Ragged Dick, Or, Street Life in New York with the Boot-Blacks

youngster," sa

nd stared stupidly in the face of the

agabond!" said the ma

there all day, if I

is it?" a

n o'c

what 'twas made me so precious sleepy. I went to the Ol

porter in the employ of a firm doing business on Spruce Street. "Made it by shines,

er than that," said th

ealin', if that's what

u ever st

. Lots of boys does

y that. I believe there's some

tomer!" said Dick. "

s m

h voice sounded gentler than at first. "Hav

I'll soon

f full of straw, on which the young boot-black had reposed his weary limbs, and slept as soundly as

cked out one or two straws that had found their way into rents in his clothes, and, draw

a boy two sizes larger than himself. He wore a vest, all the buttons of which were gone except two, out of which peeped a shirt which looked as if it had be

move several dark streaks on his face and hands. But in spite of his dirt and rags there was something about Dick that was attractive. It was easy to see that if he had been clean and well

ittle blacking-box was ready for use, and he looked sharply in the f

a gentleman on his

ng upon his knees on the sidewalk, flourishing his

sn't that a l

o had already set to work. "There's the blacking costs

d the gentleman quizzically, with a

big rent for my manshun up on Fifth Avenoo, that I can't afford to

r I am in a hurry. So

e, is

e," said Dick, and Dic

nize?" asked the gentlema

o to the same one?"

me that he didn't give

n some, 'cause he fit so hard. When he died he told his widder to give it to some smart young feller that hadn't got none of

deprive you of it. And did your pan

is had outgrown 'em and sent 'em to me,-he's

ed friends. Now, my lad, I sup

ave any object

s pocket-book, "I haven't got anything short

ick. "All my money's

lro

unfort

the money c

ately. I'll hand you twenty-five cents, and you can l

, sir. Whe

n Street. Shal

ir. Wha

ffice on se

, sir; I'l

himself, as he walked away. "If he does, I'll give him my custom regularl

from the country, or gave a wrong direction to honest old gentlemen unused to the city. A clergyman in search of the Cooper Institute he once directed to the Tombs Prison, and, f

tching up his pants. "Leastways I shouldn't. They're so precious glad to see you

acity, who scarcely earned as much as he, greatly as their style and dress exceeded his. But Dick was careless of his earnings. Where they went he could hardly have told himself. However much he managed to earn during the day, all was generally spent befor

panions. But of course the expense was the smallest objection. No boy of fourteen can smoke without being affected injuriously. Men are frequently injured by smoking, and boys always. But large numbers of the newsboys and boot-blacks form the habit.

s sometimes crowded with these juvenile gamesters, who staked their hard earnings, generally losing of course, and refreshing themse

doing anything mean or dishonorable. He would not steal, or cheat, or impose upon younger boys, but was frank and straight-forward, manly and self-reliant. His nature was a noble one, and had sav

introduced Ragged Dic

the next chapter for