Ragged Dick, Or, Street Life in New York with the Boot-Blacks

-school. He has a suit of clothes in his trunk about half worn. He is willin

g that he knew very little about, never having received any to his knowledge.

ht out, and turned out

nd a dirty skin don't go very well together. Frank, you may attend to hi

, un

y be rash in trusting a boy of whom I know nothing, but I like yo

said Dick, earnest

A pleasant t

sation of cleanliness he found both new and pleasant. Frank added to his gift a s

t one,"

ld felt hat, which had once been black, but was now dingy, w

oy, and I've kep' it ever since out of respect for his memory. B

at nea

ve minut

n get one o

face and hands clean, and his hair brushed, it w

adily have been taken for a young gentlema

said Frank, leading

starting back in astonishm

yourself?" asked

n he sees me? He won't dare to speak to such a young swell as I be now. Aint it rich?" and Dick burst into a loud laugh. His fancy was tickled by t

a brick,

wha

lly good fellow to gi

and I can spare the clothes just as well as not. You must have a new hat though.

of the pants a dirty rag, which might have been white once, though it did n

carry that,

ot a cold,"

o go without a handkerc

k and pulled out two,

ng himself doubtfully in the glass. "I'm afraid I'm dreamin

you can wake here?"

, seriously, "I

jacket, and Frank pinched him p

got a pair of nippers, you have. But what sha

till we come back," said

h a professional eye, "you aint got a good shine on them b

as good a

k; "now you had better

boot-black considers his blacking too valuable to expend on his

met the same servant who had spoken to Dick a

d Dick. "He thinks I'm

's a

at wears nobby c

u, too,

er have thought as I should

walking along the west side by the Park, when who

ng Johnny's amazement at his change in appearance.

how many shine

hed eyes rested on a nicely dressed boy (the hat alone excepted) who looked indeed li

Johnny?" r

from head to foot in

you?"

ne," laughed Dick; "so

clothes?" asked Johnny.

to a young feller as was goin' to a party, and didn't have no

tonished gaze of Johnny Nolan, who could not quite make up his mind whether

of all kinds in the neighborhood of the Astor House, that the crossing is formidable to one who is not used to it. Dick made nothing of it, dodging in and out among the horses and

ss!" calle

looking anxiously at the prospect befo

can sue 'em for d

er after several narrow esc

s so crowded

to cross, and at last got run over by an omnibus, leaving a widder and a large family of orphan childre

he

proportions, wearing a bonnet of immense siz

k la

" he said, "I think I

me," said D

ple-stand, and said, "Old lad

ed woman ope

llect your taxes. I'll take it in apples just to oblige. That

ut no taxes," said the ol

ve us two of your best apples, and my friend here,

king, "If these apples aint good, old lady, we'll return 'em, and get our money back." T

h years ago was covered with a green sward, but is now a great thoroughfare for pedestrians and contains several important public buildings.

me are very good friends. I once blacked his boots by pa