CHAPTER XXVI. — PIPKIN'S DINING-ROOMS.

 Sunday is a dull day with the street-boys, whatever their business may be. The boot-blacks lose least, but if the day be unpropitious their earnings¹ are small. On such a day the Newsboys Lodge² is a great resource. It supplies all that a boy actually needs—lodging and two meals—for the small sum of eighteen cents, and in cases of need will trust boys to that amount.

 

Sam naturally had recourse to this hold on finding himself out of a situation. He had enough to pay his expenses, and did not feel compelled to go to work till Monday. Monday morning, however, the reduced state of his finances compelled him to look for employment. If he had had a little capital he might have set up as a newsboy or boot-black, but five cents can hardly be considered sufficient capital for either of these lines of business. Credit is the next best thing to capital, but Sam had no credit. He found that out, after an ineffectual attempt to borrow money of a boot-black, who, having ten dollars in a savings-bank, was regarded in his own class with high respect as a wealthy capitalist. The name of this exceptional young man was William Clark, better known among the boys as Ready Money Bill.

 

When twelve o'clock came, and Sam had earned nothing, he bethought himself of Bill, the capitalist.

 

"Bill," he said, "I want to borrer a dollar."

 

"You do!" said Bill, sharply. "What for?"

 

"To set me up in business."

 

"What business?"

 

"Evenin' papers."

 

"Haven't you got no stamps?"

 

"No."

 

"What have you been doin'?"

 

"I've been in an office."

 

"Why didn't you stay?"

 

"The boss thought he wouldn't need me no longer."

 

"I see," said Bill, nodding. "You got sacked."

 

"Not exactly."

 

"Same thing."

 

"Will you lend me the money?"

 

"I'd never get it back ag'in."

 

"Yes, you would."

 

"I dunno about that. Where'd you get money to pay me back?"

 

"The boss owes me two dollars."

 

"Why don't he pay you?"

 

"One of my friends cheated him out of it, and he won't pay me till it's paid back."

 

"May be he won't pay it back."

 

"Yes, he will. Will you lend me the money?"

 

"No, I won't. You'd ought to have saved money like I have."

 

"I'd have had two dollars, if Jim hadn't stolen money."

 

"That aint my fault. I aint goin' to lose my money for you. You can save like I do."

 

Bill was right, no doubt. He was a bee, and Sam was a drone, and the drones are always ready to avail themselves of the accumulations of their more industrious³ brothers.

 

Sam began to feel hungry. However irregular he might be in other ways, his appetite was surprisingly regular. He paused in front of a restaurant, and looked wistfully in at the windows.

 

"I wish I was a waiter," he thought. "They have all they want to eat every day."

 

It will be seen that Sam's ambition was not a lofty one. But then he was practical enough to see that three square meals a day are more to be desired than empty fame.

 

As he was standing⁴ at the window a man from within came to the door. Being without a hat, Sam supposed him to be connected with the restaurant, as, indeed, he was. Sam drew back, supposing that he was to be sent off. But here he was mistaken.

 

"Come here, Johnny," said the proprietor⁵, for it was the owner of the restaurant who addressed our hero.

 

Sam approached wondering.

 

"Have you had dinner?"

 

"No," said Sam, promptly⁶.

 

"Would you like some?"

 

Sam's answer, in the affirmative, was equally prompt.

 

"But you haven't any money, eh?"

 

"That's so," said Sam. "Wonder how he found out?" he thought.

 

"We don't give away dinners, but you can earn one," said Mr. Pipkin, for it was Pipkin's restaurant.

 

"Do you want me for a waiter?" asked Sam, hopefully.

 

"No; you wouldn't do. You haven't had experience. I want a boy to distribute handbills in front of the saloon. Can you do that?"

 

"Yes, I can," said Sam, eagerly. "I've done that before."

 

"All right. Come in."

 

Sam entered. He hoped that a preliminary dinner would be offered him, but Mr. Pipkin was not in the habit of paying in advance, and, perhaps, he was right. He brought forward a pile of circulars about the same size as Dr. Graham's, and handed them to Sam.

 

"I've just opened a new saloon," he said, "and I want to invite the patronage⁷ of the public. Stand here, and distribute these to the passers-by."

 

"All right," said Sam. "When will you give me some dinner?"

 

"In about an hour. This is the time when people generally dine, and I want to catch as many as I can."

 

Sam read one of the circulars rapidly.

 

This is the way it read:

 

"PIPKIN'S DINING-ROOMS. Unsurpassed for the excellence⁸ of cookery, and the cheapness of prices. Call once, And you will be sure to come again."

 

"I'm goin' to come once, and I'll call again if they'll let me," said Sam to himself.

 

In about an hour he was called in. The customers had thinned out, but there were a few at the tables. Sam was directed to sit down at a table in the back part of the room.

 

"Now, then," said the waiter, "hurry up, young 'un, and tell us what you want."

 

"Roast turkey and cranberry⁹ sauce," ordered Sam.

 

"All out. Try again," was the laconic¹⁰ reply.

 

"Roast chicken."

 

"That's all out too."

 

Sam looked disappointed.

 

"Oyster¹¹ stew¹²."

 

"All out."

 

"Is everything out?"

 

"No; there's some roast veal¹³, unless you prefer hash."

 

"I don't like hash," said Sam, decidedly. "Bring on your veal, and don't forget the potatoes, and some bread and butter."

 

"You've got a healthy appetite," said the waiter.

 

"You bet I have, and I've a right to it. I've earned my dinner, and I want it."

 

The articles he had ordered were brought, and he attacked them with vigor¹⁴. Then he called for a second course.

 

"A piece of mince-pie."

 

"All out," said the waiter.

 

"Apple-pie."

 

"That's out."

 

"I guess your customers all had healthy appetites to-day," said Sam. "Bring on something or other, and mind you bring enough of it."

 

A plate of rice-pudding was set before him, and speedily appropriated. He tried to get a second plate, but his application was unsuccessful. He was given to understand that he was entitled to only one plate, and was forced to rise from the table not wholly satisfied.

1 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

2 lodge   

v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆

参考例句：

• Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？
• I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。

3 industrious   

adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的

参考例句：

• If the tiller is industrious,the farmland is productive.人勤地不懒。
• She was an industrious and willing worker.她是个勤劳肯干的员工。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 proprietor   

n.所有人；业主；经营者

参考例句：

• The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。
• The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。

6 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

7 patronage   

n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场

参考例句：

• Though it was not yet noon,there was considerable patronage.虽然时间未到中午，店中已有许多顾客惠顾。
• I am sorry to say that my patronage ends with this.很抱歉，我的赞助只能到此为止。

8 excellence   

n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德

参考例句：

• His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
• My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。

9 cranberry   

n.梅果

参考例句：

• Turkey reminds me of cranberry sauce.火鸡让我想起梅果酱。
• Actually I prefer canned cranberry sauce.事实上我更喜欢罐装的梅果酱。

10 laconic   

adj.简洁的；精练的

参考例句：

• He sent me a laconic private message.他给我一封简要的私人函件。
• This response was typical of the writer's laconic wit.这个回答反映了这位作家精练简明的特点。

11 oyster   

n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人

参考例句：

• I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎，它味道真美。
• I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时，我发现我相当喜欢吃。

12 stew   

n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑

参考例句：

• The stew must be boiled up before serving.炖肉必须煮熟才能上桌。
• There's no need to get in a stew.没有必要烦恼。

13 veal   

n.小牛肉

参考例句：

• She sauteed veal and peppers,preparing a mixed salad while the pan simmered.她先做的一道菜是青椒煎小牛肉，趁着锅还在火上偎着的机会，又做了一道拼盘。
• Marinate the veal in white wine for two hours.把小牛肉用白葡萄酒浸泡两小时。

14 vigor   

n.活力，精力，元气

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在，她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。