Chapter 19 A Sensational Incident

 When Luke brought home the dress pattern his mother was much pleased.

 

"I have needed a dress for a good while," she said, "but I never felt that I could spare the money to buy even a common one. This material is very nice."

 

"It cost seventy-five cents a yard. I was with Mrs. Merton when she bought it."

 

"I hope you didn't hint to Mrs. Merton that I needed one."

 

"No, that isn't like me, mother, but I own that I was very glad when she thought of it."

 

"Please tell her how grateful I am."

 

"I will certainly do so. Now, mother, I want you to have it made up at once. I can spare the money necessary."

 

"It will cost very little. I will have it cut by a dress maker¹ and make it up myself. I hope you will long retain the friendship of Mrs. Merton."

 

"It won't by my fault if I don't. But I can't help seeing that her niece, Mrs. Tracy, and Harold, a boy about my age, look upon me with dislike."

 

"Why should they? I don't see how anyone can dislike you."

 

"You are my mother and are prejudiced in my favor. But I am sure they have no reason to dislike me. I think, however, they are jealous, and fear the old lady will look upon me with too much favor. She is very rich, I hear, and they expect to inherit all her fortune."

 

"Money makes people mean and unjust."

 

"If I can only get hold of some, I'll run the risk of that," said Luke. "I should feel a good deal more comfortable if I hadn't two enemies in the house."

 

"Do your duty, my son, and leave the rest to God. It isn't well to borrow trouble."

 

"No doubt you are right, mother. I will follow your advice."

 

The next morning Luke was at his usual stand near the Sherman House when a boy who was passing uttered a slight exclamation² of surprise. Looking up, Luke recognized Harold Tracy.

 

"So it's you, is it?" said Harold, not over politely.

 

"Yes," answered Luke. "I hope you are well."

 

"I didn't know you were a newsboy."

 

"I spend a part of my time in selling papers."

 

"Does Mrs. Merton know you are a newsboy?"

 

"I think I have told her, but I am not certain."

 

"It must be inconvenient³ for you to come so far as our house every day?"

 

"Of course it takes up some time, but Mrs. Merton does not allow me to work for nothing."

 

"How much does Aunt Eliza pay you?"

 

"I would rather you would ask Mrs. Merton. I am not sure that she would care to have me tell."

 

"You seem to forget that I am her nephew that is, her grandnephew. It is hardly likely she would keep such a thing secret from me."

 

"That may be, but I would rather you would ask her."

 

"Does she pay you more than two dollars a week?"

 

"Again I must refer you to her."

 

"It is ridiculous to make a secret of such a trifle," said Harold, annoyed.

 

"How much do you make selling papers?" he asked.

 

"I averaged about seventy-five cents a day before I began to work for Mrs. Merton. Now I don't make as much."

 

"Why don't you black boots, too? Many of the newsboys do?"

 

"I never cared to take up that business."

 

"If you should go into it, I would give you a job now and then."

 

"I am not likely to go into that business, but I shall be glad to sell you a paper whenever you need one."

 

"You are not too proud to black boots, are you?" persisted Harold.

 

"I don't think it necessary to answer that question. I have always got along without it so far."

 

Harold carried the news home to his mother that Luke was a newsboy, and Mrs. Tracy found an opportunity to mention it at the supper table.

 

"Harold saw your paragon⁴ this morning, Aunt Eliza," she commenced.

 

"Have I a paragon? I really wasn't aware of it," returned the old lady.

 

"Your errand boy."

 

"Oh, Luke. Where did you see him, Harold?"

 

"He was selling papers near the Sherman House."

 

"I hope you bought one of him."

 

"I didn't have any change."

 

"Did you know he was a newsboy, Aunt Eliza?" asked Mrs. Tracy.

 

"Yes; he told me so. You speak of it as if it were something to his discredit⁵."

 

"It is a low business, of course."

 

"Why is it a low business?"

 

"Oh, well, of course it is only poor street boys who engage in it."

 

"I am aware that Luke is poor, and that he has to contribute to the support of his mother and brother. I hope, if you were poor, that Harold would be willing to work for you."

 

"I wouldn't sell papers," put in Harold.

 

"I don't suppose Luke sells papers from choice."

 

"Aunt Eliza, I don't see why you should so persistently⁶ compare Harold with that ragged⁷ errand boy of yours."

 

"Is he ragged? I am glad you noticed it. I must help him to a new suit."

 

This was far from a welcome suggestion to Mrs. Tracy, and she made haste to add: "I don't think he's ragged. He dresses well enough for his position in life."

 

"Still, I think he needs some new clothes, and I thank you for suggesting it, Louisa."

 

The next day, Luke, to his surprise, was asked to ac company Mrs. Merton to a ready-made clothing house on Clark Street, where he was presented with a fine suit, costing twenty dollars.

 

"How kind you are, Mrs. Merton!" said Luke.

 

"I didn't notice that you needed a new suit," returned the old lady, "but my niece, Mrs. Tracy, spoke⁸ of it, and I was glad to take the hint."

 

It was in the afternoon of the same day that Luke, having an errand that carried him near the lake shore, strolled to the end of North Pier⁹. He was fond of the water, but seldom had an opportunity to go out on it.

 

"How are you, Luke?" said a boy in a flat-bottomed boat a few rods away.

 

In the boy who hailed him Luke recognized John Hagan, an acquaintance of about his own age.

 

"Won't you come aboard?" asked John.

 

"I don't mind, if you'll come near enough."

 

In five minutes Luke found himself on board the boat, He took the oars¹⁰ and relieved John, who was disposed to rest.

 

They rowed hither and thither¹¹, never very far from the pier. Not far away was a boat of the same build, occupied by a man of middle size, whose eccentric actions attracted their attention. Now he would take the oars and row with feverish¹² haste, nearly fifty strokes to a minute; then he would let his oars trail, and seem wrapped in thought. Suddenly the boys were startled to see him spring to his feet and, flinging up his arms, leap head first into the lake. 

1 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

2 exclamation   

n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词

参考例句：

• He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
• The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

3 inconvenient   

adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的

参考例句：

• You have come at a very inconvenient time.你来得最不适时。
• Will it be inconvenient for him to attend that meeting?他参加那次会议会不方便吗？

4 paragon   

n.模范，典型

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• Man is the paragon of animals.人是万物之灵。

5 discredit   

vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑

参考例句：

• Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他们的行为败坏了英国足球运动的声誉。
• They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他们不再试图怀疑这种技术本身。

6 persistently   

ad.坚持地；固执地

参考例句：

• He persistently asserted his right to a share in the heritage. 他始终声称他有分享那笔遗产的权利。
• She persistently asserted her opinions. 她果断地说出了自己的意见。

7 ragged   

adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的

参考例句：

• A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
• Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 pier   

n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱

参考例句：

• The pier of the bridge has been so badly damaged that experts worry it is unable to bear weight.这座桥的桥桩破损厉害，专家担心它已不能负重。
• The ship was making towards the pier.船正驶向码头。

10 oars   

n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。
• The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 thither   

adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的

参考例句：

• He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
• He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。

12 feverish   

adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的

参考例句：

• He is too feverish to rest.他兴奋得安静不下来。
• They worked with feverish haste to finish the job.为了完成此事他们以狂热的速度工作着。