Chapter 10 Stephen Webb Obtains Some Information

 Luke was at his post the following morning, and had disposed of half his papers when Stephen Webb strolled by. He walked past Luke, and then, as if it was an after thought, turned back, and addressed him.

 

"Have you a morning _Tribune?_" he asked.

 

Luke produced it.

 

"How's business to-day?" asked Stephen in an offhand¹ manner.

 

"Pretty fair," answered Luke, for the first time taking notice of the inquirer, who did not impress him very favorably.

 

"I have often wondered how you newsboys make it pay," said Stephen, in a sociable² tone.

 

"We don't make our fortunes, as a rule," answered Luke, smiling, "so I can't recommend you to go into it."

 

"I don't think it would suit me. I don't mind owning up that I am lazy. But, then, I am not obliged to work for the present, at least."

 

"I should like to be able to live without work," said the newsboy. "But even then I would find something to do. I should not be happy if I were idle."

 

"I am not wholly without work," said Stephen. "My uncle, who lives at a distance, occasionally sends to me to do something for him. I have to hold myself subject to his orders. In the meantime I get an income from him. How long have you been a newsboy?"

 

"Nearly two years."

 

"Do you like it? Why don't you get a place in a store or an office?"

 

"I should like to, if I could make enough; but boys get very small salaries."

 

"I was about to offer to look for a place for you. I know some men in business."

 

"Thank you! You are very kind, considering that we are strangers."

 

"Oh, well, I can judge of you by your looks. I shouldn't be afraid to recommend you."

 

"Thank you!" he replied; "but unless you can offer me as much as five dollars a week, I should feel obliged to keep on selling papers. I not only have myself to look out for, but a mother and little brother."

 

Stephen nodded to himself complacently³. It was the very information of which he was in search.

 

"Then your father isn't living?" he said.

 

"No. He died in California."

 

"Uncle Thomas made his money in California," Stephen said to himself. "I wonder if he knew this newsboy's father."

 

"Five dollars is little enough for three persons to live upon," he went on, in a sympathetic manner.

 

"Mother earns something by sewing," Luke answered, unsuspiciously; "but it takes all we can make to support us."

 

"Then they can't have any other resources," thought Stephen. "I am getting on famously."

 

"Well, good-morning, Luke!" he said. "I'll see you later."

 

"How do you know my name?" asked Luke, in surprise.

 

"I'm an idiot!" thought Stephen. "I ought to have appeared ignorant of his name. I have seen you before to-day," he replied, taking a little time to think. "I heard one of the other newsboys calling you by name. I don't pretend to be a magician."

 

This explanation satisfied Luke. It appeared very natural.

 

"I have a great memory for names," proceeded Stephen. "That reminds me that I have not told you mine--I am Stephen Webb, at your service."

 

"I will remember it."

 

"Have a cigarette, Luke?" added Stephen, producing a packet from his pocket."

 

"Thank you; I don't smoke."

 

"Don't smoke, and you a newsboy! I thought all of you smoked."

 

"Most of us do, but I promised my mother I wouldn't smoke till I was twenty-one."

 

"Then I'm old enough to smoke. I've smoked ever since I was twelve years old--well, good morning!"

 

"That'll do for one day," thought Stephen Webb.

 

It was three days before Stephen Webb called again on his new acquaintance. He did not wish Luke to suspect anything, he said to himself. Really, however, he found other things to take up his attention. At the rate his money was going it seemed very doubtful whether he would be able to give his mother any part of his salary, as suggested by his uncle.

 

"Hang it all!" he said to himself, as he noted⁴ his rapidly diminishing hoard⁵. "Why can't my uncle open his heart and give me more than ten dollars a week? Fifteen dollars wouldn't be any too much, and to him it would be nothing--positively nothing."

 

On the second evening Luke went home late. It had been a poor day for him, and his receipts were less than usual, though he had been out more hours.

 

When he entered the house, however, he assumed a cheerful look, for he never wished to depress his mother's spirits.

 

"You are late, Luke," said Mrs. Walton; "but I have kept your supper warm."

 

"What makes you so late, Luke?" asked Bennie.

 

"The papers went slow, Bennie. They will, sometimes. There's no very important news just now. I suppose that explains it."

 

After a while Luke thought he noticed that his mother looked more serious than usual.

 

"What's the matter, mother?" he asked. "Have you a headache?"

 

"No, Luke. I am perfectly⁶ well, but I am feeling a little anxious."

 

"About what, mother?"

 

"I went around this afternoon to take half a dozen shirts that I had completed, and asked for more. They told me they had no more for me at present, and they didn't know when I could have any more."

 

This was bad news, for Luke knew that he alone did not earn enough to support the family. However, he answered cheerfully: "Don't be anxious, mother! There are plenty of other establishments in Chicago besides the one you have been working for."

 

"That is true, Luke; but I don't know whether that will help me. I stopped at two places after leaving Gusset & Co.'s, and was told that their list was full."

 

"Well, mother, don't let us think of it to-night! To morrow we can try again."

 

Luke's cheerfulness had its effect on his mother, and the evening was passed socially.

 

The next morning Luke went out to work at the usual time. He had all his papers sold out by half-past ten o'clock, and walked over to State Street, partly to fill up the time, arid⁷ partly in search of some stray job. He was standing⁸ in front of the Bee Hive, a well-known drygoods store on State Street, when his attention was called to an old lady, who, in attempting to cross the street, had imprudently placed herself just in the track of a rapidly advancing cable car. Becoming sensible of her danger, the old lady uttered a terrified cry, but was too panic-stricken to move.

 

On came the car, with gong sounding out its alarm, and a cry of horror went up from the bystanders.

 

Luke alone seemed to have his wits about him.

 

He saw that there was not a moment to lose, and, gathering⁹ up his strength, dashed to the old lady's assistance. 

1 offhand   

adj.临时，无准备的；随便，马虎的

参考例句：

• I can't answer your request offhand.我不能随便答复你的要求。
• I wouldn't want to say what I thought about it offhand.我不愿意随便说我关于这事的想法。

2 sociable   

adj.好交际的，友好的，合群的

参考例句：

• Roger is a very sociable person.罗杰是个非常好交际的人。
• Some children have more sociable personalities than others.有些孩子比其他孩子更善于交际。

3 complacently   

adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地

参考例句：

• He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。
• "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装，"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 hoard   

n./v.窖藏，贮存，囤积

参考例句：

• They have a hoard of food in the basement.地下室里有他们贮藏的食物。
• How many curios do you hoard in your study?你在你书房里聚藏了多少古玩？

6 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

7 arid   

adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的

参考例句：

• These trees will shield off arid winds and protect the fields.这些树能挡住旱风,保护农田。
• There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。

8 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。

9 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。