Ben, the Luggage Boy; Or, Among the Wharves

the night before. As no one occupied the bench but himself, he thought he might as well make himself comfortable. Accordingly he laid his bundle crosswise at one end, and laid back, usi

indistinct hum; even the noise and bustle of busy Broadway, but a few feet d

ce without attracting attention. Two ragged boy

at bundle, Jim, do y

ter look

, to make sure that he was fast asleep. Th

and I'll take the bundle," s

was

him down

was none the wiser. His head, deprived of its former support, now rested on the ha

and Mike ope

le of shirts

" asked Mike,

's better t

e one o

our size. 'Taint b

me the tw

ll you

s. I'll pay you a qu

g unable to make any bargain, Jim decided to take his share of the booty round to a second-hand clothes-dealer in Chatham Street. Here, after considerable higgling, he succeeded in selling the shirt for sixteen cents, which was le

st gains, and, procuring a light, walked about in a state of hi

he was at home once more, playing with his school companions. Let him sleep! He will waken soon enough to the hard

me. When he awoke

s vagrant, for whom the hospitality of the streets alone was open. He did wish that he could sit down at the plentiful home table, and eat the well-cooked supper which was always provided; that is, if he could blot out one remembrance: when he thought of the unjust punishment that had driven him forth, his pride

tained. It was at least five minutes before he thought of his bundle at

I wonder?" he th

t perhaps it had rolled off. But it nee

he had brought from home, and const

he thought; but the explanation was not calculated to bri

ent up to a group of boot-blacks near by, one of whom was Jim, who had actua

en, "have you seen an

said Jim, who was now s

per," said Ben. "I put it under my head,

stole it?" said

hought it might have slipped out, and y

said one of the other boy

so?" asked B

u might expect

mean to go

as ther

was two

a shirt on

" sai

. What does a feller wa

e between two shirts an

one shirt. That's all I want. When

t gets dirty?" asked B

in two or three we

er, so he walked away rather depressed. It certainly hadn't been a lucky day,-this first day in the city. He had been rejected in half-a

ed of a plate of meat only. His funds being now reduced to two cents, he was obliged

doors. It was warm weather, and plenty of street boys did it. But to Ben it would be a new experience, and he regarded it with some dread. He wished he

to walk about and explore the city. He turned at a venture up Chatham Street, and was soon interested in the sights of this peculiar thoroughfare,-the shops open to the street, with half their stock in trade

g promised wonderful bargains; but his penniless

wider than Broadway, and lined by shops of a great variety, but

purchasers. The purchaser, however, must look carefully to the quality of the goods which he buys, or he will in many cases

children. They had glasses before them from which they drank. This was a Lager Beer Hall or Garden,-an institution transplanted from Germany, and chiefly patronized by those of German birth or extraction. It seemed bright and ch

ck; and turning, saw, to his surprise, the face of his onl

y's hand, unwashed during the day, was stained with blacking. He felt so glad to meet an

," said Jerry. "

," said Ben, a little as

and that'll d

of large size. On one side, about half way down, was a large instrument some like an organ, from whic

here," s

er holding a baby. Both had glasses of lager before them, and the baby was also offered

" said Jerry, to a

German?" asked

ther was an Irishman, and

be limited, as he made no further a

raught, but Ben, who had never before tasted lager, c

like it?" a

y much,"

or you;" and he suited

d not help observing, with some surprise, that, though everybody was drinking, there was not the slightest disturbance, or want of

or's to-night," said Jerr

a place is tha

e-lots of fun. You mus

Ben, mentally adding, "if

id not care so much for the music as himself, and he did not wish to lose sight of him. To be alone in a great city, particularly under Ben's circumstances, is not very pleasant, an