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

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  [Frontispiece: Julius made the rope fast, and then boldly got out ofthe window and swung off Page 192. _Slow and Sure._]

  Slow and Sure

  THE STORY OF PAUL HOFFMAN THE YOUNG STREET-MERCHANT

  By HORATIO ALGER, JR.

  Author of "The Train Boy," "Tony the Hero," "Tom Turner's Legacy,""Tom the Bootblack," etc., etc.

  A. L. BURT COMPANY, PUBLISHERS NEW YORK

  PREFACE.

  "SLOW AND SURE" is a volume of the stories of New York street lifeinaugurated by Ragged Dick. While it chronicles the advancement ofPaul, the young street merchant, from the sidewalk to the shop, alarge portion of it is devoted to the experiences of a street waif,who has been brought up by burglars, and passed the greater part ofhis time among them, without being wholly spoiled by his corruptsurroundings. His struggles between gratitude and duty on the onehand, and loyalty to his vicious guardians on the other, will, it ishoped, excite the interest and sympathy of the reader. The author hassought to indicate some of the influences which make it difficult forthe neglected street children to grow up virtuous and well-conductedmembers of society. Philanthropy is never more nobly employed than inredeeming them, and "giving them a chance" to rise to respectability.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  I. SIX MONTHS AFTER. II. BARNUM'S MUSEUM. III. THE BURNING OF THE TENEMENT HOUSE. IV. THE POLICEMAN'S HOME. V. HOUSE HUNTING. VI. PAUL TAKES A HOUSE ON MADISON AVENUE. VII. THE HOUSE ON MADISON AVENUE. VIII. A GIFT. IX. JULIUS. X. A ROOM IN CENTRE STREET. XI. FREE LUNCH. XII. A GOOD ACTION MEETS ITS REWARD. XIII. PAUL MAKES A PURCHASE. XIV. THE SPOT UPON THE COAT. XV. SUSPICION. XVI. LOCKED UP FOR THE NIGHT. XVII. TRAPPED. XVIII. THE VALUE OF A CLOTHES-LINE. XIX. A CURIOSITY SHOP. XX. THE DISGUISED LISTENER. XXI. A BRIGHTER PROSPECT FOR JULIUS. XXII. MARLOWE OVERTAKES HIS VICTIM. XXIII. A TIMELY RESCUE. XXIV. THE POOR ARTIST. XXV. MR. TALBOT'S RETURN. XXVI. FROM THE SIDEWALK TO THE SHOP.

  SLOW AND SURE.

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  CHAPTER I.

  SIX MONTHS AFTER.

  "It's most time for Paul to come home," said Mrs. Hoffman. "I must besetting the table for supper."

  "I wonder how he will like my new picture," said Jimmy, a delicate boyof eight, whose refined features, thoughtful look, and high browshowed that his mind by no means shared the weakness of his body.Though only eight years of age he already manifested a remarkabletaste and talent for drawing, in which he had acquired surprisingskill, considering that he had never taken lessons, but had learnedall he knew from copying such pictures as fell in his way.

  "Let me see your picture, Jimmy," said Mrs. Hoffman. "Have youfinished it?"

  She came up and looked over his shoulder. He had been engaged incopying a humorous picture from the last page of _Harper's Weekly._ Itwas an ambitious attempt on the part of so young a pupil, but he hadsucceeded remarkably well, reproducing with close fidelity thegrotesque expressions of the figures introduced in the picture.

  "That is excellent, Jimmy," said his mother in warm commendation.

  The little boy looked gratified.

  "Do you think I will be an artist some day?" he asked.

  "I have no doubt of it," said his mother, "if you can only obtainsuitable instruction. However, there is plenty of time for that. Youare only seven years old."

  "I shall be eight to-morrow," said Jimmy, straightening up his slenderform with the pride which every boy feels in advancing age.

  "So you will. I had forgotten it."

  "I wonder whether I can earn as much money as Paul when I get as old,"said Jimmy thoughtfully. "I don't think I can. I shan't be half asstrong."

  "It isn't always the strongest who earn the most money," said hismother.

  "But Paul is smart as well as strong."

  "So are you smart. You can read unusually well for a boy of your age,and in drawing I think Paul is hardly your equal, though he is twiceas old."

  Jimmy laughed.

  "That's true, mother," he said. "Paul tried to draw a horse the otherday, and it looked more like a cow."

  "You see then that we all have our different gifts. Paul has a talentfor business."

  "I think he'll be rich some day, mother."

  "I hope he will, for I think he will make a good use of his money."

  While Mrs. Hoffman was speaking she had been setting the table forsupper. The meal was not a luxurious one, but there was no lack offood. Beside rolls and butter, there was a plate of cold meat, anapple pie, and a pot of steaming hot tea. The cloth was scrupulouslyclean, and I am sure that though the room was an humble one not one ofmy readers need have felt a repugnance to sitting down at Mrs.Hoffman's plain table.

  For the benefit of such as may not have read "Paul the Peddler," Iwill explain briefly that Mrs. Hoffman, by the death of her husbandtwo years previous, had been reduced to poverty, which compelled herto move into a tenement house and live as best she could on theearnings of her oldest son, Paul, supplemented by the pittance sheobtained for sewing. Paul, a smart, enterprising boy, after tryingmost of the street occupations, had become a young street merchant. Bya lucky chance he had obtained capital enough to buy out a necktiestand below the Astor House, where his tact and energy had enabled himto achieve a success, the details of which we will presently give.Besides his own profits, he was able to employ his mother in makingneckties at a compensation considerably greater than she could haveobtained from the Broadway shops for which she had hitherto worked.

  Scarcely was supper placed on the table when Paul entered. He was astout, manly boy of fifteen, who would readily have been taken for ayear or two older, with a frank, handsome face, and an air ofconfidence and self-reliance, which he had acquired through hisindependent efforts to gain a livelihood. He had been thrown upon hisown resources at an age when most boys have everything done for them,and though this had been a disadvantage so far as his education wasconcerned, it had developed in him a confidence in himself and his ownability to cope with the world not usually found in boys of his age.

  "Well, mother," said he briskly, "I am glad supper is ready, for I amas hungry as a wolf."

  "I think there will be enough for you," said his mother, smiling. "Ifnot, we will send to the baker's for an extra supply."

  "Is a wolf hungry, Paul?" asked Jimmy, soberly accepting Paul'ssimile.

  "I'll draw you one after supper, Jimmy, and you can judge," answeredPaul.

  "Your animals all look like cows, Paul," said his little brother.

  "I see you are jealous of me," said Paul, with much indignation,"because I draw better than you."

  "After supper you can look at my last picture," said Jimmy. "It iscopied from _Harper's Weekly."_

  "Pass it along now, Jimmy. I don't think it will spoil my appetite."

  Jimmy handed it to his brother with a look of pardonable pride.

  "Excellent, Jimmy. I couldn't do it better myself," said Paul. "Youare a little genius."

  "I like drawing so much, Paul. I hope some time I can do somethingelse besides copy."

  "No doubt you will. I am sure you will be a famous artist some day,and make no end of money by your pictures."

  "That's what I would like--to make money."

  "Fie, Jimmy! I had no idea you were so fond of money."

  "I would like to help mother just as you are doing, Paul. Do you thinkI will ever earn as much as you do?"

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sp; "A great deal more, I hope, Jimmy. Not but what I am doing well,"added Paul in a tone of satisfaction. "Did you know, mother, it is sixmonths to-day since I bought out the necktie stand?"

  "Is it, Paul?" asked his mother with interest. "Have you succeeded aswell as you anticipated?"

  "Better, mother. It was a good idea putting in a case of knives. Theyhelp along my profits. Why, I sold four knives to-day, making on anaverage twenty-five cents each."

  "Did you? That is indeed worth while."

  "It is more than I used to average for a whole day's earnings before Iwent into this business."

  "How many neckties did you sell, Paul?" asked Jimmy.

  "I sold fourteen."

  "How much profit did you make on each?"

  "About fourteen cents. Can you tell how much that makes?"

  "I could cipher it out on my slate."

  "No matter; I'll tell you. It makes a dollar and ninety-six cents.That added to the money I made on the knives amounts to two dollarsand ninety-six cents."

  "Almost three dollars."

  "Yes; sometimes I sell more neckties, but then I don't always sell asmany knives. However, I am satisfied."

  "I have made two dozen neckties to-day, Paul," said his mother.

  "I am afraid you did too much, mother."

  "Oh, no. There isn't much work about a necktie."

  "Then I owe you a dollar and twenty cents, mother."

  "I don't think you ought to pay me five cents apiece, Paul."

  "That's fair enough, mother. If I get fourteen cents for selling atie, certainly you ought to get five cents for making one."

  "But your money goes to support us, Paul."

  "And where does yours go, mother?"

  "A part of it has gone for a new dress, Paul. I went up to Stewart'sto-day and bought a dress pattern. I will show it to you aftersupper."

  "That's right, mother. You don't buy enough new dresses. Consideringthat you are the mother of a successful merchant, you ought to dashout. Doesn't Jimmy want some clothes?"

  "I am going to buy him a new suit to-morrow. He is eight years oldto-morrow."

  "Is he? What an old fellow you are getting to be, Jimmy! How many grayhairs have you got?"

  "I haven't counted," said Jimmy, laughing.

  "I tell you what, mother, we must celebrate Jimmy's birthday. He isthe only artist in the family, and we must treat him with properconsideration. I'll tell you what, Jimmy, I'll close up my business attwelve o'clock, and give all my clerks a half-holiday. Then I'll takeyou and mother to Barnum's Museum, where you can see all thecuriosities, and the play besides. How would you like that?"

  "Ever so much, Paul," said the little boy, his eyes brightening at theprospect. "There's a giant there, isn't there? How tall is he?"

  "Somewhere about eighteen feet, I believe."

  "Now you are making fun, Paul."

  "Well, it's either eighteen or eight, one or the other. Then there's adwarf, two feet high, or is it inches?"

  "Of course it's feet. He couldn't be so little as two inches."

  "Well, Jimmy, I dare say you're right. Then it's settled that we go tothe museum tomorrow. You must go with us, mother."

  "Oh, yes, I will go," said Mrs. Hoffman, "and I presume I shall enjoyit nearly as much as Jimmy."