CHAPTER XXIII. A CATASTROPHE.

 "All the latest magazines and papers! Harper's, Frank Leslie's, the New York Weekly!"

Of course the speaker was Paul, and he was making his rounds on the succeeding day in the Milwaukee train.

"Come here, my boy. Let me see what you have got."

The speaker was an elderly gentleman, with gray hair and beard, tall and portly. His handsome suit of the finest broadcloth, the solid gold chain, as thick almost as a cable, that spanned his waistcoat, and his general air, indicated prosperity and wealth.

Paul recognized him as a frequent traveler on his train. He even knew his name, and was aware that he was a substantial Chicago manufacturer, who had a branch establishment at Milwaukee.

The name of Alexander Bradford was well known in business circles, and his name was at any time good at the bank where he dealt for a hundred thousand dollars, while the sum of his wealth was generally estimated at considerably¹ over a million.

[Pg 171]"Certainly, Mr. Bradford," answered Paul, politely, as he approached the rich man with alacrity².

"Ha, you know my name," said Mr. Bradford.

"Oh, yes, sir; I have seen you often on the train."

"I can return the compliment, my young friend," said Bradford, smiling, "but I am not familiar with your name."

"My name is not quite so well known as yours, Mr. Bradford. I am Paul Palmer, at your service!"

"Paul Palmer! The name sounds very well, my boy. Some day it may be well known, too. I was not very conspicuous³ myself at your age. Come, now, how much do you manage to earn in the course of a week?"

"I seldom fall short of seven dollars. Sometimes I get up as high as ten."

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"At your age I was earning about half as much as you."

"But you didn't depend on it, sir?"

"Yes, I did. I was a poor boy; had to paddle my own canoe, just as you are doing—had a mother to help, too."

"I have a mother and sister to assist," returned Paul.

[Pg 172]"You don't say so?" Mr. Bradford remarked, surveying Paul with increased interest. "Then your father is not living?"

"No, sir."

"I see you are a good boy. Do you give most of your wages to your mother?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you don't think it hard, eh? You don't feel as if you'd rather spend it on yourself, eh?"

"If my mother didn't need it, I should certainly like to spend a little more on myself, but I am glad to feel that I am able to take care of her."

"That's well, my boy; I quite approve of that. By the way—it was you, I believe, who caught the pickpocket⁴ that took Miss Dearborn's money?"

"Yes, sir. Were you on the train at the time?"

"Yes; I was in the same car. It did you a great deal of credit. You are evidently sharp."

"Thank you, sir."

"I suppose you don't always expect to be a train boy?"

"I think I shall have to retire by the time I reach fifty, sir; I can't very well pass for a boy then."

"Ho, ho!" laughed the old gentleman, appreciating the joke. "I should say not. And what are you looking to do in place of it?"

"I should like to get a place in a counting-room or[Pg 173] store," said Paul; "but at present I couldn't afford to take such a situation."

"It would lead to more."

"Yes, sir; but I could not expect at first to earn more than half as much as I do on the train. While I have my mother and sister to support, I do not dare to make a change."

"Very true," said the old gentleman, thoughtfully.

Remaining silent, Paul was about to move on, when Mr. Bradford called him back.

"Stay, my young friend," he said; "I haven't made a purchase yet."

He selected an illustrated⁵ paper and a magazine, and drew from his vest-pocket a two-dollar bill, which he handed to our hero.

"Ten and thirty-five are forty-five," said Paul, in a business-like tone. "I must give you a dollar and fifty-five cents in change."

"Never mind, Paul," said Mr. Bradford, waving his hand. "Keep it for yourself, or, rather, give it to your mother."

"Thank you, sir," said Paul, gratefully, for the gift was equal to his profits for a good day's work.

He was about to resume his walk through the car when there was a sudden shock.

[Pg 174]Passengers were hurled⁶ from their seats; there were screams of fright and pain, and a confusion hard to describe.

The train had run off the track!

1 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

2 alacrity   

n.敏捷，轻快，乐意

参考例句：

• Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。
• He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。

3 conspicuous   

adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的

参考例句：

• It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显，抽烟对健康有害。
• Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。

4 pickpocket   

n.扒手；v.扒窃

参考例句：

• The pickpocket pinched her purse and ran away.扒手偷了她的皮夹子跑了。
• He had his purse stolen by a pickpocket.他的钱包被掏了。

5 illustrated   

adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
• The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。

6 hurled   

v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂

参考例句：

• He hurled a brick through the window. 他往窗户里扔了块砖。
• The strong wind hurled down bits of the roof. 大风把屋顶的瓦片刮了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》