He first went to a hotel, but was dismayed on finding the charge to be three dollars per day. In his opinion this was enough for a week’s board. He remembered Sam’s advice to seek out a cheap boarding house, and decided4 to seek one out without delay. He picked up a copy of the Chicago Tribune in the reading-room of the hotel, and took down the numbers of three houses where board was offered to the public. He put down the numbers on a piece of paper, and started out in search of them.
The first was a large and handsome house, on a fashionable street. It is needless to say that Joshua found the prices altogether above the figure he was willing to pay. The second was cheap and dirty. The third was a respectable-looking place, and would just suit him, so he thought.
“Well,” said Mrs. Foster, for that was her name, “our price varies according to the room. It ranges from five to twelve dollars.”
“I would like a room for five dollars,” said Joshua.
“We have but one room vacant at present--a third-story back--but it is of good size, and if it is occupied alone, we must charge eight dollars.”
“I couldn’t pay so much; I can’t afford it,” said Joshua, decidedly.
“Haven’t you a friend you could get to room with you? In that case, I will charge ten dollars for the two.”
“I don’t know anybody in Chicago; I am a stranger here.”
“My rent is heavy,” continued the landlady, “and I ought to get ten dollars for the room, or eight dollars for one.”
“I can’t pay it. I must go somewhere else.”
“Would you mind rooming with another gentleman?”
“I would rather not,” said Joshua, reluctantly.
“Then, if you room alone, you must expect to pay for the privilege.”
“I don’t know any gentleman to room with.”
“I tell you what you can do,” said the landlady, after a pause; “you may go into the room at once, and pay me five dollars a week, on condition that if I find another gentleman to room with you, you will agree to take him in with you.”
“I might not like him.”
“I don’t take any but respectable gentlemen,” said Mrs. Foster. “You may be sure that I won’t ask you to take any improper6 person to room with you. However, do as you please. I would just as lief let the room to you alone at eight dollars a week. I should make just as much money, and very likely more.”
Joshua thought it over, and the more he thought of it, the more inclined he was to accept Mrs. Foster’s proposal. He would prefer, of course, to room alone, unless he could have some friend like Sam Crawford for his roommate. But he was by no means inclined to pay three dollars a week extra for the privilege. He liked money better than privacy, and besides, he had only four hundred dollars left, and he felt that he could not afford it. Besides, again, it might be some time before another person applied7 for board, and meanwhile he would have the entire room for only five dollars.
“I think I will take the room,” he said, “and you can put another gentleman with me. When can I come in?”
“How soon do you want to come?”
“Right away. I can’t afford to stay at a hotel--it costs too much.”
“I will have the room ready for you this afternoon.”
“All right. I will come.”
Joshua lost no time in transferring himself to Mrs. Foster’s boarding house. He felt in very good spirits when he thought how much his expenses would be diminished by the change.
“There’s some difference between three dollars a day and five a week,” he said to himself. “I think it will suit me very well. Now all I want is to get a place, so that I can lay by my four hundred dollars. I’ll look around to-morrow.”
The next day Joshua commenced his rounds. Wherever he saw the sign “A Boy Wanted,” he went in. At one place he came near being engaged.
“How old are you?” he was asked.
“Eighteen.”
“You look younger. We don’t need a clerk so old.”
“Won’t I do?”
“You might. How much wages do you expect?”
“I don’t know what they usually pay.”
“Well, we haven’t very much for a boy to do. He will have an easy place.”
Joshua liked this. He wanted an easy place.
“But we pay only three dollars a week.”
“Three dollars a week! Why, my board costs me five dollars, and I have to pay for washing besides. Then there’s clothes.”
“Have you ever been in a place before?”
“No.”
“Then, as you have no experience, you cannot expect to make your expenses the first year.”
Joshua’s countenance8 fell. His father would do better by him than that. At home he got his board, such as it was, and was offered a little besides. What would Sam Crawford, who represented that he got a thousand dollars a year, say, if he should learn that he, Joshua, was working for three dollars a week!
“Can’t you give me more?”
“No, if you choose to come for three dollars we will take you a week on trial.”
Joshua shook his head.
“I can’t afford it,” he said; “I must look around a little more.”
The next place at which he made application was a dry-goods store.
“I see you want a clerk,” he said.
“Yes; have you experience?”
Now Joshua had tended a little in his father’s store, when the other clerk was at dinner, and he thought it might help his cause to answer in the affirmative.
“Yes,” he said, “I have had experience.”
“In this city?”
“No, not in this city,” Joshua was compelled to admit.
“Where, then?”
“In my father’s store.”
“Where is your father’s store?”
“In Stapleton.”
“Where’s Stapleton?”
“In New York State.”
“Never heard of it. Is it much of a place?”
“It’s rather small.”
“What sort of a store does your father keep?”
“He keeps dry goods, and other things.”
“I’m afraid your experience there wouldn’t fit you for employment with us. However, I will examine you a little.”
The shopkeeper led Joshua to the counter, on which was piled a variety of goods, which had been taken out to show customers, and asked for their names, and what he supposed to be their prices. Now, Joshua had never taken any pains to become acquainted with his father’s business and knew next to nothing about it. His ignorance proved to be so complete that his questioner saw at once that he would never do for their trade.
“I am sorry to say that you won’t suit us,” he said.
“We should have to teach you everything from the beginning. What we want is a competent salesman.”
Joshua was rather discouraged by this failure. He saw that he was by no means so well qualified10 to make his way in the city as he supposed. He didn’t care very much about working, to be sure. What he would have liked was, a competent income without the necessity of doing anything. In that case he thought he could enjoy himself.
“When the old man dies,” he thought, “I won’t do anything. I’ll sell out the store. I shall have enough to live upon, and it won’t be any use troubling myself with work.”
I hope none of my young readers have imbibed11 Joshua’s pernicious ideas. If so, they stand a chance of leading a very useless and unprofitable life.
Joshua’s application continued unsuccessful, and he began to get discouraged.
On the afternoon of the third day Mrs. Foster knocked at his door. “Mr. Drummond,” she said, “there’s a gentleman below that has applied for board. I have told him of this room, and he will come up and look at it. I thought I’d come and speak to you about it first.”
Of course, Joshua could make no objection. Three minutes later the landlady reappeared, followed by the gentleman referred to.
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1
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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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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landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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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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applicant
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| n.申请人，求职者，请求者 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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imbibed
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| v.吸收( imbibe的过去式和过去分词 )；喝；吸取；吸气 | |
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