Slow and Sure: The Story of Paul Hoffman the Young Street-Merchant

rs. Talbot authorized them to take down from the upper rooms anything of which they had need. She was led to this offer by the favorable

ble, of course, for Paul to come home to the noonday meal, since the distance between his place of business and the house on Madison avenue was two miles and a h

was drawn to a famished-looking boy who was looking in at the window at the viands within. It was impossible to misinterpret his hungry look. Paul understood it at

ngry, Johnn

d at the soun

just?"

u have any

piece o

that

es

plate of meat if

d see," wa

then," s

" asked the young Ara

will pay

t in a position to refuse so advantageous a propos

its guests were well-dressed, and the ragge

here!" sai

oy, beginning to tremble at the tho

ointed, was known

me in with you?"

l; "he's going

rig

on of a table companion, but payment being thus g

dicating a seat at one of the side tabl

e asked, handing his youn

d holding it upside down,

," said he, h

t, though," said Paul

ood; I ain't perti

ike stewe

y replied in t

d Paul. "That'll do to begin on,

liu

hing

ll the na

n you need it. Did you ev

said

to discover the boy's rang

know about hi

m; I've seed him

n him?" asked Paul,

Baxter

ve there?"

ps a barber

rber, within the precincts of the Five Points, was the one refer

t any father

said t

do yo

ntre s

ou do for

lack boots; so

you li

k Mo

y relatio

" answere

pted. The stews were placed on th

eized the spoon, and attacked

etically; "he doesn't often get a good di

: "Will you have some pudding, or

if it's all the same to

some apple dumpl

face was thin and his figure slender. He had the expression of one who was used to privation and knew how to bear it without much hope of anything

, and an extra plate

said Paul. "Ea

vigorously to accomplish the work before him,

enough?" asked

d Julius;

uous civic banquet? The same expression was visible on the face of the young

ul, "we may as

benefactor from the eating-house. When they r

s a bull

d to thank him, though his grat

it," said he; "but I

rner. "He's been good to me," he said to himse

s under the ban of the law, Julius had shifted for himself, or been transferred to one of his lawless companions. The chances seemed to be in favor of Julius growing up such another as his guardian. Had he been differently constituted he would have been worse than he was. But his natural instincts were healthful, and when

s he vaguely intimated that Julius was the son of his sister, and consequently his nephew, but as at times he gave a different account, Julius did

er, and saw him take his place beside the necktie st

him," he said; "I'

efore postponed seeking any other employment, beyond hovering about the piers and railway stations on the chance of obtaining a job to carry a carpetbag or valise. This was a precarious employment, and depended much more on good fortune than the business of a newsboy or bootblack. However, in the course of the afternoon Julius earned twent