“Perhaps he has gone out a little while,” thought Joshua. “I will inquire.”
He walked up to the counter, and asked, “Is Sam Crawford out?”
“He hasn’t been in very lately,” answered the clerk, taking in the rustic2 appearance of his questioner at a glance.
Joshua did not infer from this answer the true state of the case.
“Is he coming in soon?” he asked.
“I really don’t know,” said the clerk, indifferently, winking3 to his fellow-salesman, who was within hearing distance.
Something in his tone excited doubt in Joshua’s mind.
“I suppose he works here, don’t he?” he inquired.
“Not that I ever heard of.”
“Why,” said Joshua, puzzled, “the boy that showed me the way told me he did.”
“Then the boy told a lie.”
Joshua felt disturbed at this information, It appeared that he had paid away seventy-five cents without receiving value therefor. Besides, apart from this, he wanted to find Sam. He felt helpless in a large city, without a single acquaintance or friend to instruct him in what he ought to do.
“Are there any other shoe stores in this street,” he asked.
“I should say there were--several,” answered the clerk; “but of course we sell the best articles at the lowest price.”
“Do you?” said Joshua, with an air of one receiving information.
“Yes; can’t we sell you a pair?”
“I guess not to-day,” answered Joshua.
“I suppose you know that your boots are out of style,” said the other, surveying Joshua’s boots contemptuously.
“I won’t buy any to-day,” said Joshua, to whom it occurred that when he found Sam the latter would sell to him cheaper on the score of acquaintance.
“Take a card,” said the salesman, “and give us a call when you need a pair.”
Joshua took the card and put it in his pocket. As he left the store he looked about for the boy who had deceived him. The latter would probably have been invisible, but a gentleman had hailed him, and he was now engaged in polishing his second boot. Joshua waited till he was through, and then commenced the attack.
“Look here,” said he, “you said Sam Crawford worked in that store.”
The bootblack, who had not contemplated4 another meeting with the customer he had deceived, decided5 to brazen6 it out, and deny all knowledge of the affair.
“Who’s Sam Crawford?” he asked, vacantly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You told me Sam Crawford worked in that store.”
“Did I? I don’t know any Sam Crawford.”
“You told me you blacked his boots every morning,” persisted Joshua.
“Look here, mister, haven’t you got hold of the wrong boy?”
Joshua was rather taken aback by this question, but, looking closely at the boy before him, he was convinced that he was right.
“No, I have not,” he said; “I paid you seventy-five cents for showing me the way to the store where Sam Crawford worked.”
“How could I show you when I never heard of Sam Crawford?”
“You said you knew him.”
“I guess you’re crazy, mister.”
“You’ve cheated me,” said Joshua, getting provoked. “Just give me back that seventy-five cents I paid you.”
“Do you see any green in my eye, mister?” inquired the bootblack.
“What makes you ask that?”
“I see what you are,” said the bootblack, boldly carrying the war into the enemy’s camp; “you’re one of them swindlin’ fellers that go round cheatin’ the poor out of their hard earnings7. I’ll call a cop.”
“What’s a cop?” asked Joshua, uneasily.
“A peeler.”
“What’s a peeler?”
“A purlice officer. Where was you brought up?” demanded the boy, contemptuously. “If I knowed where Sam Crawford lived, wouldn’t I tell you?”
“Are you sure you ain’t the boy that showed me the way?”
“In course I am.”
“You just look like him,” said Joshua, doubtfully.
“I know who it was,” said the bootblack, who had no scruples8 about lying. “It was Pat Brady. He and me look like twin brothers. He’s a bad boy, Pat is--he’ll lie as fast as he can talk.”
Joshua was at last convinced that he had made a mistake. He was completely taken in by the young rascal9, who proceeded to follow up his deception10.
“Did Pat black your boots?” he asked.
“Yes,” said Joshua.
“I thought so,” said the bootblack, contemptuously. “He can’t shine boots. How much did you pay?”
“Twenty cents.”
“Then he cheated you.”
“He said it was the regular price.”
“How that boy will lie!” said the young Arab, virtuously12. “The regular price is ten cents. Don’t you want me to give you a shine?”
“No,” said Joshua, hastily drawing back his foot, upon which the bootblack was about to commence operations. “They don’t need any more blacking.”
“Don’t you ever get Pat Brady to shine your boots ag’in.”
“No, I won’t,” said Joshua, indignant at the swindle which the virtuous11 young bootblack had exposed. “If I ever see him again I’ll give him a licking.”
“That’s right, mister; I’ll help you do it any time,” said his new friend.
“I wish I knew where to find Sam Crawford,” said Joshua, in perplexity. “Is this Eighth avenue?”
“Yes.”
“Sam is in a shoe store somewhere in this street.”
“Why don’t you go into every store, and ax ’em if he works there. I’ll go with you for fifty cents.”
But Joshua thought, very justly, that this was something in which he required no help, and did not therefore feel disposed to throw away any more money. He began to think that New York was a very extensive place, where it was quite necessary to be on the look-out for swindlers. If he could only find Sam Crawford, for whose knowledge of life he had high respect, he would, undoubtedly13, be all right; but there were difficulties in the way. Still, he was not without hope. If he inquired in every shoe store on the avenue, he must come across him after a while.
We are often very near the truth without suspecting it. The store of which Joshua was in search was in reality on the next block below the one which he had entered; but, ignorant of this, he directed his steps uptown, and very soon found another store.
“Does Sam Crawford work here?” he asked, entering.
“No, he don’t; but I’ll sell you a pair of shoes or boots as cheap as he will.”
“I don’t want to buy anything. Sam Crawford is a friend of mine; I want to find him.”
“I am sorry I can’t help you. I don’t know any such man. Hadn’t you better let me show you a pair of boots?”
“No; I don’t need any,” said Joshua, and, disappointed a second time, beat a retreat.
“It’s strange Sam Crawford isn’t any better known,” thought Joshua. “I should think those that keep stores in the same street would know him.”
My readers may conclude that Joshua was very verdant14, but the fact was that he had lived all his lifetime in a country village, where everybody knew everybody else, and this will help to account for his limited knowledge of life.
“I wish I had Sam’s letter,” he said to himself; “it would save me a good deal of trouble.”
In the next store the young man to whom he addressed his stereotyped15 question prided himself on being a wag, and, perceiving that Joshua was from the country, resolved to have a little fun with him.
“Sam Crawford!” he repeated. “He’s a young man, isn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Dark hair?”
“Yes.”
“Black eyes?”
“Yes.”
“A mustache?”
“Yes.”
“Acquainted with the shoe business?”
“Yes. Do you know him?” asked Joshua, eagerly.
“And a hump-back?”
“What?”
“With a hump between his shoulders?”
“No.”
“Then it can’t be the Crawford I know.”
Joshua was deeply disappointed. The young man had drawn16 him on till he believed that Sam was practically found. Now, discovery seemed as remote as ever. Again he emerged into the street. There was a shoe store on the next block. His hope revived. He entered that also, but the faces were all unfamiliar17. He asked as before, but succeeded in eliciting18 no information. He kept on his way for a mile, entering store after store, marveling inwardly why there should be need of so many shoe stores, and, as he failed to discover Sam, almost beginning to doubt whether he hadn’t made a mistake about the street. He began to feel lonely, not for the lack of human faces, for he had met hundreds of persons, but the peculiar19 loneliness of a stranger in a great city, who, among the multitudes that he meets, recognizes not one familiar face.
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1
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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2
rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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3
winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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4
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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5
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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6
brazen
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| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
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7
earnings
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| n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得 | |
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8
scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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9
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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10
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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11
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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12
virtuously
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| 合乎道德地，善良地 | |
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13
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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14
verdant
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| adj.翠绿的，青翠的，生疏的，不老练的 | |
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15
stereotyped
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| adj.(指形象、思想、人物等)模式化的 | |
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16
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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17
unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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18
eliciting
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| n. 诱发, 引出 动词elicit的现在分词形式 | |
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19
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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