What should he do? He had not money enough to go back to New York, even if he had wished it. He must stay in Chicago, and find something to do, if possible. But suppose he should fail? This possibility--probability, I might rather say--suggested itself to the unhappy Joshua, and he shuddered4 at the fate which might befall him. He could remain a week at his boarding place before board would be demanded, and he decided5 to do so, though he was not quite sure whether he might not be arrested if he failed at the end of that to pay his board bill.
“But I may get a place before that time,” he thought.
At any rate, there seemed nothing else to do. So, prudently6 omitting to say anything about the critical state of his finances, he continued to retain his room, mentioning to Mrs. Foster that Mr. Remington had been called away on business for a few days. Not wishing to have it known that he had lost his place, he absented himself during the usual business hours, spending his time in wandering about the city in search of a situation.
It so happened, however, that there was a lull7 in business, and there was even less chance for him than usual. Everywhere he received the same answer. No help was wanted. In one or two cases, where he saw upon a window, “Boy Wanted,” he found himself too late.
On Saturday morning he was wandering about listlessly, dreading8 the bill which his landlady9 would render at night, when he chanced to step into a bowling-alley10.
“Where’s the boy to set up the pins?” asked a young man, who had entered just before with a friend.
“He’s sick,” said the proprietor11. “I must get another in his place.”
“Get one in a hurry, then, for my friend and I want a game.”
Joshua heard what was said, and it gave him an idea.
“I’ll set up the pins,” he said.
“Go ahead, then, Johnny.”
Joshua walked down to the end of the alley, and set to work. There was no difficulty about it, of course, and he performed the work satisfactorily. The young men played two games, occupying about half an hour. When it was over they paid for the games, and calling Joshua, gave him twenty cents.
As they went out others came in.
“Look here, boy,” said the proprietor of the establishment, “if you choose to stay here and set up pins, you can do it.”
“I’d like to do it,” said Joshua.
The position was not a very dignified12 one, but it was better than starving, and Joshua had been afraid that such a fate was in store for him.
“I don’t pay no wages,” said the man; “but the gentlemen that play will mostly give you something.”
“All right,” said Joshua.
So he remained through the day. By that time he had picked up seventy-five cents. Had all paid him, he would have had more; but some neglected it, and he was not allowed to ask anything. He came back in the evening, as desired, and picked up fifty cents more.
“At this rate I can make a living,” he thought, with a feeling of relief. “But I wouldn’t have Sam know what I was doing for anything.”
He had enough to settle his board bill and about a dollar over. So he paid it without explaining anything of his change of circumstances.
“When do you expect Mr. Remington back?” asked the landlady.
“I don’t know,” said Joshua.
“You are working for him, I believe?”
“Yes; but I have been offered another situation, and I think I shall take it.”
During the next week, Joshua made seven dollars at his new business, and was able to pay his board bill. He was heartily13 tired of the bowling-alley, where he received treatment which he considered derogatory to one of his age, the son of a rich man; but it was of no use to say anything. He could not afford to lose this place, the only plank14 that lay between him and starvation. So he bore in silence all the curses he received from the proprietor of the place, when, as was frequently the case, that gentleman was excited by liquor, and kept steadily15 at work. Indeed, humble16 as was Joshua’s present position, there is at least this to be said, that for the first time in his life he was earning his living by honest labor17.
When he paid his second bill, Mrs. Foster asked him again when Mr. Remington would return.
“I don’t know, ma’am,” he said; “I’ve left his store.”
“What for?”
“He cheated me out of my money,” answered Joshua, truly, “and I don’t think he means to come back at all.”
“But I can’t afford to let you have this room alone for five dollars a week.”
“I can’t pay any more.”
“There is a gentleman going to give up the hall bedroom on the third floor; you can have that for five dollars.”
“I will take it, then, for I can’t pay any more.”
So Joshua made the change. About this time he received a letter from Sam, asking him if he had heard of any good opening in Chicago for him. Joshua wrote back that business was very dull at present, but when he heard of anything he would write.
“I am getting on pretty well,” he wrote; “but there are some things about my situation I don’t like; I find it very expensive living here, and I don’t save up any money. I shall change my business as soon as I can.”
But about the nature of the business in which he was engaged, Joshua wrote nothing. Had Sam known his true position, he would have been spared the jealousy18 he felt of his friend’s supposed success, and cured of any desire to try his luck in Chicago.
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收听单词发音
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1
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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2
philistines
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| n.市侩，庸人( philistine的名词复数 )；庸夫俗子 | |
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3
rogues
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| n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽 | |
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4
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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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
prudently
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| adv. 谨慎地，慎重地 | |
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7
lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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8
dreading
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| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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9
landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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10
alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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11
proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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12
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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13
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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14
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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15
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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16
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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17
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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18
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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