SAM'S TEMPTATION.
A month passed, a month which it is safe to say was neither
satisfactory to Sam nor his employer. The deacon discovered that the
boy needed constant watching. When he was left to himself, he was sure
to shirk his work, and indulge his natural love of living at ease. His
appetite showed no signs of decrease, and the deacon was led to remark
that "Samuel had the stiddyest appetite of any boy he ever knew. He
never seemed to know when he had eaten enough."
As for Mrs. Hopkins, Sam failed to produce a favorable impression upon
her. He was by no means her ideal of a boy, though it must be added
that this ideal was so high that few living boys could expect to
attain it. He must have an old head on young shoulders, and in fact be
an angel in all respects except the wings. On these Mrs. Hopkins
probably would not insist. Being only a boy, and considerably lazier
and more mischievous than the average, there was not much prospect of
Sam's satisfying her requirements.
"You'd better send him to the poorhouse, deacon." she said more than
once. "He's the most shif'less boy I ever see, and it's awful the
amount he eats."
"I guess I'll try him a leetle longer," said the deacon. "He aint had
no sort of bringin' up, you know."
So at the end of four weeks Sam still continued a member of the
deacon's household.
As for Sam, things were not wholly satisfactory to him. In spite of
all his adroit evasions of duty, he found himself obliged to work more
than he found agreeable. He didn't see the fun of trudging after the
deacon up and down the fields in the warm summer days. Even his meals
did not yield unmingled satisfaction, as he had learned from
experience that Mrs. Hopkins did not approve of giving him a second
slice of pie, and in other cases interfered to check the complete
gratification of his appetite, alleging that it wasn't good for boys
to eat too much.
Sam took a different view of the matter, and felt that if he was
willing to take the consequences, he ought to be allowed to eat as
much as he pleased. He was not troubled with the catechism any more.
The deacon found him so stolid and unteachable that he was forced to
give up in despair, and Sam became master of his own time in the
evening. He usually strayed into the village, where he found company
at the village store. Here it was that he met a youth who was destined
to exercise an important influence upon his career. This was Ben
Barker, who had for a few months filled a position in a small retail
store in New York city. Coming home, he found himself a great man.
Country boys have generally a great curiosity about life in the great
cities, and are eager to interview any one who can give them authentic
details concerning it. For this reason Ben found himself much sought
after by the village boys, and gave dazzling descriptions of life in
the metropolis, about which he professed to be fully informed. Among
his interested listeners was Sam, whose travels had been limited by a
very narrow circle, but who, like the majority of boys, was possessed
by a strong desire to see the world.
"I suppose there as many as a thousand houses in New York," he said to
Ben.
"A thousand!" repeated Ben, in derision. "There's a million!"
"Honest?"
"Yes, they reach for miles and miles. There's about twenty thousand
streets."
"It must be awfully big. I'd like to go there."
"Oh, you!" said Ben, contemptuously. "It wouldn't do for you to go
there."
"Why not?"
"You couldn't get along nohow."
"I'd like to know why not?" said Sam, rather nettled at this
depreciation.
"Oh, you're a country greenhorn. You'd get taken in right and left."
"I don't believe I would," said Sam. "I aint as green as you think."
"You'd better stay with the deacon, and hoe potatoes," said Ben,
disparagingly. "It takes a smart fellow to succeed in New York."
"Is that the reason you had to come home?" retorted Sam.
"I'm going back pretty soon," said Ben. "I shan't stay long in such a
one-horse place as this."
"Is it far to New York?" asked Sam, thoughtfully.
"Over a hundred miles."
"Does it cost much to go there?"
"Three dollars by the cars."
"That isn't so very much."
"No, but you've got to pay your expenses when you get there."
"I could work."
"What could you do? You might, perhaps, black boots in the City Hall
Park."
"What pay do boys get for doing that?" asked Sam, seriously.
"Sometimes five cents, sometimes ten."
"I'd like it better than farmin'!"
"It might do for you," said Ben, turning up his nose.
"What were you doing when you were in New York, Ben?"
"I was chief salesman in a dry goods store," said Ben, with an air of
importance.
"Was it a good place?"
"Of course it was, or I wouldn't have stayed there."
"What made you leave it?"
"I had so much care and responsibility that the doctor told me I must
have rest. When the boss was away, I run the store all alone."
There was no one to contradict Ben's confident assertions, and though
some doubt was entertained by his listener none was expressed.
Considering Ben's large claims, it was surprising that his services
were not sought by leading New York firms, but, then, merit is not
always appreciated at once. That was Ben's way of accounting for it.
Sam was never tired of asking Ben fresh questions about New York. His
imagination had been inflamed by the glowing descriptions of the
latter, and he was anxious to pass through a similar experience. In
fact, he was slowly making up his mind to leave the deacon, and set
out for the brilliant Paradise which so dazzled his youthful fancy.
There was one drawback, however, and that a serious one,--the lack of
funds. Though the deacon supplied him with board, and would doubtless
keep him in wearing apparel, there was no hint or intimation of any
further compensation for his services, and Sam's whole available money
capital at this moment amounted to only three cents. Now three cents
would purchase three sticks of candy, and Sam intended to appropriate
them in this way, but they formed a slender fund for travelling
expenses; and the worst of it was that Sam knew of no possible way of
increasing them. If his journey depended upon that, it would be
indefinitely postponed.
But circumstances favored his bold design, as we shall see.
One evening as Sam was returning from the store, a man from a
neighboring town, who was driving by, reined up his horse, and said,
"You live with Deacon Hopkins, don't you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Are you going home now?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then I'll hand you a note for him. Will you think to give it to
him?"
"Yes, sir."
"I would stop myself, but I haven't time this evening."
"All right. I'll give it to him."
"Take good care of it, for there's money in it," said the man, as he
passed it to the boy.
_Money in it!_ This attracted Sam's attention, and excited his
curiosity.
"I wonder how much there is in it," he thought to himself. "I wish it
was mine. I could go to New York to-morrow if I only had it."
With this thought prominent in his mind, Sam entered the house. Mrs.
Hopkins was at the table knitting, but the deacon was not to be seen.
"Where is the deacon?" asked Sam.
"He's gone to bed," said Mrs. Hopkins. "Did you want to see him?"
"No," said Sam, slowly.
"It's time you were abed too, Sam," said the lady. "You're out too
late, as I was tellin' the deacon to-night. Boys like you ought to be
abed at eight o'clock instead of settin' up half the night."
"I guess I'll go to bed now," said Sam, taking a lamp from the table.
"You'd better, and mind you get up early in the mornin'."
Sam did not answer, for he was busy thinking.
He went upstairs, fastened his door inside, and taking out the letter
surveyed the outside critically. The envelope was not very securely
fastened and came open. Sam could not resist the temptation presented,
and drew out the inclosure. His face flushed with excitement, as he
spread out two five-dollar bills on the table before him.
"Ten dollars!" ejaculated Sam. "What a lot of money! If it was only
mine, I'd have enough to go to New York."