CHAPTER XXIV
FINDING A BOARDING PLACE
Herbert left the counting-room of Godfrey & Lynn, not a little depressedin spirits. The two days which must elapse before he could see Mr.Godfrey were to him a formidable delay. By that time his money would bealmost exhausted. Then, suppose, which was very probable, Mr. Godfreycould do nothing for him immediately, but only hold out his promise offuture assistance, how was he to live in the meantime? After all, hemight have to realize his thought of the morning, and join the ranksof the bootblacks. That was not a pleasant thought to a boy ofhis education. All labor is honorable, to be sure, but, then, someoccupations are more congenial than others.
If Greenleaf had not robbed him so basely, he could have afforded towait. He felt sore and indignant about that. Nobody likes to own that hehas been victimized, but Herbert was obliged to confess to himself thatsuch was the case with him.
He walked about rather aimlessly, feeling miserable enough. But, all atonce, it occurred to him, "Would it not be cheaper for him to take boardby the week in some boarding-house?" Reckoning up, he found that hishotel bill would be three dollars and a half a week, while his meals,even if he were quite abstemious, would make as much more; in all, sevendollars. Surely, he could be boarded somewhere for less than that.
In the reading-room of the hotel he found a daily paper, and carefullyran his eye down the advertisements for boarders and lodgers. Thefollowing attracted his attention:
"BOARDERS WANTED.--A few mechanics may obtain comfortable rooms andboard at No. ---- Stanton Street, at three dollars per week."
This, be it remembered, was previous to the war, and before the price ofboard had doubled.
"Three dollars a week!" repeated Herbert. "Less than half my presentrate of expense. I must go at once and secure it."
He found the way to Stanton Street, and found that No. ---- was ashabby-looking house in a shabby neighborhood. But he could not affordto be fastidious. He accordingly stepped up without hesitation, and rangthe bell, which emitted a shrill sound in reply.
A middle-aged woman, with a red handkerchief tied around her head, and abroom in her hand, opened the door and looked inquiringly at our hero.
"What's wanted?" she said.
"I saw your advertisement for boarders," said Herbert.
"Yes; I advertised in the paper this morning."
"Will you let me see your rooms?"
"Who are you looking for?"
"Myself."
"I don't know as you'll be suited. My price is low, and I can't givefirst-class accommodations for three dollars."
"No; I suppose not."
"Come up, if you would like to see what I've got."
The interior of the house was shabby like the outside, the oilclothcarpet faded, and the wall paper torn off in places. The stairs, too,were narrow and uncarpeted. All this Herbert observed, but he could notafford to be critical.
On the third floor, his guide threw open the door of a dark, little hallbedroom, meagerly furnished.
"I could give you this room by yourself," she said, "or a larger roomwith someone else."
"I would rather be alone."
"That's the only single room I have. Will you take it?"
"I think so," said Herbert, though he did not anticipate much enjoymentin such a poor place.
"When do you want to come?"
"To-morrow morning."
"Very well. I shall expect a deposit, so that I may be sure the room islet."
"How much?"
"A dollar will do."
Herbert drew a dollar from his pocket, and handed it to Mrs. Morgan, forsuch, she informed him, was her name.
Then he went downstairs and out into the air again.
"Well," he said to himself, "I'm sure of a home, such as it is, for aweek. In that time something must turn up."
Examining his pocketbook he found that he had two dollars and a halfleft. Of that sum, two dollars must be reserved to pay the balance ofhis week's board. Out of the remaining fifty cents he must pay for hismeals until the next morning, when he would take possession of his newboarding place. He wished that he had proposed to come to breakfast, butit was too late now.
With such a small sum in hand, he could not afford to dine on thesame magnificent scale as he had breakfasted, but he must be rigidlyeconomical. He decided that the cheapest food he could buy was afive-cent loaf at some baker's. This would probably last him through theday, and might prove sufficient for breakfast also, since he wouldtake a regular dinner, though he doubted, from what he had seen of theestablishment in Stanton Street, whether it would be a very invitingrepast. But it was the best he could afford, and that was all he needconsider.
Late in the afternoon, it occurred to Herbert to wonder where, in thecity, his Uncle Stanton lived. Not that he had any intention of applyingto him for assistance, even if matters came to a crisis, but he felta natural curiosity as to how his uncle was situated. He found thedirectory readily, and, turning to the letter S, ran down the list ofnames till he came to Stanton, Benjamin.
He learned that his uncle's store was in the lower part of Broadway,while his house was in West Seventeenth Street, between Fifth and SixthAvenues.
"I should like to see what sort of a house Uncle Benjamin lives in,"thought Herbert.
There was nothing to prevent his gratifying this wish, as he had plentyof time on his hands. If he had had more money, he would have taken thehorse cars, but in his present circumstances this would be imprudent.He decided, as it was only five o'clock, to take a leisurely walk upBroadway, noticing his uncle's place of business on the way.
A few minutes brought him in front of the latter--an imposing-lookingbuilding, with all the appearance of belonging to a prosperous merchant.Appearances are deceitful, to be sure, and no doubt there are somemerchants, as outwardly prosperous, who might profitably change placeswith their head clerks. But Herbert naturally judged from appearances,and he could not help contrasting in his mind his own condition withthat of his uncle's. But he was too manly to be despondent on thisaccount, and thought rather, "I am young and ready to work, Some time,if I am patient and work hard. I may be as well off as Uncle Benjamin."The thought of applying to him for assistance was as far off as ever.
He pursued his way uptown, finding it a longer walk than he anticipated,arriving at half-past five at Union Square. At the upper end he turnedoff, and went down Seventeenth Street.
Carefully noting the numbers, he at length found his uncle's house. Itwas a handsome, substantial city mansion, and seemed appropriate as theresidence of a rich New York merchant.
"So my uncle lives here," thought Herbert, and there rose involuntarilyin his mind the memory of the humble Western home where he and hismother had struggled against poverty, while his uncle, who was evidentlyso amply provided with the world's goods, coldly held aloof, and forboreto offer the assistance which he could so well afford.
"If I had a sister, I could never treat her like that," thought Herbert,indignantly. "He would not help my mother. I will starve before I askhim to help me."
He paused a moment on the opposite side of the street to look at hisuncle's house. While he was standing there, a boy of about his own age,apparently, came down the street whistling, and ascended the steps ofhis uncle's house.
"I wonder if that is my cousin Tom," thought Herbert. He knew the namesof his cousins from his mother, though he had never seen them.
While he looked, he was struck by something familiar in the appearanceof this boy. Where had he seen him before?
All at once it flashed upon him. It was the same boy he had seen inthe counting-room of Godfrey He knew him by his dandified dress and hisface, which he had noticed at the time.
This was certainly a strange coincidence, that his cousin, for it wasdoubtless he, should be the first boy he encountered after reachingNew York. It would be still stranger if Mr. Godfrey should offer himemployment, and he should find himself a clerk in the same office as theson of his rich un
cle. But it was by no means certain that he would belucky enough to obtain such employment. Therefore there was no need ofwondering whether, under such circumstances, Tom would recognize him asa relation.
Herbert walked thoughtfully back, and on reaching his room ate theremainder of the loaf which he had purchased at the baker's in themorning. It was not a very luxurious repast, but his walk had given himan appetite, and he had no difficulty in disposing of all that was left.