Rough and Ready

The newsboy strayed into one of these bar-rooms, not with any idea of drinking, for he never had been tempted to drink. The example of his stepfather had been sufficient to disgust him with intemperance. But it was an idle impulse that led him to enter. He sat down in a chair, and took up a copy of the "Morning Herald," of which he had sold a considerable number of copies, without having had a chance to read it.

Chancing to cast his eyes on the floor, he saw a pocket-book. He stooped down and picked it up, and slipped it into his pocket. He looked about him to see if there was any one present that was likely to have lost it. But, besides the bar-keeper, there was no one in the room except a rough-looking laborer in his shirt-sleeves, and it was evident that it did not belong to him, as he drew from his vest-pocket the money with which he paid for his potation.

The newsboy concluded that the pocket-book belonged to some patron of the bar, who had dropped it, and gone away without missing it. The question came up, what should he do with it? Was it his duty to hand it to the bar-keeper?

He decided that it was not. Bar-keepers are apt to have easy consciences, and this one was not a very attractive representative of his class. He would undoubtedly pocket the wallet and its contents, and the true owner, if he should ever turn up, would stand very little chance of recovering his money.

These reflections quickly passed through the mind of our hero, and he decided to retain the pocket-book, and consult some one, in whom he reposed confidence, as to the proper course to pursue. He had no idea how much the wallet contained, and did not venture to examine it while he remained where he was. He decided to ask Mr. O'Connor, the superintendent of the Lodging House, what he had better do under the circumstances.

"I will remain here awhile," thought Rough and Ready. "Maybe the owner of the wallet will miss it, and come back for it. If he does, and I am sure it is his, I will give it up. But I won't give it to the bar-keeper; I don't like his looks."

So Rufus remained in his seat reading the "Herald." He had never read the paper so faithfully before. While he was still reading, a sailor staggered in. He had evidently been drinking before, and showed the effects of it.

"A glass of rum," he said, in a thick voice.

"All right, sir," said the bar-keeper, obsequiously.

"I'm bound to have a jolly time," said the sailor. "I've just come back from a voyage, and I mean to make the money fly while I have it."

So saying, he drew out half-a-dozen bank-bills, rolled up tightly together.

"That's the talk," said the bar-keeper, complaisantly. "Nothing like being jolly."

"I say, you drink with me," said the sailor. "I don't want to drink alone."

"Certainly, thank you;" and the bar-keeper poured out a glass for himself.

"Isn't there anybody that would like a drink?" said the sailor.

He looked around him, and his glance fell on Rough and Ready.

"Won't that boy drink?" he asked.

"You had better ask him."

"I say, won't you have a drink?" said the sailor, turning to the newsboy.

"No, I thank you," said the newsboy.

"Are you too proud to drink with a rough fellow like me?"

"No," said our hero; "but I never drink. I don't like it."

"Well, my lad, I don't know but you're right," said the sailor, more soberly. "My mother asked me not to drink; but I couldn't hold out. Don't do it, if you don't like it."

The bar-keeper by this time thought fit to interfere.

"Look here, boy," he said, angrily, "we don't want any temperance lectures here. You've stayed as long as you're wanted. You needn't come in here hurting our trade."

Rough and Ready did not think it necessary to answer this tirade, but laid down the paper and went out, carrying the pocket-book with him, of course. He did not open it, even after he got into the street, for the action would be noticed, and it might excite suspicion if he were seen counting over a roll of bills, which he judged from the feeling the wallet contained.

It was now time to lay in his supply of afternoon papers, and he therefore turned his steps to the offices, and was soon busily engaged in disposing of them. Indeed, so busily was he occupied, that he quite forgot he had the wallet in his possession. The papers sold readily, and it was not till he was ready to go to supper with Miss Manning and Rose that the thought of his discovery returned to him.

"I will wait and open the pocket-book when I get to the room," he said to himself.

"Well, Rose," he said, gayly, on entering the room, "what do you think I've found?"

"I wish it was a kitten," said Rose.

"No, it isn't that," said Rufus, laughing, "and I don't think I should take the trouble to pick it up, if I did find one."

"Do you like kittens, Rose?" asked Miss Manning.

"Yes, very much," said Rose; "they are so pretty and playful."

"Would you like to have me get one for you?"

"Will you?" asked the child, eagerly.

"Yes; there's a lodger on the lower floor has three. No doubt she will give us one."

"But won't it trouble you, Miss Manning?" asked the newsboy. "If it will, don't get it. Rose can get along without it."

"Oh, I like kittens myself," said Miss Manning; "I should really like one."

"Now I like dogs best," said Rough and Ready.

"Most boys do, I believe," said the seamstress.

"But kittens are much prettier, Rufie," said Rose.

"They'll scratch, and dogs won't," said the newsboy; "but if you like a kitten, and Miss Manning is kind enough to get you one, I shall be glad to have her do so. But you seem to have forgotten all about my discovery."

"What is it, Rufie?"

Rough and Ready drew the pocket-book from his pocket, and displayed it.

"Where did you find it, Rufus?" asked Miss Manning.

"Is there much money in it, Rufie?" asked his sister.

"I don't know yet, I'll look and see, and afterwards I'll tell where I found it."

He opened the wallet, and drew out a roll of bills. Spreading them open, he began to count. To his surprise they proved to be bills of a large denomination. There was one one-hundred-dollar bill, five twenties, six tens, and eight fives. He raised his eyes in surprise.

"Why, here are three hundred dollars," he said.

"Three hundred dollars!" exclaimed Rose, clapping her hands. "Why Rufie, how rich you are!"

"But it isn't my money, Rose," he said. "You must remember that. I may find the owner."

"Oh, I hope you won't," said the little girl, looking disappointed.

"But it isn't right to wish that, Rose," said Miss Manning. "Suppose you had lost the money, you would like to have it returned to you, would you not?"

"I suppose I should," said Rose; "but three hundred dollars would do us a great deal of good. You and Rufie wouldn't have to work so hard."

"As for me, hard work won't hurt me," said the newsboy. "I rather enjoy it, now that I don't have to give my wages to Mr. Martin to buy rum with."

"Have you seen him lately?"

"Not since the time I mentioned. But now I will tell you where I found this money."

Hereupon the newsboy gave the account which is already known to the reader. It will, of course, be unnecessary to repeat it here. When he had finished speaking, Miss Manning asked, "Well, Rufus, what do you intend to do about the money?"

"I am going to ask Mr. O'Connor's advice about it to-night," said our hero. "Whatever he says I ought to do, I will do."

"Perhaps you won't find any owner, Rufie."

"We won't count our eggs before they are hatched," said Rufus, "and speaking of eggs, when are you going to give us some more for supper, Miss Manning? Those we had Monday were bully."

"We'll have them often, if you like them, Rufus," said the seamstress.

In five minutes they sat down to supper, in which, as usual, Rufus did full justice.

CHAPTER XI.

THE ADVERTISEMENT IN THE HERALD

About eight o'clock Rough and Ready bade goodnight to Miss Manning and his sister, and went round to the Newsboys' Lodge to sleep.

On entering the room he went up to the superintendent, and said, "Mr. O'Connor, I want to ask your advice about something."

"Very well, Rufus, I will give you the best advice in my power. Now what is it?"

Hereupon the newsboy told the story of his finding the pocket-book.

"Didn't you see any one to whom you think it was likely to belong?"

"No, sir."

"How long did you remain after you found it?"

"I waited about half an hour, thinking that the loser might come back for it; but no one came."

"Why did you not give it to the bar-keeper?"

"Because I knew it did not belong to him, and I judged from his looks that, if he once got hold of it, the true owner would never see it again, even if he came back for it."

"I have no doubt you are right. I only asked to learn your own idea about it. Now, what do you think of doing?"

"Wouldn't it be a good plan to advertise it in the 'Herald'?"

"Yes, I think it might. Besides, there is the chance of its loss being advertised there, so that we can examine the advertisements of articles lost."

"Yes, sir; will you write an advertisement?"

"If you wish me to do so."

The superintendent took pen and paper, and drew up the following advertisement:—

"FOUND.—A pocket-book, containing a considerable

sum of money. The owner can have the same by calling on

the Superintendent of the Newsboys' Lodging House, proving

property, and paying the expense of this advertisement."

"How will that do?" he inquired.

"It's just the thing," said Rough and Ready. "How many times shall I put it in?"

"Three times will answer, I think. I will give you enough of the money to pay for the advertisement, and you can carry it round to-night."

This was done. The charge was found to be four dollars and eighty cents, as the "Herald" charges forty cents per line, and the three insertions made twelve lines.

"I have no doubt," said Mr. O'Connor, "I shall have some applications from adventurers, who will pretend that they have lost a pocket-book; but I will take care that it shall be surrendered only to the real owner."

The superintendent was right in this matter. Early the next morning, a flashily attired individual mounted the long flights of stairs, and inquired for him.

"What is your business, sir?" inquired Mr O'Connor.

"I called about that pocket-book which you advertise in the 'Herald.'"

"Have you lost one?"

"Yes, and I have no doubt that is the one. How much did you pay for advertising? I don't mind giving you a trifle extra for your trouble."

"Wait a moment. Where did you lose your pocket-book?"

"Really I can't say. I was at a good many places down town."

"Then you couldn't give any idea as to where you lost it?"

"I think I must have dropped it somewhere in Nassau Street or Fulton Street. Where was it found?"

"I do not intend giving information, but to require it. It is important that I should not give it to the wrong party."

"Do you doubt that the pocket-book is mine?" said the other, in an offended tone.

"I know nothing about it. If it is yours you can describe the pocket-book, and tell me how much money there is in it."

"Well," said the flashy individual, hesitating, "it wasn't a very large pocket-book."

"Brown?"

"Yes."

"And how much money was there in it?"

"Really, I couldn't tell exactly."

"But you can give me some idea?"

"There was somewhere from fifty to seventy-five dollars," said the adventurer, hazarding a guess.

"Then it doesn't belong to you," said the superintendent.

"There might have been a little more. Now I think of it, there must have been over eighty dollars."

"You are wasting your time, sir; you will have to look elsewhere for your pocket-book."

The man went off, muttering that he had no doubt it was his; but he saw clearly that he had failed. However, he was not yet at the end of his resources. At the corner of Broadway and Fulton Streets he was greeted by another young man of similar appearance.

"Well, Jack, what luck?"

"I came away as poor as I went."

"Then you couldn't hit the description?"

"No, he was too many for me."

"Anyway, you found out something. Give me a few hints, and I'll try my luck."

"He asked me if the pocket-book was brown, and I said yes. That's wrong. You'd better say it's black, or some other color."

"All right. I'll remember. What else did he ask you?"

"Where I lost it."

"What did you say?"

"In Nassau or Fulton Street, I couldn't say which."

"Was that wrong?"

"I don't know, he didn't say."

"What next?"

"He asked how much money there was. I said from fifty to seventy-five dollars, though I afterwards said there might be over eighty."

"That's too wide a margin. I think I'll say a hundred and fifty, more or less."

"That might do."

"As soon as I've smoked out my cigar, I'll go up."

"Good luck to you, Bob. Mind we are to divide if you get it."

"You shall have a third."

"No, half."

"I'll see about it; but I haven't got it yet."

In a few moments the superintendent received a second applicant.

"Good-morning, sir," said the individual named "Bob." "You've found a pocket-book, I think."

"Yes."

"I'm glad of it. I lost mine yesterday, with a pretty stiffish sum of money in it. I suppose one of your newsboys picked it up."

"Did you lose it in this street?"

"Yes, I expect so. I was coming from the Fulton Ferry in a great hurry, and there was a big hole in my pocket, that I didn't know of. I had just got the money for a horse that I sold to a man over there."

"Will you describe the pocket-book? What color was it?"

"Black, that is to say, not perhaps exactly black, but it might be called black," said Bob, getting over this question as well as he could.

"Very well. Now for the amount of money in the pocket-book."

"A hundred and fifty dollars, more or less," said Bob, boldly.

"In three bills of fifty dollars each?" asked the superintendent.

"Yes, precisely," said Bob, eagerly. "That was what was paid for the horse I sold."

"Then I regret to say that the pocket-book in my possession cannot be yours. When I find one answering your description as to color and contents, I will hold it at your disposal."

"Sold!" muttered Bob to himself, as he slunk downstairs without another word.

He rejoined his confederate, who was waiting for him at the corner, and informed him in expressive language that it was "no go."

"P'r'aps, if we'd consulted a medium, we might have found out all about the color and amount," suggested Jack.

"Don't you believe it," said Bob. "If the mediums could tell that, they'd be after it themselves. Where's your 'Herald'? We may get or better at some other place."

They found an advertisement of a diamond ring found, and started in pursuit of the finder. As Jack? said, "We might get it, you know; and if we don't, there's no harm done."

Mr. O'Connor had various other applications for the pocket-book, of which we will only describe one.

A woman dressed in black presented herself about noon.

"Is this the superintendent?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I came to see you about that pocket-book you advertise. I am a widow with six children, and I have hard work to get along. Yesterday I sent out my oldest boy to pay the rent; but he is a careless boy, and I suppose he got to playing in the street, and it fell out of his pocket. It was a great loss to me, and a widow's blessings shall rest upon you, sir, if you restore it. My boy's name is Henry, and I can bring you the best recommendations that I am a respectable woman, and my word can be relied upon."

This speech was delivered with such volubility, and with such a steady flow of words, that the superintendent had no opportunity of interrupting her.

"May I ask your name, madam?" he said at length.

"My name is Manson, sir, Mrs. Manson. My husband was an honest man,—he was a blacksmith,—but he was took down sudden with a fever about three years ago, that carried him off, and left me to get along as well as I could with my family of children. I ought to be back now; so if you'll give it to me, you can take what you like for the advertising, and to pay you for your trouble."

"You are a little too fast, Mrs. Manson. How am I to know that the pocket-book is yours?"

"I'll bring my son Henry to prove that he lost the pocket-book when he was going to pay the rent."

"That will not be necessary. All you will have to do will be to describe the pocket-book and its contents, and, if your description is correct, I will take it for granted that it belongs to you, and give it to you at once."

"Describe it, sir?"

"Yes, what was the color?"

"I can't justly say, sir, for it was Henry's pocket-book," said Mrs. Manson, hesitating; "but I think it was black."

"And how much money was there in it?"

"Thirty dollars," said the widow, with a little hesitation.

"Then the pocket-book isn't yours. Good morning, madam."

"It's hard upon a poor widow to lose her money, sir, and then have the finder refuse to give it up," whined Mrs. Manson.

"It would be, no doubt; but it would be equally hard for the real owner of the money for me to give it to the wrong person."

"But I think the pocket-book is mine."

"You are mistaken, madam."

Mrs. Manson, who, by the way, was not a widow, and didn't have six children as represented, went away crestfallen.

A week passed, and the money still remained in the hands of Mr. O'Connor. Numerous applicants had been drawn by the advertisement, one or two of whom had met with genuine losses, but the greater part were adventurers who trusted to lucky guessing to get hold of money that did not belong to them. The advertisements of money lost were also carefully examined daily; but there was none that answered to the sum found by the newsboy.

"I am beginning to think," said Mr. O'Connor, after a week had passed, "that you won't find an owner for this money, Rufus. What do you intend to do with it?"

"I'll put it in some bank, sir," said the newsboy, promptly. "I don't need to use it at present, but I may some time. It'll be something for me to fall back upon, if I get sick."

"I am glad you do not mean to live upon it. I was afraid it might encourage you to idleness."

"No, sir, it won't do that," said Rough and Ready, promptly. "I'm not such a fool as that. I've got a little sister to take care of, and I've thought sometimes, 'What if I should get sick?' but with this money, I shan't feel afraid. I think it'll make me work harder. I should like to add something to it if I could."

"That is the right way to talk, Rufus," said the superintendent, approvingly. "I think you are a good boy, and I shall be glad to help you with advice, or in any other way, whenever you need it. I wish you could get an education; it would help you along in life hereafter."

"I am studying every evening, sir," said the newsboy. "Miss Manning, a friend of mine, that my sister boards with, is helping me. I hope to be something higher than a newsboy some time."

The superintendent warmly applauded his determination, and a week later gave the pocket-book up to Rough and Ready, feeling that every reasonable effort to find an owner had been tried.

CHAPTER XII.

A VISIT TO GREENWOOD CEMETERY

One day Rough and Ready came to see his sister, and displayed a bank-book on one of the city savings-banks, containing an entry of three hundred dollars to his credit.

"What do you think of that, Rosie?" he said. "Don't you think I am rich?"

"I don't see anything but a little book," said Rose, who knew nothing of the way in which savings-banks were conducted. "There isn't any money in it," she continued, turning over the leaves with the expectation of finding some bills folded between them.

"You don't understand it, Rose. That little book is worth three hundred dollars."

"Three hundred dollars! Why, I wouldn't give five cents for it."

The newsboy laughed. "It shows that I have three hundred dollars in the bank, which they will pay me whenever I want it."

"That is nice," said Rose. "I am so glad you are rich, Rufie."

"Then you have heard nothing of the owner of the money, Rufus?" said Miss Manning.

"No, I have heard nothing. Mr. O'Connor says I shall be right in keeping the money now, as I have tried to find the owner, and cannot."

"What do you propose to do with it?"

"I shall keep it in the bank at present, until I need it. But there is one thing I would like to do, Miss Manning."

"What is that?"

"I would like to make you a present,—a dress, or shawl, or whatever you need most."

"Thank you, Rufus; you are very kind," said the seamstress; "but I would prefer that you would leave the money untouched. Since I made the arrangement with you about Rose, I am doing much better than I did before, and I feel much better, because I have more sustaining food. I feel now as if I could afford to take a little time to sew for myself. I bought a dress-pattern yesterday, and I shall make it up next week."

"But I should like very much to make you a present, Miss Manning."

"So you shall, Rufus, whenever you have a thousand dollars laid aside. At present I do not need anything, and I would rather you would keep your money."

To this resolution Miss Manning adhered, in spite of the newsboy's urgent persuasion. She knew very well that three hundred dollars, though it seemed a large sum to him, would rapidly melt away if it was once broken in upon, and she wished it to be kept as a "nest-egg," and an encouragement for future accumulations.

"At any rate," said Rufus, "I want to celebrate my good luck, and I want you to help me do it. Let us go to-morrow afternoon to Greenwood Cemetery. I think Rose will like it, and as it is a beautiful place it will be pleasant for us all."

"Very well," said the seamstress, "I will agree to that, if you will wait till I have finished my dress. I think I can have it done, so that we can go on Wednesday afternoon. Will that do?"

"Yes, that will suit me very well. I hope it will be a pleasant day."

"If it is not, we can defer it to the next day."

It will need to be explained that Rufus had already five dollars in the bank previous to his coming into possession of the contents of the pocket-book. That had originally contained three hundred dollars, but five dollars had been taken out to defray the expenses of advertising in the "Herald."

When Rose was informed of the contemplated excursion, she was filled with delight. The poor child had had very little pleasure or variety, and the excursion, brief as it was, she anticipated with eager enjoyment.

The day opened auspiciously. The early morning hours the newsboy devoted to his business, being unwilling to lose a day's earnings. At eleven o'clock he came to Miss Manning's lodgings. "Well, I am through with my day's work," he said. "How much do you think I have earned?"

"Seventy-five cents?" said the seamstress, inquiringly.

"A dollar and twenty cents," he said.

"You have been very smart. What a number of papers you must have sold!"

"I didn't make it all that way. There were two boys who were hard up, and hadn't any blacking-brushes; so I bought them some, and they are to pay me ten cents a day, each of them, for a month, then I shall let them keep the brushes."

"Do the boys often make such arrangements?"

"No, they generally go whacks. The boy who borrows agrees to pay half his earnings to the boy that sets him up in business."

"That is rather a hard bargain."

"Yes, I didn't want to charge so much. So I only charged ten cents a day."

"That will pay you a good profit; but how do you know but the boys will keep the brushes, and won't pay you anything?"

"Oh, they won't do that. They'll keep their promises, or nobody would help 'em next time they get hard up."

Miss Manning had prepared an early dinner, to which they all sat down. This was soon despatched, and they set out together for the South Ferry, from which cars ran to the cemetery.

They reached the ferry about noon, and at once crossed over. Rose enjoyed the ride upon the boat, for, though New York is surrounded by ferries, she had hardly ever ridden on a ferry-boat.