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relieve her from the necessity； but at present it was impossible。
To maintain their small family in comfort required all that both
could earn。
The next morning Paul started out after breakfast for the street
stand； wondering what success he was destined to meet with。
About the middle of the forenoon Mrs。 Hoffman prepared to go out。
〃Do you think you can stay alone for an hour or two； Jimmy？〃 she
asked。
〃Yes； mother；〃 answered Jimmy； who was deep in a picture which he
was copying from one of the drawing…books Paul had bought him。
〃Where are you going mother？〃
〃To carry back some work； Jimmy。 I have got half…a…dozen shirts
done； and must return them； and ask for more。〃
〃They ought to pay you more than twenty…five cents apiece；
mother。 How long has it taken you to make them？〃
〃Nearly a week。〃
〃That is only a dollar and a half for a week's work。〃
〃I know it； Jimmy； but they can get plenty to work at that price；
so it won't do for me to complain。 I shall be very glad if I can
get steady work； even at that price。〃
Jimmy said no more； and Mrs。 Hoffman； gathering up her bundle；
went out。
She had a little more than half a mile to go。 This did not
require long。 She entered the large door； and advanced to the
counter behind which stood a clerk with a pen behind his ear。
〃How many？〃 he said； as she laid the bundle upon the counter。
〃Six。〃
〃Name？〃
〃Hoffman。〃
〃Correct。 I will look at them。〃
He opened the bundle hastily； and surveyed the work critically。
Luckily there was no fault to find； for Mrs。 Hoffman was a
skillful seamstress。
〃They will do；〃 he said； and； taking from a drawer the stipulated
sum； paid for them。
〃Can I have some more？〃 asked Mrs。 Hoffman； anxiously。
〃Not to…day。 We're overstocked with goods made up。 We must
contract our manufacture。〃
This was unexpected； and carried dismay to the heart of the poor
woman。 What she could earn was very little but it was important
to her。
〃When do you think you can give me some more work？〃 she asked。
〃It may be a month or six weeks；〃 he answered； carelessly。
A month or six weeks！ To have her supply of work cut off for so
long a time would； indeed； be a dire misfortune。 But there was
nothing to say。 Mrs。 Hoffman knew very well that no one in the
establishment cared for her necessities。 So； with a heavy heart；
she started for home； making up her mind to look elsewhere for
work in the afternoon。 She could not help recalling； with
sorrow； the time when her husband was living； and they lived in a
pleasant little home； before the shadow of bereavement and
pecuniary anxiety had come to cloud their happiness。 Still； she
was not utterly cast down。 Paul had proved himself a manly and a
helpful boy； self…reliant and courageous； and； though they might
be pinched； she knew that as long as he was able to work they
would not actually suffer。
CHAPTER IX
A NEW PATRON
Mrs。 Hoffman went out in the afternoon； and visited several large
establishments in the hope of obtaining work。 But everywhere she
was met with the stereotyped reply； 〃Business is so dull that we
are obliged to turn off some who are accustomed to work for us。
We have no room for new hands。〃
Finally she decided that it would be of no use to make any
further applications； and went home； feeling considerably
disheartened。
〃I must find something to do；〃 she said to herself。 〃I cannot
throw upon Paul the entire burden of supporting the family。〃
But it was not easy to decide what to do。 There are so few paths
open to a woman like Mrs。 Hoffman。 She was not strong enough to
take in washing； nor； if she had been； would Paul； who was proud
for his mother； though not for himself； have consented to her
doing it。 She determined to think it over during the evening；
and make another attempt to get work of some kind the next day。
〃I won't tell Paul till to…morrow night；〃 she decided。 〃Perhaps
by that time I shall have found something to do。
All that day； the first full day in his new business； Paul sold
eighteen ties。 He was not as successful proportionately as the
previous afternoon。 Still his share of the profits amounted to a
dollar and twelve cents； and he felt quite satisfied。 His sales
had been fifty per cent。 more than George Barry's average sales；
and that was doing remarkably well； considering that the business
was a new one to him。
The next morning about ten o'clock； as he stood behind his stand；
he saw a stout gentleman approaching from the direction of the
Astor House。 He remembered him as the one with whom he had
accidentally come in collision when he was in pursuit of Mike
Donovan。 Having been invited to speak to him； he determined to
do so。
〃Good…morning； sir；〃 said Paul； politely。
〃Eh？ Did you speak to me？〃 inquired the stout gentleman。
〃Yes； sir； I bade you good…morning。〃
〃Good…morning。 I don't remember you； though。 What's your name？〃
〃Paul Hoffman。 Don't you remember my running against you a day
or two since？〃
〃Oho！ you're the boy； then。 You nearly knocked the breath out
of me。〃
〃I am very sorry； sir。〃
〃Of course you didn't mean to。 Is this your stand？〃
〃No； sir； I am tending for the owner； who is sick。〃
〃Does he pay you well？〃
〃He gives me half the profits。〃
〃And does that pay you for your labor？〃
〃I can earn about a dollar a day。〃
〃That is good。 It is more than I earned when I was of your age。〃
〃Indeed； sir！〃
〃Yes； I was a poor boy； but I kept steadily at work； and now I am
rich。〃
〃I hope I shall be rich some time；〃 said Paul。
〃You have the same chance that I had。〃
〃I don't care so much for myself as for my mother and my little
brother。 I should like to become rich for their sake。〃
〃So you have a mother and a brother。 Where do they live？〃
Paul told him。
〃And you help support them？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃That's a good boy；〃 said the gentleman； approvingly。 〃Is your
mother able to earn anything？〃
〃Not much； sir。 She makes shirts for a Broadway store； but they
only pay her twenty…five cents apiece。〃
〃That's very small。 She can sew well； I suppose？〃
〃Oh； yes； sir； no fault is ever found with her work。〃
〃Do you think she would make me a dozen shirts？〃
〃She would be glad to do so；〃 said Paul； quickly； for he knew
that his new acquaintance would pay far more liberally than the
Broadway firm。
〃I will give the price I usually payten shillings apiece。〃
Ten shillings in New York currency amount to a dollar and a
quarter； which would be five times the price Mrs Hoffman had been
accustomed to receive。 A dozen shirts would come to fifteen
dollars； which to a family in their circumstances would be a
great help。
〃Thank you； sir；〃 said Paul。 〃My mother will accept the