Chapter 1 On The Erie Road

 "Papers, magazines, all the popular novels! Can't I sell you something this morning?"

 

Joshua Bascom turned as the train boy addressed him, and revealed an honest, sunburned face, lighted up with pleasurable excitement, for he was a farmer's son and was making his first visit to the city of New York.

 

"I ain't much on story readin'," he said, "I tried to read a story book once, but I couldn't seem to get interested in it."

 

"What was the name of it?" asked Fred, the train boy, smiling.

 

"It was the 'Pilgrim's Progress,' or some such name. It had pictures into it. Aunt Nancy give it to dad for a birthday present once."

 

"I have heard of it."

 

"It was a mighty¹ queer book. I couldn't make head nor tail on't."

 

"All books are not like that."

 

"I don't feel like readin'. It's a nuff sight more interestin' lookin' out of the winder at the sights.

 

"I'm going to York to spend a week," added Joshua, with an air of importance.

 

"That's where I live," said the train boy.

 

"Do you? Then you might tell me where to put up. I've got ten dollars. I reckon that ought to keep me a week."

 

Fred smiled.

 

"That is more than enough to keep me," he said, "but it costs a stranger considerable to go around. But I shall have to go my rounds."

 

It was a train on the Erie road, and the car had just passed Middletown. Joshua was sitting by the window, and the seat beside him was vacant. The train boy had scarcely left the car when a stylishly³ dressed young man, who had been sitting behind, came forward and accosted⁴ Joshua.

 

"Is this seat engaged?" he asked.

 

"Not as I know of," answered the young farmer.

 

"Then with your permission I will take it," said the stranger.

 

"Why of course; I hain't no objection. He's dreadful polite!" thought Joshua.

 

"You are from the country, I presume?" said the newcomer as he sank into the seat.

 

"Yes, I be. I live up Elmira way--town of Barton. Was you ever in Barton?"

 

"I have passed through it. I suppose you are engaged in agricultural pursuits?"

 

"Hey?"

 

"You are a farmer, I take it."

 

"Yes; I work on dad's farm. He owns a hundred and seventy-five acres, and me and a hired man help him to carry it on. I tell you we have to work."

 

"Just so! And now you are taking a vacation?"

 

"Yes. I've come to see the sights of York."

 

"I think you will enjoy your visit. Ahem! the mayor of New York is my uncle."

 

"You don't say?" ejaculated Joshua, awestruck.

 

"Yes! My name is Ferdinand Morris."

 

"Glad to know you, Mr. Morris. My name is Joshua Bascom."

 

"Indeed! An aunt of mine married a Bascom. Perhaps we are related."

 

Joshua was quite elated at the thought that he might in some way be related to the mayor of New York without knowing it, and he resolved to expatiate⁵ on that subject when he went back to Barton. He decided⁶ that his new acquaintance must be rich, for he was dressed in showy style and had a violet in his buttonhole.

 

"Be you in business, Mr Morris?" he asked.

 

"Well, ahem! I am afraid that I am rather an idler. My father left me a quarter of a million, and so I don't feel the need of working."

 

"Quarter of a million!" ejaculated Joshua. "Why, that's two hundred and fifty thousand dollars."

 

"Just so," said Morris, smiling.

 

"That's an awful pile of money! Why, dad's been workin' all his life, and he isn't wuth more'n three thousand dollars at the outside."

 

"I am afraid three thousand dollars wouldn't last me a very long time," said Morris, with an amused smile.

 

"Gosh! Where can anybody get such a pile of money? That's what beats me!"

 

"Business, my young friend, business! Why I've made that amount of money in one day."

 

"You don't say!"

 

"Yes, by speculating in Wall Street."

 

"You must be smart!"

 

"My teachers didn't seem to think so. But life in the city is very different from life in the country."

 

"I wish I could make some money."

 

"A man must have money to make money. If now you had a little money----"

 

"I've got ten dollars to pay my expenses."

 

"Is that all?"

 

"No; I've got fifteen dollars to buy a shawl and dress for marm, and some shirts for dad. He thought he'd like some boughten shirts. The last marm made for him didn't fit very well."

 

"You must take good care of your money, Mr. Bascom. I regret to say that we have a great many pickpockets⁷ in New York."

 

"So I've heerd. That's what Jim Duffy told me. He went to York last spring. But I guess Jim was keerless or he wouldn't have been robbed. It would take a smart pickpocket⁸ to rob me."

 

"Then you keep your money in a safe place?"

 

"Yes, I keep my wallet in my breeches pocket;" and Joshua slapped the right leg of his trousers in a well satisfied way.

 

"You are right! I see you are a man of the world. You are a sharp one."

 

Joshua laughed gleefully. He felt pleased at the compliment.

 

"Yes," he chuckled⁹, "I ain't easy taken in, I tell you, ef I was born in the woods."

 

"It is easy to see that. You can take care of yourself."

 

"So I can."

 

"That comes of being a Bascom. I am glad to know that we are related. You must call on me in New York."

 

"Where do you live?"

 

"At the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Just ask for Ferdinand Morris. They all know me there."

 

"Is that a good place to stop?"

 

"Yes, if you've got money enough. I pay five dollars a day for my board, and some extras carry it up to fifty dollars a week."

 

"Gosh all hemlock¹⁰!" ejaculated Joshua, "I don't want to pay no more'n five dollars a week."

 

"You can perhaps find a cheap boarding-house for that sum--with plain board, of course."

 

"That's what I'm used to. I'm willin' to get along without pie."

 

"You like pie, then?"

 

"We ginerally have it on the table at every meal, but I can wait till I get home."

 

"I will see what I can do for you. In fact, all you've got to do is to buy a morning paper, and pick out a boarding-house where the price will suit you. You must come and dine with me some day at the Fifth Avenue Hotel."

 

"Thank you! You're awful kind, but I'm afraid I ain't dressed up enough for such a stylish² place."

 

"Well, perhaps not, but I might lend you a suit to go to the table in. We are about the same build."

 

"If you've got an extra suit----"

 

"An extra suit? Mr. Bascom, I have at least twenty extra suits."

 

"Gee-whillikens! What do you want with so many clothes?"

 

"I never wear the same suit two days in succession. But I must bid you good morning, Mr. Bascom. I have a friend in the next car."

 

Morris rose, and Joshua, feeling much flattered with his polite attentions, resumed his glances out of the window.

 

"Apples, oranges, bananas!" called the train boy, entering the car with a basket of fruit.

 

"How much do you charge?" asked Joshua. "I feel kind of hungry, and I haven't ate an orange for an age. Last time I bought one was at the grocery up to hum."

 

"The large oranges are five cents apiece," said Fred. "I can give you two small ones for the same price."

 

"I'll take two small ones. It seems a great deal of money, but I'm traveling and that makes a difference."

 

"Here are two good ones!" said Fred, picking out a couple.

 

"All right! I'll take 'em!"

 

Joshua Bascom thrust his hand into his pocket, and then a wild spasm¹¹ contracted his features. He explored it with growing excitement, and a sickly pallor overspread his face.

 

"What's the matter?" asked Fred.

 

"I've been robbed. My wallet's gone!" groaned¹² Joshua in a husky voice. 

1 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

2 stylish   

adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的

参考例句：

• He's a stylish dresser.他是个穿着很有格调的人。
• What stylish women are wearing in Paris will be worn by women all over the world.巴黎女性时装往往会引导世界时装潮流。

3 stylishly   

adv.时髦地，新式地

参考例句：

• Her stylishly short auburn hair was streaked naturally with gray. 她时髦的金棕色短发里自然地夹着几丝灰发。 来自辞典例句
• She was dressed very stylishly. 她穿着很时髦。 来自互联网

4 accosted   

v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭

参考例句：

• She was accosted in the street by a complete stranger. 在街上，一个完全陌生的人贸然走到她跟前搭讪。
• His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him. 他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 expatiate   

v.细说，详述

参考例句：

• The tendency to expatiate and make much of local advantages was Western.喜欢唠唠叨叨、夸张本地优点的脾气是西部特有的。
• My present purpose is not to expatiate upon my walks.现在我并不打算絮絮不休地描述我的散步。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 pickpockets   

n.扒手( pickpocket的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Crowded markets are a happy hunting ground for pickpockets. 拥挤的市场是扒手大展身手的好地方。
• He warned me against pickpockets. 他让我提防小偷。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 chuckled   

轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
• She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情，她就轻轻地暗自发笑。

10 hemlock   

n.毒胡萝卜，铁杉

参考例句：

• He was condemned to drink a cup of hemlock.判处他喝一杯毒汁。
• Here is a beech by the side of a hemlock,with three pines at hand.这儿有株山毛榉和一株铁杉长在一起，旁边还有三株松树。

11 spasm   

n.痉挛，抽搐；一阵发作

参考例句：

• When the spasm passed,it left him weak and sweating.一阵痉挛之后，他虚弱无力，一直冒汗。
• He kicked the chair in a spasm of impatience.他突然变得不耐烦，一脚踢向椅子。

12 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》