THE LAST EVENING IN FRANKLIN STREET.
Though Rufus felt sorry for Mr. Martin's misfortune, there was at least
one satisfaction connected with it. He would doubtless be sent to
Blackwell's Island for three months, and of course when there he would
be unable to annoy Rose, or contrive any plots for carrying her off.
This would be a great relief to Rufus, who felt more than ever how much
the presence of his little sister contributed to his happiness. If he
was better than the average of the boys employed like himself, it was in
a considerable measure due to the fact that he had never been adrift in
the streets, but even in the miserable home afforded by his step-father
had been unconsciously influenced towards good by the presence of his
mother, and latterly by his little sister Rose. He, in his turn, had
gained a salutary influence among the street boys, who looked up to him
as a leader, though that leadership was gained in the first place by
his physical superiority and manly bearing.
It occurred to him, that perhaps, after all, it might not be necessary
for Rose and Miss Manning to move from Franklin Street at present, on
account of Mr. Martin's arrest. He was rather surprised, when, on
entering the little room, after hurrying upstairs two or three steps at
a time, he saw Miss Manning's trunk open and half packed, with various
articles belonging to herself and Rose spread out beside it.
"Hallo!" he exclaimed, stopping short on the threshold, "what are you
doing?"
"Getting ready to move, Rufus," answered the seamstress.
"So you've found a place?"
"Oh, such a nice place, Rufie!" chimed in little Rose; "there's a nice
carpet, and there's going to be a sofa, and oh, it's beautiful!"
"So you're going to live in style, are you?" said Rufus. "But how about
the cost, Miss Manning?"
"That's the pleasantest part of it," was the reply; "it isn't going to
cost me anything, and I am to be paid two dollars a week besides."
Rufus looked bewildered.
"Can't I get a chance there too?" he asked. "I'd be willin' to give 'em
the pleasure of my society for half a price, say a dollar a week,
besides a room."
"We are to be boarded also," said Miss Manning, in a tone of
satisfaction.
"If it's a conundrum I'll give it up," said Rufus; "just tell a feller
all about it, for I begin to think you're crazy, or else have come
across some benevolent chap that's rather loose in the upper story."
Hereupon Miss Manning, unwilling to keep Rufus longer in suspense, gave
him a full account of her morning's adventures, including her engagement
with Mrs. Colman.
"You're in luck," said Rufus, "and I'm glad of it; but there's one thing
we'll have to settle about."
"What's that?"
"About Rose's board."
"Oh, that is all settled already. Mrs. Colman is to pay for her board as
well as mine."
"Yes, I know that; but it is your teachin' that is to pay for it."
"Yes, I suppose so."
"Then I must pay you for her board. That will make it all right."
"Oh, no, Rufus, I couldn't accept anything. You see it doesn't cost me
anything."
"Yes, it does," persisted the newsboy; "if it wasn't for that, you would
be paid more money."
"If it wasn't for her, I should not have applied for board in that
place; so you see that it is to Rose, after all, that I am indebted for
the situation."
"I see that you are very kind to Rose, Miss Manning, but I can't have
you pay for her board. I am her brother, and am well and strong. I can
afford to pay for Rose, and I will. Now how much will it be?"
Miss Manning persisted that she was not willing to receive anything; but
upon this point the newsboy's pride was aroused, and finally this
arrangement was made: Miss Manning was to receive three dollars a week,
and for this sum she also agreed to provide Rose with proper clothing,
so that Rufus would have no responsibility or care about her. He wanted
the seamstress to accept four dollars; but upon this point she was quite
determined. She declared that three dollars was too high, but finally
agreed to accept it.
"I don't want to make money out of Rose," she said.
"It'll take some time to get ahead of A. T. Stewart on three dollars a
week."
"I shall have five dollars a week."
"But you will have to buy clothes for Rose and yourself."
"I shall make them myself, so that they won't cost me more than half of
the money."
"Then you can save up the rest."
"But you will only have five dollars left to pay your expenses, Rufus."
"Oh, I can get along. Don't mind me."
"But I wanted you to come and board with us. Mrs. Clayton has a hall
bedroom which she would let to you with board for five dollars a week.
But that would leave you nothing for clothes."
"I could earn enough some other way to pay for my clothes," said Rufus;
"but I don't know about going to board with you. I expect it's a
fashionable place, and I shouldn't know how to behave."
"You will know how to behave as well as I do. I didn't think you were
bashful, Rufus."
"No more I am in the street," said the newsboy; "but you know how I've
lived, Miss Manning. Mr. Martin didn't live in fashionable style, and
his friends were not very select. When I took breakfast at Mr. Turner's,
I felt like a cat in a strange garret."
"Then it's time you got used to better society," said Miss Manning. "You
want to rise in the world, don't you?"
"Of course I do."
"Then take my advice, and come with us. You'll soon get used to it."
"Maybe I will. I'll come round to-morrow, and see how I like it."
"Remember you are in business in Wall Street, and ought to live
accordingly. Don't you think Mr. Turner would prefer to have you board
in a good place rather than sleep at the Lodging House, without any home
of your own?"
"Yes, I suppose he would," said Rufus.
The idea was a new one to him, but it was by no means disagreeable. He
had always been ambitious to rise, but thus far circumstances had
prevented his gratifying this ambition. His step-father's drunken
habits, and the consequent necessity he was under of contributing to his
support as well as that of Rose, and his mother when living, had
discouraged him in all his efforts, and led him to feel that all his
efforts were unavailing. But now his fortunes had materially changed.
Now, for the first time, there seemed to be a chance for him. He felt
that it was best to break off, as far as possible, his old life, and
turn over a new leaf. So the advice of his friend, Miss Manning,
commended itself to his judgment, and he about made up his mind to
become a boarder at Mrs. Clayton's. He would have the satisfaction of
being in the same house with his little sister Rose, and thus of seeing
much more of her than if he boarded down town at the Lodging House. It
would cost him more to be sure, leaving him, as Miss Manning suggested,
nothing for his clothes; but, as his duties in Wall Street did not
commence until nine o'clock, and terminated at five, he felt sure that
in his leisure time he would be able to earn enough to meet this
expense. Besides, there would be the interest on his five hundred
dollars, which would amount to not less than thirty dollars, and
probably more, for, with the advice of Mr. Turner, he was about to
purchase with it some bank shares. Then, if it should be absolutely
necessary, he could break in upon his principal, although he would be
sorry to do this, for, though he did not expect to add to it for a year
to come, he hoped to keep it at its present amount.
These thoughts passed rapidly through his mind, and, when little Rose,
taking his hand, said, pleadingly, "Do come and live with us, Rufie!" he
answered, "Yes, Rosy, I will, if Mrs. Clayton will make room for me."
"Oh, that will be so nice, won't it, Miss Manning?" said Rose, clapping
her hands.
"Perhaps Mr. Martin will come and board with us," said Rufus, jestingly;
"wouldn't you like that, Rose?"
"No," said Rose, looking frightened; "do you think he will find out
where we are?"
"Not for some time at least," said her brother. "By the way, I saw him
to-day, Miss Manning."
"Did you speak with him, Rufus?"
"Did he try to carry you off, Rufie?" asked Rose, anxiously.
"You forget, Rose, that I am rather too big to carry off," said Rufus.
"No, he did not say anything to me. The fact is, he has got into a
scrape, and has enough to do to think of himself."
"Tell us about it, Rufus."
"I saw him, just as I was coming home, in the hands of the police. I
heard that he had tried to rob a gentleman of his pocket-book."
"What will they do to him?"
"I suppose he will be sent to the Island."
"I am sorry for him, though he has not treated you and Rose right."
"Yes, I am sorry too; but at any rate we need not feel anxious about his
getting hold of Rose."
They had a very pleasant supper together. It was the last supper in the
old room, and they determined that it should be a good one. Rufus went
out and got some sirloin steak, and brought in a pie from the baker's.
This, with what they had already had, made a very nice supper.
"You won't have any more cooking to do for some time, Miss Manning,"
said Rufus; "you'll be a lady, with servants to wait on you. I hope the
two little girls won't give you much trouble. If they do, that might be
harder work than sewing."
"They seem to be quite pleasant little girls, and they will be a good
deal of company for Rose."
"How did you like them, Rosie?" asked her brother.
"Ever so much. Jennie,--that's the oldest, you know, she's almost as big
as me,--said she would give me one of her dolls. She's got four."
"That's quite a large family for a young lady to have. Don't you think
she would give me one of them?"
"Boys don't have dolls," said Rose, decidedly. "It aint proper."
Rufus laughed.
"Then I suppose I must do without one; but it would be a great deal of
company for me when I go down town to business. I could put it in my
pocket, you know."
"You're only making fun, Rufie."
"I suppose you think of going up to Mrs. Clayton's the first thing in
the morning," said Rufus, turning to Miss Manning.
"Yes," she answered; "I can send up my trunk by a city express, and Rose
and I can go up by the horse-cars, or, if it is pleasant, we will walk."
"I will go up with you, and look at the room you spoke of, if you will
go early enough for me to be down at the office at nine o'clock."
Miss Manning assented to this arrangement, and Rufus left Franklin
Street at nine, and repaired to the Newsboy's Lodging House, to sleep
there for the last time.