Tom The Bootblack; or The Road to Success Read online

  CHAPTER II.

  STRUCK DOWN.

  No sooner had Tom left the room than the old man rose slowly from hiscouch, and, walking feebly to the door, bolted it; then, going to acorner of the room, he lifted a plank from the flooring, and, thrustinghis hand beneath, drew up a tin box. He opened this with a small keywhich he wore about his neck, suspended by a cord, and revealed a heapof silver and copper coins, filling the box two-thirds full. Upon thishis eyes were fixed with eager and gloating satisfaction.

  "It's all mine!" he muttered, joyfully. "Tom doesn't know about it. Hemustn't know--he might want me to spend it. I will count it."

  He took it out by handfuls, and began to count it for at least thehundredth time, putting together coins of similar value in littlepiles, till there was a circle of silver and copper about him.

  It was a work of time for the old man, and probably half an hour wasconsumed before he had finished his task.

  "Ninety-nine dollars!" he exclaimed, in alarm, at the end of thecalculation. "Somebody has robbed me; I ought to have twenty-fivecents more. Could Tom have got at the box? Maybe I have made a mistake.I will count again."

  With nervous fingers he recommenced the count, fearing that he had metwith a loss. He was half through his task, when a knock was heard atthe door. The old man started in agitation, and glanced apprehensivelyat the door.

  "Who's there?" he asked, in quivering accents.

  "It's I," answered a hearty voice, which Jacob readily recognized asthat of Mrs. Flanagan.

  "You can't come in," said the old man, peevishly. "What do you want?"

  "I only came to ask how ye are, and if I can do anything for ye."

  "No, you can't. I'm well--no, I'm sick, and I'd rather be left alone."

  "All right," said the good woman, in no wise offended, for she pitiedthe old man. "If you want anything, jist _stomp_ on the floor, and I'llhear ye, and come up."

  "Yes," said Jacob, hastily. "Now go down--that's a good woman. I wantto go to sleep."

  "Poor craythur!" said Mrs. Flanagan, to herself. "It's little he enjoysthe world, which is a blessin', as he will soon have to lave it."

  "I hope she isn't looking through the keyhole," thought Jacob, inalarm. "She might see my money."

  But the footsteps of the good woman descending the stairs came to hisears, and reassured him.

  "It's well I locked the door," he said to himself. "I wouldn't want itknown that I had all this money, or it wouldn't be safe. It's taken mea long time to get it, and it isn't quite a hundred dollars. If I hadseventy-five cents more"--he had by this time found the missingquarter--"it would make just a hundred. If Tom wouldn't mind, I couldget it easily by begging. I might have it by to-morrow. I wonder if hewould care much," muttered the old man, as he put back the coinscarefully into the tin box. "I--I think I'll go out a little while.He'll never know it."

  By this time he had locked the box and replaced it beneath theflooring, restoring the plank to its original place.

  "I'll lie down a little while till I feel strong," he muttered, "thenI'll go out. If I go up on Broadway, Tom won't see me. He ought not tomind my begging. I am too weak to work, and it's the only way I can getmoney."

  He lay down on the bed, and, after his exertion, small as it was, therest was grateful to him. But the thought haunted him continually thathe needed but seventy-five cents to make up his hoard to a hundreddollars, and the eager desire prompted him to forsake his rest and goout into the streets.

  After awhile he rose from his bed.

  "I am rested enough now," he said. "I think I can go out for a littlewhile. I will get back before Tom comes home."

  He took an old battered hat from a nail on which it hung, and withfeeble step left the room, grasping the banister to steady his steps ashe descended the stairs.

  Mrs. Flanagan's door was open, and, though the old man made but littlenoise, she heard it.

  She lifted both hands in amazement when she saw him.

  "Shure ye are too wake to go out," said she. "Come, now, go up and lieon the bed till ye are better. Tom'll be mad if he knows ye have goneout."

  "Ye needn't tell him," said Jacob, hastily. "I want to breathe thefresh air; it'll do me good."

  "Shure you're not fit to go alone; I'll send my Mike wid you. He's onlysix, but he's a smart lad."

  "I'd rather go alone," said Jacob, who was afraid the little boy wouldreport his begging. "I--I am stronger than you think. I won't be gonelong."

  Mrs. Flanagan saw that he was obstinate, and she did not press thepoint. But after he had got down stairs she called Mike, and said:

  "Mike, dear, go after the old man, and see where he goes; but don't youlet him see you. I'll give you a penny to buy candy when you get back."

  Mike was easily persuaded, for he had the weakness for candy common toboys of his age, of whatever grade, and he proceeded to follow hismother's directions.

  When Jacob got to the foot of the lowest staircase he felt morefatigued than he expected, but his resolution remained firm. He musthave the seventy-five cents before night. To-morrow he could rest. Lethim but increase his hoard to a hundred dollars, and he would becontent.

  It was not without a painful effort that he dragged himself as far asBroadway, though the distance was scarcely quarter of a mile. LittleMike followed him, partly because his mother directed him to do it,partly because, young as he was, he was curious to learn where Jacobwas going, and what he was going to do. His curiosity was soongratified. He saw the old man remove his battered hat, and hold it outin mute appeal to the passers-by.

  It was not long before Jacob received ten cents.

  "What's the matter with you?" asked another passer-by, five minuteslater.

  "I'm sick and poor," whined Jacob.

  "Well, there's something for you," and the old man, to his joy, foundhis hoard increased twenty-five cents. This he put into his pocket,thinking that he would be more likely to inspire compassion, and obtainfresh contributions, if only the ten cents were visible.

  He did not get another contribution as large. Still, more than onepasser-by, attracted by his wretched look, dropped something into hishat, till the sum he desired was made up. He had secured theseventy-five cents necessary to make up the hundred dollars; but hiscraving was not satisfied. He thought he would stay half an hourlonger, and secure a little more. He was tired, but it would not takelong, and he could rest long enough afterward. An unlucky impulse ledhim to cross the street to the opposite side, which he fancied would bemore favorable to his purpose. I say unlucky, for he was struck down,when half way across, by some stage horses, and trampled under foot.

  There was a rush to his rescue, and he was lifted up and carried into aneighboring shop.

  "Does anybody know who he is, or where he lives?" asked a policeman.

  "I know him," said little Mike, who had witnessed the accident, andfollowed the crowd in. "His name is old Jacob, and he lives in Carter'salley."

  "Is there anybody to take care of him--any wife or daughter?" asked thephysician.

  Mike explained that he had only a grandson, and the physician thereupondirected that he be carried to Bellevue Hospital, while Mike ran hometo bear the important news to his mother.