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RUFUS AND ROSE;
OR, THE FORTUNES OF ROUGH AND READY.
BY HORATIO ALGER, JR.
AUTHOR OF "RAGGED DICK," "FAME AND FORTUNE," "MARK, THE MATCH BOY,"
"ROUGH AND READY," "BEN, THE LUGGAGE BOY," "CAMPAIGN SERIES," "LUCK AND
PLUCK SERIES," ETC.
PHILADELPHIA:
PORTER & COATES.
To
MY YOUNG FRIENDS,
HENRY AND EUGENE,
THIS VOLUME
IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED
PREFACE.
In presenting to the public the last volume of the "RAGGED DICK SERIES,"
the author desires to return his thanks for the generous reception
accorded, both by the press and the public, to these stories of street
life. Several of the characters are drawn from life, and _nearly all_ of
the incidents are of actual occurrence. Indeed, the materials have been
found so abundant that invention has played but a subordinate part.
The principal object proposed, in the preparation of these volumes, has
been to show that the large class of street boys--numbering thousands in
New York alone--furnishes material out of which good citizens may be
made, if the right influences are brought to bear upon them. In every
case, therefore, the author has led his hero, step by step, from
vagabondage to a position of respectability; and, in so doing, has
incurred the charge, in some quarters, of exaggeration. It can easily be
shown, however, that he has fallen short of the truth, rather than
exceeded it. In proof, the following extract from an article in a New
York daily paper is submitted:--
"As a class, the newsboys of New York are worthy of more than common
attention. The requirements of the trade naturally tend to develop
activity both of mind and body, and, in looking over some historical
facts, we find that _many of our most conspicuous public men_ have
commenced their careers as newsboys. Many of the principal offices of
our city government and our chief police courts testify to the truth of
this assertion. From the West we learn that many of the most
enterprising journalists spring from the same stock."
Not long since, while on a western journey, the Superintendent of the
Lodging House in Park Place found one of his boys filling the position
of District Attorney in a western State, another settled as a clergyman,
and still others prosperous and even wealthy business men. These facts
are full of encouragement for those who are laboring to redeem and
elevate the street boy, and train him up to fill a respectable position
in society.
Though the six volumes already issued complete his original purpose, the
author finds that he has by no means exhausted his subject, and is
induced to announce a second series, devoted to still other phases of
street life. This will shortly be commenced, under the general name of
the
"TATTERED TOM SERIES."
New York, November 1, 1870.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"DON'T YOU TRY TO FOOL ME."
"I'LL TEACH YOU TO DO IT AGAIN."
RUFUS AND ROSE;
OR, THE FORTUNES OF ROUGH AND READY.
CHAPTER I.
NEW PLANS.
"So this is to be your first day in Wall Street, Rufus," said Miss
Manning.
"Yes," said Rufus, "I've retired from the newspaper business on a large
fortune, and now I'm going into business in Wall Street just to occupy
my time."
The last speaker was a stout, well-grown boy of fifteen, with a pleasant
face, calculated to inspire confidence. He looked manly and
self-reliant, and firm of purpose. For years he had been a newsboy,
plying his trade in the streets of New York, and by his shrewdness, and
a certain ready wit, joined with attention to business, he had met with
better success than most of his class. He had been a leader among them,
and had received the name of "Rough and Ready," suggested in part, no
doubt, by his name, Rufus; but the appellation described not inaptly his
prominent traits. He understood thoroughly how to take care of himself,
and thought it no hardship, that, at an age when most boys are tenderly
cared for, he was sent out into the streets to shift for himself.
His mother had been dead for some time. His step-father, James Martin,
was a drunkard, and he had been compelled to take away his little sister
Rose from the miserable home in which he had kept her, and had
undertaken to support her, as well as himself. He had been fortunate
enough to obtain a home for her with Miss Manning, a poor seamstress,
whom he paid for her services in taking care of Rose. His step-father,
in order to thwart and torment him, had stolen the little girl away, and
kept her in Brooklyn for a while, until Rufus got a clue to her
whereabouts, and succeeded in getting her back. At the time when the
story opens, he had just recovered her, and having been fortunate
enough to render an important service to Mr. Turner, a Wall Street
broker, was on this Monday morning to enter his office, at a salary of
eight dollars a week.
This sketch of the newsboy's earlier history is given for the benefit of
those who have not read the book called "Rough and Ready," in which it
is related at length. It is necessary to add that Rufus was in some
sense a capitalist, having five hundred dollars deposited in a
savings-bank to his credit. Of this sum, he had found three hundred one
day, which, as no claimant ever appeared for it, he had been justified
in appropriating to his own use. The remainder had been given him by Mr.
Turner, in partial acknowledgment of the service before referred to.
"Your new life will seem strange to you at first, Rufus," said Miss
Manning.
"Yes, it does already. When I woke up this morning, I was going to jump
out of bed in a hurry, thinking I must go round to Nassau Street to get
my papers. Then all at once I thought that I'd given up being a newsboy.
But it seemed queer."
"I didn't know but you'd gone back to your old business," said the
seamstress, pointing to a paper in his hand.
"It's this morning's 'Herald,'" explained Rufus; "you and Rose will have
to be looking for another room where Martin can't find you. You'll find
two columns of advertisements of 'Boarders and Lodgers Wanted,' so you
can take your choice."
"I'll go out this morning," said the seamstress.
"All right. Take Rose along with you, or you may find her missing when
you get back."
There was considerable reason to fear that the step-father, James
Martin, would make a fresh attempt to get possession of Rose, and Rufus
felt that it was prudent to guard against this.
"Have you had breakfast, Rufus?"
"Yes; I got breakfast at the Lodging House."
Here it may be remarked that Rufus had enjoyed advantages superior to
most of his class, and spoke more correctly in general, but occasionally
fell into modes of pronunciation such as he was accustomed to hear from
his street associates. He had lately devoted a part of his evenings to
study, under the superintendence of Miss Manning, who, coming originally
from a country home, had had a good common-school education.
"It's time I was going down to the office," said Rufus. "Good-morning,
Miss Manning. Good-morning, Rosy," as he stooped to kiss his little
sister, a pretty little girl of eight.
"Good-morning, Rufie. Don't let Mr. Martin carry you off."
"I think he'd have a harder job to carry me off than you, Rosy," said
Rufus, laughing. "Don't engage lodgings on Fifth Avenue, Miss Manning.
I'm afraid it would take more than I can earn in Wall Street to pay my
share of the expense."
"I shall be content with an humbler home," said the seamstress, smiling.
Rufus left the little room, which, by the way, looked out on Franklin
Street near the Hudson River, and the seamstress, taking the "Herald,"
turned to the column of "Boarders and Lodgers Wanted."
There was a long list, but the greater part of the rooms advertised
were quite beyond her slender means. Remembering that it would be
prudent to get out of their present neighborhood, in order to put the
drunken step-father off the track, she looked for places farther up
town. The objection to this, however, was, that prices advance as you go
up town. Still the streets near the river are not considered so
eligible, and she thought that they might find something there. She
therefore marked one place on Spring Street, another on Leroy Street,
and still another, though with some hesitation, on Christopher Street.
She feared that Rufus would object to this as too far up town.
"Now put on your things, Rose, and we'll take a walk."
"That will be nice," said Rose, and the little girl ran to get her shawl
and bonnet. When she was dressed for the street, Rose would hardly have
been taken for the sister of a newsboy. She had a pretty face, full of
vivacity and intelligence, and her brother's pride in her had led him to
dress her better than might have been expected from his small means.
Many children of families in good circumstances were less neatly and
tastefully dressed than Rose.
Taking the little girl by the hand, Miss Manning led the way down the
narrow staircase. It was far from a handsome house in which they had
thus far made their home. The wall-paper was torn from the walls in
places, revealing patches of bare plastering; there was a faded and worn
oil-cloth upon the stairs, while outside the rooms at intervals, along
the entry, were buckets of dirty water and rubbish, which had been
temporarily placed there by the occupants. As it was Monday, washing was
going on in several of the rooms, and the vapor arising from hot suds
found its way into the entry from one or two half-open doors. On the
whole, it was not a nice or savory home, and the seamstress felt no
regret in leaving it. But the question was, would she be likely to find
a better.
The seamstress made her way first to Spring Street. She was led to
infer, from the advertisement, that she might find cheap accommodations.
But when she found herself in front of the house designated, she found
it so dirty and neglected in appearance that she did not feel like
entering. She was sure it would not suit her.
Next she went to Leroy Street. Here she found a neat-looking three-story
brick house.
She rang the bell.
"You advertise a room to let," she said to the servant; "can I look at
it?"
"I'll speak to the missis," said the girl.
Soon a portly lady made her appearance.
"You have a room to let?" said Miss Manning, interrogatively.
"Yes."
"Can I look at it?"
"It's for a gentleman," said the landlady. "I don't take ladies.
Besides, it's rather expensive;" and she glanced superciliously at the
plain attire of the seamstress.
Of course there was no more to be said. So Miss Manning and Rose found
their way into the street once more.
The last on the list was Christopher Street.
"Come, Rose. Are you tired of walking?"
"Oh, no," said the child; "I can walk ever so far without getting
tired."
Christopher Street is only three blocks from Leroy. In less than ten
minutes they found themselves before the house advertised. It was a
fair-looking house, but the seamstress found, on inquiry, that the room
was a large one on the second floor, and that the rent would be beyond
her means. She was now at the end of her list.
"I think, Rose," she said, "we will go to Washington Square, and sit
down on one of the seats. I shall have to look over the paper again."
This square is a park of considerable size, comprising very nearly ten
acres. Up to 1832, it had been for years used as a Potter's Field, or
public cemetery, and it is estimated that more than one hundred thousand
bodies were buried there. But in 1832 it became a park. There is a basin
and a fountain in the centre, and it is covered with trees of
considerable size. At frequent intervals there are benches for the
accommodation of those who desire to pass an hour or two in the shade of
the trees. In the afternoon, particularly, may be seen a large number
of children playing in the walks, and nurse-maids drawing their young
charges in carriages, or sitting with them on the seats.
Rose was soon busied in watching the sports of some children of her own
age, while Miss Manning carefully scanned the advertisements. But she
found nothing to reward her search. At length her attention was drawn to
the following advertisement:--
"No. --, Waverley Place. Two small rooms. Terms reasonable."
"That must be close by," thought the seamstress.
She was right, for Waverley Place, commencing at Broadway, runs along
the northern side of Washington Square. Before the up-town movement
commenced, it was a fashionable quarter, and even now, as may be
inferred from the character of the houses, is a very nice and
respectable street, particularly that part which fronts the square.
Miss Manning could see the number mentioned from where she was seated,
and saw at a glance that it was a nice house. Of course it was beyond
her means,--she said that to herself; still, prompted by an impulse
which she did not attempt to resist, she determined to call and make
inquiries about the rooms advertised.