CHAPTER XXII. — FIRST EXPERIENCES IN BOSTON.

 "Mamma," said Julia, after the first greeting was over, "this young gentleman is Mr. Sam Barker, who has been very polite to me."

 

"I am much indebted to you, Mr. Barker," said Mrs. Stockton, cordially¹ extending her hand, "for your kindness to my daughter."

 

"Oh, it's nothing," said Sam, embarrassed. "I didn't do anything."

 

"I met him on the boat, mamma, and he saw me on the train, and when there was nobody to meet me he came home with me in the hack²."

 

"Your father was at the depot³ on the arrival of the first train," said Mrs. Stockton. "As you did not come then, he concluded you did not start yesterday afternoon. He was surprised that you did not telegraph him."

 

"I did come, mamma; but, would you believe it, I slept so sound I didn't hear the gong, nor Sam either. Did you, Sam?"

 

"We both slept pretty sound," said Sam.

 

"Well, Julia, I am glad you got through without accident. Have you had any breakfast?"

 

"Not a mouthful, mamma. I'm as hungry as a bear."

 

"I will have some sent up at once. Mr. Barker, I hope you will join my daughter at breakfast."

 

"Thank you," said Sam, not without satisfaction, for he certainly did feel frightfully hungry.

 

A substantial⁴ breakfast was brought up, and, unromantic as it may seem, both Sam and Julia made great havoc⁵ among the eatables.

 

"I don't think I ever felt so hungry in the whole course of my life," said Julia. "Did you, Sam?"

 

"I never did, either," said Sam, with his mouth full.

 

"My dear," said Mrs. Stockton, "Mr. Barker will think you very familiar. It is not the custom to use a gentleman's first name on such short acquaintance."

 

"I feel as if I had known Sam ever so long. He asked me to call him by his first name."

 

Mrs. Stockton smiled. Considering Sam's youth, she did not think it necessary to press the matter.

 

"Is this your first visit to Boston, Mr. Barker?" she inquired.

 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

"I hope you will like it."

 

"I think I shall, ma'am."

 

"Are you a New Yorker?"

 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

"I know something of New York. In what part of the city do you live?"

 

Sam was rather embarrassed. He did not like to mention the unfashionable street where he had lodged⁶.

 

"I boarded downtown," he answered, indefinitely; "to be near my business."

 

"You are young to have been in business."

 

"I was a clerk in a Pearl⁷ Street store," said Sam.

 

"Are you visiting Boston on business?"

 

"Yes, ma'am. I shall try to find a place here."

 

"I hope you may succeed."

 

"Thank you, ma'am."

 

By this time breakfast was over, and Sam rose.

 

"I think I'll be going," he said.

 

Julia did not seek to detain⁸ him. The fact was, that after her absence there were quite a number of things she wanted to do, among others to unpack⁹ her trunk.

 

"What hotel are you going to stop at?" she inquired.

 

"I haven't made up my mind," answered Sam, embarrassed. He well knew that it would be very foolish for him to engage board at a first-class hotel.

 

"Parker's is a good hotel," suggested Julia. "It's on School Street, not far from here."

 

"I would recommend a boarding-house," said Mrs. Stockton. "The Parker House is expensive, and, if Mr. Barker is going to stay for some time he may wish to get along more economically."

 

"I think I shall," said Sam.

 

"Be sure and call again," said Julia, extending her hand.

 

"We shall be glad to see you again, Mr. Barker," said Mrs. Stockton, cordially. "Mr. Stockton will wish to thank you for your attention to Julia."

 

Sam thanked her, and went out into the street. He had enjoyed a good breakfast, and been cordially received by a lady who evidently stood high socially; and these circumstances contributed to put him in good spirits.

 

"I like Boston," he thought. "The people take more notice of a fellow than they do in New York."

 

Sam was generalizing¹⁰ upon his very limited experience, and perhaps might be led hereafter to change his views.

 

"Julia spoke¹¹ of Parker's Hotel," he said to himself. "I guess I'll inquire where it is, and take a look at it."

 

"Where is Parker's Hotel?" he asked of a boy who overtook him near the State House.

 

"It's on School Street. I'm going as far as Tremont Street myself, and you can come along with me," answered the boy.

 

"Thank you," said Sam. "I am a stranger in Boston, and don't know my way."

 

"Are you going to stop at Parker's?"

 

"I don't think I shall; I am afraid they will charge too much."

 

"It's pretty high-priced," said his new acquaintance.

 

"Do you know what they charge for a room?"

 

"A dollar and a half and two dollars a day—that is, for the common rooms."

 

"That's too much for me."

 

"Then you've got your meals to pay for besides."

 

"I shall try to find a boarding-house," said Sam. "Do you know of any?"

 

"There's an acquaintance of mine, a clerk, who boards on Harrison Avenue."

 

"Where is that?".

 

"Not far from Washington Street—up near the Boston and Albany depot."

 

"Is it near the depot where I came in from New York?"

 

"How did you come?"

 

"By the Fall River line."

 

"Then it isn't far away. I'll give you the number if you want it."

 

"I wish you would."

 

"Here's Tremont Street," said the guide, "and that is the Parker House."

 

"Thank you," said Sam.

 

He went into the hotel, and, ascending¹² a short staircase¹³, found himself in the office. On one side was a writing-room, on the other a reading-room.

 

"It looks like a good hotel," thought Sam. "I should like it if I could afford to stay here."

 

Sam went into the reading-room, and saw lying on a chair a file of a New York paper. It seemed in this strange place like a familiar friend. He was reading the local news, when some one addressed him in a nasal voice: "I say, yeou, do yeou live round here?"

1 cordially   

adv.亲切地

参考例句：

• You are cordially invited to a celebration for Mr Michael Brown on his retirement. 热诚邀请您参加为迈克尔?布朗先生退休举行的庆祝会。
• She greeted the visitor cordially,inviting her to stay for breakfast. 她亲切地招呼着客人，请她留下来吃早饭。

2 hack   

n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳

参考例句：

• He made a hack at the log.他朝圆木上砍了一下。
• Early settlers had to hack out a clearing in the forest where they could grow crops.早期移民不得不在森林里劈出空地种庄稼。

3 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

4 substantial   

adj.大的，相当可观的，大体上的

参考例句：

• She is preparing a substantial meal against his return.她正在准备一顿丰盛的饭菜为他接风。
• The country bought a substantial number of weapons.这个国家购买了大量武器。

5 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

6 lodged   

v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 pearl   

n.珍珠，珍珠母

参考例句：

• He bought his girlfriend a pearl necklace.他给他女朋友买了一条珍珠项链。
• The crane and the mother-of-pearl fight to death.鹬蚌相争。

8 detain   

vt.拘留，扣留，留住，耽搁

参考例句：

• The act allows police to detain a suspect for up to 48 hours.该法令允许警方将嫌疑犯扣押最多48小时。
• Allow me to detain you for a moment.请允许我耽误你一会。

9 unpack   

vt.打开包裹（或行李），卸货

参考例句：

• I must unpack before dinner.我得在饭前把行李打开。
• She said she would unpack the items later.她说以后再把箱子里的东西拿出来。

10 generalizing   

概括，归纳，推论( generalize的现在分词 )； 推广，普及

参考例句：

• Our history teacher is always generalizing; he never deals with anything in detail. 我们的历史教师总爱概括地讲，从不详述任何史实。
• Such generalizing statements are tentative at best. 这种一般化的陈述充其量不过是一种尝试。

11 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

12 ascending   

adj.上升的，向上的

参考例句：

• Now draw or trace ten dinosaurs in ascending order of size.现在按照体型由小到大的顺序画出或是临摹出10只恐龙。

13 staircase   

n.楼梯，楼梯间

参考例句：

• Footsteps on the staircase interrupted his train of thought.楼梯上传来脚步声，打断了他的思路。
• I crossed the staircase landing,and entered the room she indicated.我经过一个楼梯平台，走进她说的那个房间。