Ben, the Luggage Boy; Or, Among the Wharves

way," said Je

walking, and, turning the corner, found themselves in the

efore him, with the eager interest of a co

inting to the tall spire of the imp

Trinity

o to chur

aid Jerry, equivocally. "What

village "that is, most everybody," he corrected himself, as several persons occurred to

once just to see what it's like; but I'd a g

o say that," said Be

y n

r to go to church t

you want to. I'd give more for a stunnin'

ion, but did not think it best to say so, for fear of giving offence, though in all p

conversation they had been stan

said Jerry. "If you want to go

im so abruptly. The boot-black had already imparted to him considerable information about New York, which he saw was likely to be of benefit to him. Besides, he felt that any society was better than solitude, and a sudden feeling of loneliness overpowered him, as he felt that among the crowd of persons that jostled him as he stood at the corner, there was not one

proudly to himself; and armed with this

five cents each." Next came a candy merchant with his stock in trade, divided up into irregular lumps, and labelled a penny apiece. They looked rather tempting, and Ben would have purch

r. Ben stopped a moment to look at them. He had always had a fancy for knives, but was now without one. In fact he had sold a handsome knife, which

ng gentleman?" asked the vender,

ess not,"

taking up a showy-looking knife with three blades. "Its the best of stee

not but allow that. He would like to ha

t buy to-da

s," and the vender began to roll it up in a p

d Ben, moving away, "but I ha

dealer reluctantly unrolled it,

-morrow, I'll save it fo

ght," s

xious to sell, if he knew that I had run away from

, who naturally supposed him to b

m, the site being now occupied by the costly and elegant Herald Building and Park Bank. He looked across to the lower end of the City Hall Park, not yet diverted from its original purpose for the new Post Office building. He sa

. Most conspicuous were the dealers in penny ballads, whose wares lined the railings, and were various enough to sui

" she said, observing that Ben's atten

heap as any other article of diet, he responded to the appeal by pur

sure, were of very small size. Still ice-cream in any quantity for a penny seemed

e a glass

the taste as to the eye and the pocket. It might be ice-cream, but there was an indescribable flavor about it, only to be explained on the supposition that the ice had b

Johnny," he he

th bare feet and tattered attire, who was gazing wi

looking at him with some curiosity as he dispose

ike it?"

" said the y

her glass for the urchin. It would have been a very cheap "treat." But our young

can like the nasty

elf, grown less fastidious, would be a

roadway. He supposed that, among the great number of stores, there would be a chance for him to get into some one. He expected to make enough to live in a comfortable boarding-house, and buy his clothes, though he supposed that would be about all. He expected

was to come by experien

t are many wholesale houses, while the upper part is devoted principally to retail shops. Coming to a large warehouse for the

numerous, were filled high with ready-made garments. Ben saw no one as small a

hat do you want

?" asked our young adventurer

experience in the business?" said the

n't," said

your looks that you wer

hire me, I'll go," s

fact is, we should have to higher you before we coul

then, as he reflected, there were a great many other stores besides this, and he might have better luck next time. He walked on some distance, however, befor

BOYS W

ave something to do with receiving money. Looking in through the glass door he saw boys as small

and walked up boldly to

t a cash-bo

g to a desk about midway of the store. A stout gentle

ated his inquiry. "Do

asked the gentleman

years

ever been

, s

live in

s,

your p

aid Ben, wit

ou live w

. I take car

of ten looking out for himself, for such cases are common enough in New Yor

u been your own m

ust begun,"

r parent

; they'r

e don't receive any boys into our employ

r, if, as he judged, this was he. Besides, boys were wanted, and his size would be no objection, judging from the appearance of the other boys in the store. So he