here to buy clo'es?" asked the old man, with a grin.
"Yes, he did. He said you'd let me have 'em half price."
"So I will, my—boy. This is the cheapest place in the city."
"I know that from your looks," said the old man, a grin illumining his wrinkled face, as he glanced at the rags Sam wore.
"Oh, you needn't look at these. My best clo'es is to home in the wardrobe. What have you got for shirts?"
A red-flannel article was displayed; but Sam didn't like the color.
"It ain't fashionable," he said.
"Here's a blue one," said the old man.
"That's more like, how much is it?"
"Fifty cents."
"Fifty cents! Do you want to ruin me? I won't give no fifty cents for a shirt."
"It's worth more. It cost me forty-five."
"I'll give thirty-five."
"Now show me some of your nice suits," said Sam. "I've got a place, and I want to look like a gentleman."
"Have you got any money?" asked the old man, with the momentary19 suspicion that he might be throwing his time and trouble away upon a penniless purchaser.
"Yes," said Sam. "What do you take me for?"
"How much have you got?"
"What do you want to know for?"
"I want to know what clo'es to show you."
Sam was about to answer five dollars, when a shrewd thought changed his intention.
"I've got four dollars," he said.
"All right, my son," he said. "I'll give you some nice clo'es for four dollars."
"You'd better if you want me to come here again. If you do well by me I'll get all my clo'es here."
A young man of fashion could not have spoken more condescendingly, or with an air of greater importance than Sam. He was right in thinking that his patronage21 was of importance to the old man.
"Go ahead!" said Sam. "Do your best by me, and I'll send my friends here."
Without going into details, it may be said that our hero selected everything to his satisfaction except a coat. Here he was rather particular. Finally, he espied23 a blue coat with brass24 buttons, hanging in a corner.
"Take down that coat," he said, "I guess that'll suit me."
"That costs too much. I can't give you that and the rest of the things for four dollars."
"Why can't you?"
"I'd lose too much."
Opposition25 confirmed Sam in his determination to own it.
"Give it to me; I'll try it on," he said.
Putting it on, he surveyed himself with satisfaction, in a small, cracked mirror. True, it was about two sizes too large, but Sam felt that in getting more cloth he was getting a better bargain.
"That's my style," he said. "Don't I look fashionable?"
"I'll have to ask you twenty-five cents more for that coat," said the old dealer.
"No, you won't."
"Yes, I must. I ought to ask more."
"Then you may keep the rest of the clo'es. I don't want 'em."
Sam made a movement as if to leave the store.
"Give me twenty cents more, my son."
"Didn't I tell you I wasn't your son? I won't give you no twenty cents, but I'll tell you what I'll do—I'll give you these clo'es I've got on."
"They ain't worth much," he said.
"I know they ain't but they're worth twenty cents."
There was another critical inspection27, and the decision was given in Sam's favor.
"You may have the clo'es," said the old man. "Now, where's your money?"
Sam produced a five-dollar bill.
"Give me a dollar back," he said.
The old man looked at him with the expression of one who had been cheated.
"You said you had only four dollars," he complained.
"No, I didn't. I said I had four. I didn't say that was all."
"These clo'es are worth five dollars."
"No, they ain't, and you won't get it from me. Do you think I'm going to give you all the money I've got?"
The old man still looked dissatisfied. "I'm losin' money on these clo'es," he muttered.
"Oh, well if you don't want to sell 'em, you needn't," said Sam, independently. "There's another place round the corner."
"Give me four fifty."
"No, I won't. I won't give you another cent. I'll give you four dollars and these clo'es I have on. A bargain's a bargain. If you're goin' to do it, say the word; and if you ain't, I'm off."
Sam carried his point, and received back a dollar in change.
"You needn't send the clo'es round to my hotel—I'll change 'em here," said our hero.
He set to work at once, and in five minutes the change was effected. The other clothes fitted him moderately well, but the blue coat—of the kind popularly called a swallow-tail—nearly trailed upon the ground. But for that Sam cared little. He surveyed himself with satisfaction, and felt that he was well dressed.
"I guess I'll do now," he said to himself, complacently28, as he walked out of the shop.
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1
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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truthful
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| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
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malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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5
ascertaining
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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7
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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9
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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second-hand
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| adj.用过的，旧的，二手的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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12
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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13
entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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16
alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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17
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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haggling
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| v.讨价还价( haggle的现在分词 ) | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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dealer
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| n.商人，贩子 | |
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patronage
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| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
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gals
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| abbr.gallons （复数）加仑（液量单位）n.女孩，少女( gal的名词复数 ) | |
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espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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dubiously
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| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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