joe the hotel boy-第5节

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There　was　one　very　fine　clothing　store　in　Riverside；　but　Joe　did　not　deem　it　best；　with　his　limited　capital；　to　go　there　for　a　suit。　　Instead　he　sought　out　a　modest　establishment　on　one　of　the　side　streets。

Just　ahead　of　him　was　an　Irish　couple　who　had　evidently　not　been　in　this　country　many　years。　　The　man　entered　the　store　awkwardly；　as　if　he　did　not　feel　at　home。　　Not　so　his　wife；　who　walked　a　little　in　advance　of　her　husband。

〃Have　you　got　any　men's　coats？〃　said　she　to　the　clerk　who　came　forward　to　wait　on　the　pair。　　〃If　I　can　get　one　cheap　for　me　husband　here　I'll　buy　one。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　madam；〃　was　the　ready　reply。　〃We　have　the　best　stock　in　town；　by　all　odds。　You　can't　fail　to　be　suited。〃

So　saying；　he　led　the　way　to　a　counter　piled　high　with　the　articles　called　for；　and　hauled　them　over。

〃There；〃　said　he；　pulling　out　one　of　a　decidedly　ugly　pattern。　　〃There　is　one　of　first　quality　cloth。　　It　was　made　for　a　gentleman　of　this　town；　but　did　not　exactly　fit　him；　and　so　we'll　sell　it　cheap。〃

〃And　what　is　the　price？〃

〃Three　dollars。〃

〃Three　dollars！〃　exclaimed　the　Irish　lady；　lifting　up　her　hands　in　extreme　astonishment。

〃Three　dollars！　You'll　be　afther　thinkin'　we're　made　of　money；　sure！　I'll　give　you　a　dollar　and　a　half。〃

〃No；　ma'am；　we　don't　trade　in　that　way。　We　don't　very　often　take　half　what　we　ask　for　an　article。〃

〃Mike；〃　said　she；　〃pull　off　yer　coat　an'　thry　it　on。　　Three　dollars；　and　it　looks　as　if　it　was　all　cotton。〃

〃Not　a　thread　of　cotton　in　that；〃　was　the　clerk's　reply。

〃Not　wan；　but　a　good　many；　I'm　thinkin'；〃　retorted　the　Irish　lady；　as　she　helped　her　husband　draw　on　the　coat。　　It　fitted　tolerably　well　and　Mike　seemed　mightily　pleased　with　his　transformation。

〃Come；〃　said　the　wife。　　〃What　will　ye　take？〃

〃As　it's　you；　I'll　take　off　twenty…five　cents；〃　replied　the　clerk。

〃And　sell　it　to　me　for　two　dollars？〃　inquired　his　customer；　who　had　good　cause　for　her　inaccurate　arithmetic。

〃For　two　dollars　and　seventy…five　cents。〃

〃Two　dollars　and　seventy…five　cents！　It's　taking　the　bread　out　of　the　childer's　mouths　you'd　have　us；　paying　such　a　price　as　that！　I'll　give　you　two　twenty…five；　an'　I'll　be　coming　again　some　time。〃

〃We　couldn't　take　so　low　as　two　twenty…　five；　ma'am。　　You　may　have　it　for　two　dollars　and　a　half。〃

After　another　ineffectual　attempt　to　get　it　for　two　dollars　and　a　quarter；　the　Irish　woman　finally　offered　two　dollars　and　forty…five　cents；　and　this　offer　was　accepted。

She　pulled　out　a　paper　of　change　and　counted　out　two　dollars　and　forty　cents；　when　she　declared　that　she　had　not　another　cent。　　But　the　clerk　understood　her　game　and　coolly　proceeded　to　put　the　coat　back　on　the　pile。　　Then　the　woman　very　opportunely　found　another　five…cent　piece　stored　away　in　the　corner　of　her　pocket。

〃It's　robbin'　me；　ye　are；〃　said　she　as　she　paid　it　over。

〃Oh；　no；　ma'am；　you　are　getting　a　great　bargain；〃　answered　the　clerk。

Joe　had　witnessed　the　bargaining　with　a　good　deal　of　quiet　amusement。　　As　soon　as　the　Irish　couple　had　gone　the　clerk　came　toward　the　boy。

〃Well；　young　man；　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃　he　asked；　pleasantly。

〃I　want　a　suit　of　clothing。　　Not　an　expensive　suit；　but　one　guaranteed　to　be　all　wool。〃

〃A　light　or　a　dark　suit？〃

〃A　dark　gray。〃

〃I　can　fit　you　out　in　a　fine　suit　of　this　order；〃　and　the　clerk　pointed　to　several　lying　in　a　heap　nearby。

〃I　don't　want　that　sort。　　I　want　something　on　the　order　of　those　in　the　window　marked　nine　dollars　and　a　half。〃

〃Oh；　all　right。〃

Several　suits　were　brought　forth；　and　one　was　found　that　fitted　Joe　exceedingly　well。

〃You　guarantee　this　to　be　all　wool？〃　asked　the　boy。

〃Every　thread　of　it。〃

〃Then　I'll　take　it〃

〃Very　well；　the　price　is　twelve　dollars。〃

〃Isn't　it　like　that　in　the　window？〃

〃On　that　order；　but　a　trifle　better。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　to　be　about　the　same　suit。　I'll　give　you　nine　dollars　and　a　half。〃

〃I　can't　take　it。　　I'll　give　it　to　you　for　eleven　and　a　half。　　That　is　our　best　figure。〃

〃Then　I'll　go　elsewhere　for　a　suit；〃　answered　Joe；　and　started　to　leave　the　clothing　establishment。

〃Hold　on；　don't　be　so　fast！〃　cried　the　clerk；　catching　him　by　the　arm。　　〃I'll　make　it　eleven　and　a　quarter。〃

〃Not　a　cent　more　than　the　advertised　price；　nine　and　a　half；〃　replied　Joe；　firmly。

〃Oh；　but　this　isn't　the　same　suit。〃

〃It's　just　like　it；　to　my　eye。　　But　you　needn't　sell　it　for　that　if　you　don't　want　it。　　Mason　&　Harris　are　offering　some　bargains；　I　believe。〃

〃You　can　get　a　better　bargain　here　than　anywhere　in　this　town；　or　in　Philadelphia　either；〃　answered　the　clerk；　who　did　not　intend　to　let　his　prospective　customer　get　away。　　〃We'll　make　it　an　even　eleven　dollars　and　say　no　more　about　it。〃

Instead　of　answering　Joe　started　once　more　for　the　door。

〃Hold　on！〃

〃I　haven't　got　time。〃

〃Make　it　ten　and　a　half。　　At　that　price　we　are　losing　exactly　half　a　dollar　on　that　suit。〃

〃Not　a　cent　over　what　I　offered。〃

〃We　can't　sell　suits　at　such　a　loss。　　It　would　ruin　us。〃

〃Then　don't　do　it。　　I　think　Mason　&　Harris　have　some　good　suits　very　cheap。　　And　they　are　quite　up…to…date；　too；〃　added　Joe。

〃Our　suits　are　the　best　in　town；　young　man。　　Take　this　one　for　an　even　ten　dollar　bill。〃

〃I　will　if　you'll　throw　in　one　of　those　half　dollar　caps；〃　answered　our　hero。

〃Well；　have　your　own　way；　but　it's　a　sacrifice；〃　grumbled　the　clerk。

He　wanted　to　wrap　up　the　suit；　but；　afraid　he　might　substitute　something　else；　Joe　insisted　upon　donning　the　suit　then　and　there　and　likewise　the　new　cap。　　Then　he　had　the　old　articles　of　wearing　apparel　done　up　into　a　bundle　and　paid　over　the　ten　dollars。

〃You're　pretty　smart　after　a　bargain；〃　said　the　clerk。

〃I've　got　to　bewhen　I　strike　such　fellows　as　you；〃　was　the　reply。

〃You　got　a　better　bargain　than　that　Irish　woman　did。〃

〃I　didif　the　suit　is　all　wool。　　But　if　it's　cotton；　I'm　stuck；〃　returned　our　hero；　and　with　his　bundle　under　his　arm　he　walked　from　the　store。

He　had　left　his　rowboat　in　charge　of　an　old　boatman　named　Ike　Fairfield；　and　now　he　walked　down　to　the　boathouse。

〃Just　in　time；　Joe；〃　said　the　old　boatman。　　〃Want　to　earn　a　dollar？〃

〃To　be　sure　I　do；〃　answered　our　hero。

〃A　party　of　ladies　want　a　long　row　around　the　lake。　　You　can　have　the　job。〃

〃All　right；　Ike。〃

〃I　charged　them　a　dollar　and　a　quarter。　　I'll　keep　the　quarter　for　my　commission。〃

〃That　is　fair。〃

〃One　of　the　ladies　said　she　wanted　somebody　that　looked　pretty　decent。　　I　think　you'll　fill　the　bill　with　that　new　suit。〃

〃I　didn't　expect　to　wear　the　suit　out　on　the　lake；　but　in　this　case　I'll　keep　it　on；〃　answered　Joe。

〃I　find　it　pays　to　keep　well　dressed；　when　you　take　out　the　summer　boarders；〃　answered　the　old　boatman。　　〃And　it　pays　to　keep　the　boats　in　good　shape；　too。〃

〃Where　am　I　to　get　the　party？〃

〃Over　to　the　dock　of　Mallison's　Hotel。　　One　of　the　ladies　is　Mallison's　niece。〃

〃Why　don't　they　take　a　hotel　boat？〃

〃All　engaged；　two　days　ago。　　It's　a　busy　season。　　But　I've　got　to　be　going。　　You　had　better　go　over　to　the　dock　at　once。　　They　want　to　go　out　at　three　o'clock　sharp。〃

〃Very　well；　I'll　be　on　hand；〃　answered　our　hero。



CHAPTER　VI。


AN　ACCIDENT　ON　THE　LAKE。


Joe　certainly　presented　a　neat　appearance　when　he　rowed　over　to　the　hotel　dock。　　Before　going　he　purchased　a　new　collar　and　a　dark　blue　tie；　and　these；　with　his　new　suit　and　new　cap；　set　him　off　very　well。

The　boat　had　been　cleaned　in　the　morning；　and　when　the　ladies　appeared　they　inspected　the　craft　with　satisfaction。

〃What　a　nice　clean　boat；〃　said　Mabel　Mallison；　the　niece　of　the　proprietor　of　the　hotel。

〃And　a　nice　clean　boatman；　too；〃　whispered　one　of　her　friends。　　〃I　couldn't　bear　that　man　we　had　day　before　yesterday；　with　his　dirty　hands　and　the　tobacco　juice　around　his　mouth。〃

The　ladies　to　go　out　were　four　in　number；　and　two　sat　in　the　bow　and　two　in　the　stern。　　It　made　quite　a　heavy　load；　but　as　they　were　not　out　for　speed　our　hero　did　not　mind　it。

〃We　wish　to　go　up　to　Fern　Rock；〃　said　Mabel　Mallison。　　〃They　tell　me　there　are　some　beautiful　ferns　to　be　gathered　there。〃

〃There　are；〃　answered　Joe。　　〃I　saw　them　last　week。〃

〃And　I　wish　to　get　some　nice　birch　bark　if　I　can；〃　said　another　of　the　ladies。

〃I　can　get　you　plenty　of　it。〃

Joe　rowed　along　in　his　best　style；　and　while　doing　so　the　ladies　of　the　party　asked　him　numerous　questions　concerning　the　lake　and　vicinity。　　When　Fern　Rock　was　reached；　all　went　ashore；　and　our　hero　pointed　out　the　ferns　he　had　seen；　and　dug　up　such　as　the　others　wished　to　take　along。　　An　hour　was　spent　over　the　ferns；　and　in　getting　some　birch　bark；　and　then　they　started　on　the　return　for　the　hotel。

〃I'd　like　to　row；〃　cried　one　of　the　ladies；　a　rather　plump　personage。

〃Oh；　Jennie；　I　don't　think　you　can！〃　cried　another。

〃Of　course　I　can；〃　answered　Jennie；　and　sprang　up　from　her　seat　to　take　the　oars。

〃Be　careful！〃　came　in　a　warning　from　Joe；　as　the　boat　began　to　rock。

〃Oh；　I'm　not　afraid！〃　said　the　plump　young　lady；　and　leaned　forward　to　catch　hold　of　one　oar。　　Just　then　her　foot　slipped　and　she　fell　on　the　gunwale；　causing　the　boat　to　tip　more　than　ever。　　As　she　did　this；　Mabel　Mallison；　who　was　leaning　over　the　side；　gazing　down　in