Teddy and Carrots: Two Merchants of Newpaper Row

in deciphering the letter brought by Teenie, and th

ettin' up that thing," he said, as he handed the missi

ger underneath it and with bones on the sides, same's pirates have o

down there at the botto

nie explained. "I s'pose one of

nything of the kind! 'T isn't more'n a month ago since he was gettin' right down on his knees, coaxin' Skip to let

ays he's goin' to run Fulton Ferry on the Brooklyn side, an' Skip's to ta

finish up the job they've got on hand, so I guess they won't hurt t

ly, but folded the paper carefully and put i

" Teenie asked, so earnestly that

lse can we do? I've seen a good many better-lookin' pictures than

ve to leave this town if you stand in with

will; so what's the use talkin' 'bout

efused to make any explanation as to what his future course might be. This lack of confidence troubled the messenger; fo

lad when Ca

ld 'low he was jest about goin' to thump the life out er you if you didn't repeat everything I said, why, you might ha

rd 'bout that, Carro

jest now, an' we've got to be careful. If you could kind er tell us once in a while what Skip was thinkin' of doin', i

I reckon I'd better be goin'. Mothe

get on the street, that Skip ain't watc

up to supper first, an' walked right d

r Skip's wrath were left alone to discuss the situation,

it?" Carrots asked, after s

likely he'd stop after what little he's done. Now, Carrots, there's jest this much about it: you wouldn't be in any fus

ag'in, I wouldn't give Skip the satisfactio

n have to go out

nage better'n I, an' why wouldn't it be a good idea to go inter pardnership? I can earn as much money in pleasant weather blackin' boots as you will by sel

to go inter b

me don't sound very well. Might call it Jos

Williams,' of course. Pardner

" Carrots cried in del

connection formed which might possibly not receive any great amount of attention from t

ots emptied his pockets immediately. "You keep the

ey, Carrots. You see, I haven't got

onsisted, including the profits made o

put in jest as much, an' w

refused to listen to anything of the kind, and, finally, the question was settled by the cashier's puttin

ir. "It won't do for us to spend this money for grub, 'cause we shall want s

I think we'd better go right up to City Hall, an' star

matter with

the snap away. If Skip gets hold of h

where we are. I ain't so sure but it would be a good idea t

the folks in the store,

w what we want is to earn a news-stand the very first thing. Then we'll have to get a chair outs

lar shop!" But then he added, reflectively, "I don't see how that's goin' to be done. It's been a pretty tight squeeze for me

tes, or such things as that, an' it won't take long to get what we n

y the City Hall an' start in in great shape? Ten do

it took two months? Wouldn't that be

ut I don't b'lieve we'd ev

y, Carrots: if you made twenty-three cents for me yesterday afternoon sellin' papers

t blackin' boots, even w

enough to buy grub, an' I do the same, it wouldn'

o the smudge of blacking which now extended nearly fro

n't you wash

be the goo

folks'd rather buy things of a feller who's

he doesn't care whether my face is whi

Carrots. Isn't there

rant in the other c

l, an' go over there. Try it once, a

handed them to his friend, who looked at the collection in a suspicious sort of manner, a

nce for luck!" he said; and five minutes

nted use of soap and water, and a broad streak of dirt left just in front of hi

ou must be jest humpin' yourself," Teddy said, ad

r now?" Carrots a

'd shoved the dirt back i

: I did this thing to

es

time shinin', 'stead of tryin' to look so mighty fine that a man'd think I wouldn't dare to pull the stopper out er a blackin'-bottle for fear of smuttin' my fingers. I s'pose if I lived on a farm, same's you did, I'

hat very long if you

ot a bed to get inter, an' plenty of stuff to eat, it's

n, by way of putting an end to the conversation,

as if his whole nature had been c

the glowing end with his thumb and fin

, and, after awakening his friend, he explained why it was necess

rots, Teddy agreed to remain in the vicinity of South Ferry, rather than to make an attempt to d

ts said as they parted. "But you can count on my hustlin' the b

his friend, and then the two separated, each intent on swelling

ddy to replenish his stock, he failed to fi

t the boy was attending to his own business; and he felt positive it would not be safe f

iate; and when it was so late that there could be no danger the occupants of the store would

could be told from his face, labouri

e to speak. "I've done it, an' we'll have to give up the pa

Teddy asked

ce to work

eave the city?" Ted

take a sneak, or else stand the chance of gettin' 'rested for fightin', so I went down to Vesey Street Market. Trade wasn't so awful good there, an' I was kind er loafin' 'round when a farmer come up an' says, 'Hello, son. Don't know of any boy 'round here what wants to go out in the country, do you?' Well, you know, that struck me jest right. I

goin' to pay y

better come out and try it for a while, so's he could tell ho

llin' to go on

t's the use if Skip's goin' to raise sich a row? Besides, if we've got to sneak 'round all the poores

together; but if you're set on farmin', you'll have to try it, I reckon. I'll stay here an' keep on workin', so's w

along," Carrots replied, with an air of condescension; "but of cour

re you

orrow

you get back, Carrots, I guess you'll find me at t

BOY, AN' I SHOW

p 'round City Ha

t stay there six days, 'less you're a different feller from what I think yo