TOM TURNS OVER A NEW LEAF.
The communication which he had just read gave Tom much to think of. Up
to this time he knew nothing of his past history. Now a clear light was
thrown upon it, and it remained for him to decide what he would do. He
knew as much as this, that the man who had wronged him was still
living. Where he lived was unknown. That was the first thing to
discover. The next was, to make him disgorge the property of which he
was in unlawful possession. It seemed wonderful to Tom to reflect that,
if he had his rights, he would be heir to a large fortune.
"There's a lot of money lyin' around loose somewheres that belongs to
me," said Tom to himself. "Blest if it don't seem like a dream. I'd
like to set eyes on that old feller with a scar again."
Tom leaned his head on his hand, and devoted five minutes to
reflection. During that brief interval, he made up his mind what to do.
He would leave New York, giving up his business into other hands, and
set his face westward, in search of his fraudulent guardian and his
fortune. He might have been embarrassed about this, but for the
opportune legacy of old Jacob. It wasn't very large, but it would, at
all events, start him on his journey. Then he must trust to luck and
his own exertions for the rest.
He was not in the least afraid but that he could get along. He had
supported himself for years, and he knew he could again.
I may as well warn my young readers here that there is no occasion for
them to forsake comfortable homes to follow Tom's example.
Circumstances alter cases, and, what was right for Tom, would not be
right for them. I have in mind the case of two boys who left
comfortable homes in quest of adventure, without any good reason, and
were very glad to get back again in a few days, without a penny in
their pockets, utterly unsuccessful. If fortune drives you out, do your
best, but never leave a good home when you are well off, or you will
repent it.
"I'll take some of this money," said Tom to himself, "and buy some
clo'es. I ain't goin' to travel in these rags. Considerin' I'm heir to
a fortune, I'll dress respectable."
Tom withdrew fifty dollars from the miser's hoard, then went to the
hospital and left fifteen dollars to defray the expenses of Jacob's
burial.
"It's the last I can do for him," thought Tom. "I hope, if I live to be
as old as he was, somebody'll do as much for me."
The thought of his old companion made him sad for the moment, but his
mind was full of his future plans, and he quickly became cheerful
again.
Before going to buy new clothes, it struck Tom that it would be a good
plan to take a bath. I should not like to say how long it was since he
had washed himself all over, but it is well known that excessive
neatness is not a characteristic of street-boys. It had never troubled
Tom much to have a spot of blacking on his face, or to see his hands
bearing the traces of the business by which he made his living. Now,
however, he determined to turn over a new leaf.
"I'm going to set up for a gentleman," he said, "and I must look
respectable."
There was a hotel near by, where warm and cold baths were provided to
the general public, at twenty-five cents apiece. He made his way
thither, and entered the barber shop adjoining. Just before him was a
gentleman who inquired for a bath, and was led into the adjoining
apartment. When the attendant came back, Tom went up to him.
"Well, boy; what's wanted?" he asked.
"I want a warm bath," answered Tom, boldly.
"You!" exclaimed the attendant, surveying the boy in alarm.
"Yes," said Tom. "Don't you think I need it?"
"I should say you did," returned the other. "How long since you took
one?"
"I can't exactly remember," said Tom.
"Did you ever take a bath in your life?"
"That's a leadin' question," said Tom. "I never took any except at the
Fifth Avenoo Hotel. They've got bully baths there."
"Have they? Then I think you'd better go there now."
"It's too far off, and I'm in a hurry. I'm invited to dine with the
mayor, and I wouldn't like to go dirty."
"If you bathe here, we shall charge you double price."
"How much is that?"
"Fifty cents."
"Well, I am rich. I can afford it."
"Money payable in advance."
"All right," said Tom. "Here's fifty cents. I'm a young man of fortun',
though I don't look like it. I've been boot-blackin' for a joke. When I
come in to my money, I'll get shaved here regular."
"You're a case," said the attendant, laughing.
"That's so," said Tom. "Now, just show me the bath-tub, and give me a
bar of soap, and I'll get my money's worth."
The attendant led the way to the bath-room, first collecting the fifty
cents which he had decided to charge. The water was turned on, and Tom
went to work energetically to wash off the stains and dirt which, in
the course of his street-life, he had contrived to accumulate. Tom
never did anything by halves, and he set himself to work with a will,
sparing neither strength nor soap. The result was that he effected a
very great change for the better.
"I wish I'd got some better clo'es to put on," he thought, as with
reluctance he drew on the ragged attire which had served him for some
months, getting more ragged and dirty every day. "I'll buy some as soon
as I get out."
He surveyed himself in the mirror and his long, unkempt locks attracted
his attention.
"I must have my hair cut," he decided.
On his way out he saw a vacant chair, and seated himself in it.
"Do you want to be shaved?" asked one of the barbers.
"Not to-day," said Tom. "You may cut off some of my wool. Mind you give
me a fashionable cut."
"Oh, I'll take care of that," said the journeyman.
"If you do what's right," said Tom, "I'll recommend all my friends on
Fifth avenoo to come here."
"Is that the Fifth avenue style of coat?" asked the barber, pointing to
several large holes in Tom's most prominent article of dress.
"It's a dress I wore to a masquerade ball last evenin'," said Tom. "I
went in the character of a bootblack."
"You made a pretty good imitation," said the knight of the scissors,
who had already commenced operations on Tom's head.
"That's what all the ladies told me," said Tom. "They said they
wouldn't have knowed me from the genooine article."
In about twenty minutes the task was completed.
"How's that?" said the barber.
Tom looked in the mirror, and hardly recognized his image, so much was
it altered by the careful arrangement of his hair.
"If it wasn't for the clo'es," he said, "I would think it was another
boy."
He paid his bill and left the hotel.
"The next thing must be some new clo'es," he said to himself; "then
I'll begin to feel respectable."