CHAPTER IV.
LIFE AT THE BOARDING-HOUSE.
Dick found his new quarters in Bleecker Street very comfortable. Hisroom was kept in neat order, which was more than could be said of hisformer home in Mott Street. There once a fortnight was thoughtsufficient to change the sheets, while both boys were expected to usethe same towel, and make that last a week. Indeed, Mrs. Mooney wouldhave considered the boys "mighty particular" if they had objected tosuch an arrangement. Mrs. Browning, fortunately, was very different, andDick found nothing to complain of either in his chamber or in the boardwhich was furnished.
Dick had felt rather awkward on his first appearance at the table, buthe was beginning to feel more at his ease. It was rather remarkable,considering his past life, how readily he adapted himself to anexperience so different. He left the store at five o'clock, and got tohis boarding-house in time to get ready for dinner. Dick had now got tobe quite particular about his appearance. He washed his face and handsthoroughly, and brushed his hair carefully, before appearing at thetable.
Miss Peyton, the lively young lady who has already been mentioned in thefirst chapter, sat near the boys, and evidently was quite prepossessedin their favor. Both had bright and attractive faces, though Dick wouldundoubtedly be considered the handsomest. He had a fresh color whichspoke of good health, and was well-formed and strong. Henry Fosdick wasmore delicate in appearance; his face was thinner, and rather pale. Itwas clear that he was not as well able to fight his way through life asDick. But there was something pleasant and attractive in his quietsedateness, as well as in the frank honesty and humor that could be readin the glance of our friend Dick.
"Won't you and your friend stop a little while and sing?" asked MissPeyton, addressing Henry Fosdick on the evening of the second day ofDick's business career.
Fosdick hesitated.
"My friend has an engagement this evening," he said.
"I suppose I may not ask where," said she.
"I am invited to spend the evening with some friends on Madison Avenue,"said Dick.
"Indeed?" said Miss Peyton, surprised. "I wasn't aware you had suchfashionable friends, or I couldn't have expected to retain you."
"All my friends are not as fashionable," said Dick, wondering what theyoung lady would say if she could see his late fellow-lodgers at Mrs.Mooney's, on Mott Street.
"If I can't hope to keep you this evening, you must promise to stayawhile to-morrow evening. I hope to have the pleasure of hearing yousing, Mr. Hunter."
"When I give a concert," said Dick, "I'll be sure to let you ingratooitous."
"Thank you," said Miss Peyton. "I shall remind you of it. I hope thattime will come very soon."
"Just as soon as I can engage the Academy of Music on reasonable terms."
"You'd better try first in the parlor here. We'll take up acontribution, to pay you for your exertions."
"Thank you," said Dick. "You're very kind, as the man said to the judgewhen he asked him when it would be perfectly agreeable for him to behung."
Miss Peyton laughed at this remark, and Dick went upstairs to get readyfor his visit to Madison Avenue.
Our hero felt a little bashful about this visit. He was afraid that hewould do or say something that was improper, or that something wouldslip out which would betray his vagabond life of the streets.
"I wish you was going with me, Fosdick," he said.
"You'll get along well enough alone, Dick. Don't be afraid."
"You see I aint used to society, Fosdick."
"Nor I either."
"But it seems to come natural to you. I'm always makin' some blunder."
"You'll get over that in time, Dick. It's because you have so much funin you. I am more sober. Miss Peyton seems very much amused by your oddremarks."
"I have to talk so; I can't think of anything else to say."
"There's one thing, Dick, we mustn't give up at any rate."
"What's that?"
"Studying. We don't either of us know as much as we ought to."
"That's so."
"You can see how much good studying has done for you so far. If ithadn't been for that, you wouldn't have been able to go into Mr.Rockwell's employment."
"That's true enough, Fosdick. I'm afraid I don't know enough now."
"You know enough to get along very well for the present, but you want torise."
"You're right. When I get to be old and infirm I don't want to be anerrand-boy."
"Nor I either. So, Dick, I think we had better make up our minds tostudy an hour or an hour and a half every evening. Of course, you can'tbegin this evening, but there are very few when you can't find thetime."
"I'll send a circ'lar to my numerous friends on Fifth Avenue andMadison, tellin' 'em how much I'm obliged for their kind invitations,but the claims of literatoor and science can't be neglected."
"Do you know, Dick, I think it might be well for us to begin French?"
"I wonder what Johnny Nolan would say if I should inquire after hishealth in the polly-voo language?"
"It wouldn't be the first time you have astonished him."
"Well, Fosdick, I'm in for it if you think it's best. Now tell me whatnecktie I shall wear?"
Dick displayed two. One was bright red with large figures, which he hadbought soon after he began to board in Mott Street. The other was aplain black.
"You'd better wear the black one, Dick," said Fosdick, whose taste wassimpler and better than his friend's.
"It seems to me it don't look handsome enough," said Dick, whose tastehad not yet been formed, and was influenced by the Bowery style ofdress.
"It's more modest, and that is all the better."
"All right. I suppose you know best. Before I get ready I must give anew shine to my boots. I'm going to make them shine so you can see yourface in them."
"Better let me do that for you, Dick. I can do it while you're dressing,and that will save time."
"No, Fosdick, I was longer in the business than you, and none of theboys could beat me on shines."
"I don't know but you're right, Dick. I freely yield the palm to you inthat."
Dick stripped off his coat and vest and went to work with a will. He hadnever worked so hard for one of his old customers.
"I'm goin' to give it a twenty-five cent shine," he said.
Just then a knock was heard at the chamber-door.
"Come in!" said Dick, pausing a moment in his labors.
Mr. Clifton, a fellow-boarder, entered with a cigar in his mouth.
"Holloa," said he, "what's up? Going to the theatre, Hunter?"
"No," said Dick. "I'm goin' out to spend the evening with some friendsup in Madison Avenue."
"So I heard you say at the table, but I thought you were joking."
"No," said Dick; "it's a fact."
"Seems to me you handle the brush pretty skilfully," remarked Mr.Clifton. "I should almost think you had served a regular apprenticeshipat it."
"So I have," answered Dick. "Didn't you ever see me when I blacked bootson Chatham Square?"
"Good joke!" said the young man, who was far from supposing that Dickwas in earnest. "Oh, yes, of course I've seen you often! Did you makemoney at it?"
"I retired on a fortun'," said Dick, "and now I've invested my capitalin mercantile pursuits. There," and he took up one boot, and showed itto his visitor, "did you ever see a better shine than that?"
"No, I didn't, that's a fact," said Clifton, admiringly. "You beat theyoung rascal I employ all hollow. I say, Hunter, if you ever go into the'shine' business again, I'll be a regular customer of yours."
"He little thinks I've blacked his boots before now," thought Dick.
"All right," said he, aloud. "When a commercial crisis comes, and I failin business, I think I'll remember your encouragin' offer, and remindyou of it."
"Have a cigar either of you?" asked Clifton, drawing out a case. "Excusemy not offering it before."
"No, thank you," said Fosdick.
"Don't smoke, eh? Won't you have one, Hunter?"
"No, thank you. Fosdick is my guardian, and he don't allow it."
"So you're a good boy. Well, I wish you a pleasant evening," and Cliftonsauntered out to find some other companion.
"He wouldn't believe I'd been a boot-black," said Dick, "even after Itold him. I knew he wouldn't, or I wouldn't have said so. Is my hairparted straight?"
"Yes, it's all right."
"How's my cravat?"
"It'll do. You're getting to be quite a dandy, Dick."
"I want to look respectable; got it right that time. When I visit TurkeyI want to look as the turkeys do. Won't you go with me,--as far as thedoor, I mean?"
"Yes, if you're going to walk."
"I'd rather. I feel kind of nervous, and perhaps I'll walk it off."
The two boys got their caps, and walked up Broadway on the west side.The lights were already lit, and the shop windows made a brilliantdisplay. At intervals places of amusement opened wide their hospitableportals, and large placards presented tempting invitations to enter.
They reached Union Square, and, traversing it, again walked up Broadwayto Madison Park. At the upper end of this park commences the beautifulavenue which bears the same name. Only about half a dozen blocks nowrequired to be passed, when the boys found themselves opposite aresidence with a very imposing front.
"This is the place," said Dick. "I wish you were going in with me."
"I hope you will have a pleasant time, Dick. Good-by till I see youagain."
Dick felt a little nervous, but he summoned up all his courage, and,ascending the broad marble steps, rang the bell.
Fame and Fortune; or, The Progress of Richard Hunter Page 4
