THE GREAT SURPRISE.
If Mrs. Green had been able to have understood what five children were
saying to her at one time, she would have had a very clear idea of
that day of pleasure; but as it was, when each was eager to tell the
story, and all spoke together, she had only a general idea until she
was alone with Nelly.
After the attempt to enlighten her as to where they had been and what
they had seen, the conversation turned upon the surprise which Mr.
Weston said he had for Ben and Johnny, and many were the speculations
as to what it might be. Mopsey was very certain that he had purchased
one of the largest theatres in the city, and was to present it to them
in due form; and so positive did he become as to the correctness of
his idea, that he would persist in talking about what they would do
after the two boys were installed there, to the exclusion of
everything else. He even awakened them after they had gone to sleep
that night, in order to make them promise that they would let him
direct the entertainments, in case he was right regarding the gift of
a theatre. Of course the two most interested were in a high state of
excitement as to the gift, although they did not try to guess what it
might be. It was a difficult matter for them to go to sleep after they
went to bed, so anxious were they to know what good-fortune was to be
theirs; and after Mopsey had awakened them, they remained in anything
but a sleepy condition for several hours.
But the morning came at last, as all mornings do come, and they were
the first ones up and dressed, although they spent a great deal of
time on their toilet. Mopsey proposed that the others escort the two
fortunate ones to the hotel, in order that they might learn what this
great surprise was as soon as possible; but Dickey insisted that Ben
and Johnny go alone, since Mr. Weston had not said anything about
their bringing any friends with them.
It did seem to these two boys, after their companions had gone to
work, that the hands of the clock would never point to nine. They had
walked slowly from their boarding-house to the hotel, hoping to pass
away the time by looking in the shop-windows; and yet, walking as
slowly as they did, they were on the sidewalk opposite the house as
early as eight o'clock.
Since they could not content themselves anywhere else, they remained
there until it should be time for them to call, still speculating as
to what their good-fortune was to be, and wishing the minutes would
pass more quickly. The clock was just striking the hour of nine when
they entered the office of the hotel, and found Mr. Weston and Paul
evidently awaiting their arrival.
Whatever the surprise was that Mr. Weston had in store for them, it
was not in the hotel that they were to receive it; for as soon as they
entered Paul and his father started towards them, leading the way out
into the street at once. It was quite evident that Paul did not intend
to allow himself to run any risk of betraying the secret, for he
walked on ahead with his father, glancing over his shoulder every few
moments at the puzzled-looking boys behind.
Down Twenty-third Street to Sixth Avenue Mr. Weston led the way, and
after they had gone down the avenue some distance he entered a
neat-looking little periodical and stationary store, nodding
familiarly to the proprietor, as if he had been a regular visitor
there. Now more then ever were the two boys perplexed, and they had
just come to the conclusion that Paul's father was going to buy them
something as a present when the proprietor said,
"All the money which has been taken this morning is in the drawer, and
unless there is something more you want to say to me I will go, as I
made an engagement down town for ten o'clock."
"I don't think there is anything more to be said," replied Mr.
Weston; "of course you will come in whenever you are passing this way
to see how matters are going?"
"Oh yes," and the man started towards the door; "I'll see that
everything goes on smoothly, although I have no doubt but that the new
proprietors will get along all right. The goods are all marked at the
selling price, and there can hardly be any mistake made."
Then the man went out, and they were left alone in the store, which,
to say the least, seemed a very strange proceeding to Ben and Johnny.
"Well, boys, what do you think of the store?" asked Mr. Weston; and as
they hardly knew what reply to make, he added, "I hope you will like
it, for I think you can make considerable money here."
"We make money here?" asked Ben, in surprise.
"Yes, for it all belongs to you. I bought the stock in your name, with
myself as trustee, since minors can't hold property, and the rent is
paid for one year. You must be careful to keep the stock well up with
good, seasonable articles, and if you work hard there is no reason why
you should not have a good-sized bank account by the end of the year."
[Illustration: BEN AND JOHNNY ALONE IN THE NEW STORE.]
The boys looked at each other and then at Mr. Weston, but appeared
unable to understand what he meant. It did not seem possible that all
those goods were theirs, and they were quite sure that they had
misunderstood what he said, or that he was not speaking to them.
"All of these goods are yours--Paul's present to you for your kindness
to him. I guess you will understand it after a while, and we will come
back presently, after you feel perfectly sure about the
proprietorship."
Then Paul and his father went out, leaving the two owners to stand
looking at each other as if they were uncertain as to their own
identity. It was some moments before they spoke after they were alone,
and then Johnny went near the door and stood on his head, in a grave,
business-like manner, until his face was as red as a boiled beet.
After this feat had been accomplished he appeared to feel considerably
relieved, and he said, as he went close up to Ben,
"Do you s'pose he meant jest what he said?"
"He must have meant it," replied Ben; but the look on his face told
that even then he was uncertain about it.
Then the boys began examining their stock, finding beautiful things,
such as they had admired from outside shop-windows, but never believed
they should really own.
When Paul came in alone, half an hour later--for he was too eager to
know what his friends thought of their store to be able to wait any
longer--he found the newly-made proprietors in a state of delight
bordering almost on frenzy. They shook him by the hands, hugged him,
and once Johnny looked as if he would have kissed him had it not been
that he was a little ashamed to do so, while they kept asking him over
and over again if he was quite sure that his father had really given
them that entire stock of goods all for their very own.
When Paul told them that his father had spoken of doing some such
thing as this the first night that he had found him, after hearing the
story of what the two had done for his son, and that the money had
been paid over that very morning in his presence, they became fully
assured of their good-fortune.
Johnny, by Ben's direction, started down town to inform their friends
of their magnificent gift, and to invite them all up to look the
property over; which invitation, it is almost unnecessary to say, was
accepted at once.
During the greater portion of that day the store was filled with such
a crowd of newsboys and boot-blacks as was never seen in that vicinity
before, and the other merchants looked out in alarm, as if they feared
that a riot was in progress.
Dickey was almost as delighted as the proprietors themselves at this
magnificent gift; but Mopsey did not hesitate to say that, from what
he had seen of Mr. Weston, he fully expected that he would have been
sensible enough to have purchased a theatre; and the author also
intimated that some folks did not recognize genius when they saw it,
or he would have been both proprietor and manager of a theatre, in the
place of Ben and Johnny being installed behind the counter of a
periodical depot.
Paul had his father's permission to remain at the store all day, for
he was as much delighted with it as were the new owners, and he
received quite as much attention from the visitors as the goods did,
all seeming to think him a curiosity, and all equally certain that
they would have cared for him as willingly as Ben and Johnny did had
he met them first.
It was quite late in the afternoon when Mr. Weston returned to see how
the new merchants were getting along, and both of them tried to
express their thanks for what he had done for them; but it was a
difficult matter to find words to convey all they felt.
"Don't try to thank me, my lads, but live so that you will merit the
confidence I now have in you. The money which I have paid out to buy
these goods is but a small part of what I would have been willing to
give to have known that I should find my son alive and well. From what
he has told me of you, I believe that you deserve this start in life;
and if you continue as honest and kindly-hearted as I think you are,
you will repay me for this in almost as great a proportion as you
already have done."
After Mr. Weston had explained to them several details of business
which it was necessary they should know, he went back to the hotel,
taking Paul with him, but promising that he should come back and help
them keep store all the next day, since it would be the last he would
be in New York for some time.
Neither of the boys thought of going home for anything to eat until it
should be time for them to close the store, and in the evening Mrs.
Green and Nelly called upon them to say that they had purposely
delayed dinner until they could be there, when it would be made a sort
of thanksgiving meal. As a matter of course, they were as much
delighted with the store as any of the other visitors had been, and
Mrs. Green took advantage of the occasion to point out to Mopsey what
the difference might have been if he had refused to help a companion
in distress, as he apparently had been on the point of doing when he
was appealed to for his share of the money with which to buy the
ticket.
Since there was quite a trade in daily papers at the new store, and it
would be inconvenient for the two boys to buy and deliver their papers
and attend to the store at the same time, they made a trade with
Dickey, whereby he should become a partner to the extent of one-third
of the profits--thereby making him quite as happy as they were, which
was more happy than can be described by words.
Very proud were the three partners as they locked the store that
night, and, with the keys in their pockets, walked home with Mrs.
Green and Nelly, surrounded by quite a numerous escort of their
particular and intimate friends. And as they passed the different
stores into which they had hardly dared to enter even when they were
pursuing their legitimate business, they seemed suddenly to have
degenerated into very shabby affairs since they had one of their own
which was so beautiful.
Of the meal which followed Mrs. Green had made quite a feast, in order
to celebrate the good-fortune which had come to two of her boarders. A
cold boiled ham with smoking hot potatoes, followed by pies and fruit,
made up a dinner that would have been thought fit for a king, had it
not been for the remembrance of the "swell affair" at Coney Island.
All were in the best of spirits save Mopsey; and when Dickey asked the
cause of his apparent trouble, it was learned that the present of the
store was a severe blow to him, since it deprived him of nearly all
his theatrical company, as well as partners in the enterprise.
"I'll tell you what it is, Mopsey," said Ben, after he had whispered
with Johnny and Dickey, and they had nodded their heads as if agreeing
with what he said, "we'll give you our share of the theatre--'cause,
of course, we can't spend any time actin', now that we've got the
store, an' you an' Nelly can own it alone. You can get some other
actors, an' we'll buy tickets every time you have a show, whether we
can come or not."
This present was all Mopsey needed to make him as happy as if he had
been given an interest in the store. He began to think of such of his
friends as he was quite positive would make bright and shining lights
in the dramatic world, and was so generous as to offer to tell them
all about the play as soon as he should have it mapped out in his
mind.
When the partners went to bed that night, impressed with a sense of
their growing importance, Johnny remarked to Ben, just as his eyes
were closing in sleep,
"Now we're reg'lar folks at last, ain't we?"
And Ben quite agreed with him.