the fortunes of oliver horn- 第20部分

〃Oh；　don't　mention　it。　I　got　hold　of　him　just　in　time；　or　these　ruffians　would　have　hurt　him。　I　think　the　old　lady　here；　however；　is　most　to　be　thanked。　We　might　both　have　been　locked　up；〃　he　added；　smiling；　〃if　she　had　not　interfered。　You　know　her；　it　seems。〃

〃Yes；　she's　Mother　Mulligan；　as　we　call　her。　She's　janitress　of　the　Academy　of　Design；　where　I　draw　at　night。　My　name's　Fred　Stone。　Come　over　to　where　I　liveit's　only　a　step；〃　and　he　looked　straight　into　Oliver's　face；　his　big　blue　eyes　never　wavering。

〃Well；　I　will　if　you　don't　think　it's　too　late；〃　and　the　two　young　fellows；　with　a　wave　of　their　hands　to　the　old　woman；　left　the　Square；　the　dog　bounding　before　　them。

Within　the　hourin　less　time　indeed；　for　the　friendly　light　in　the　eyes　of　his　new…found　friend　had　shone　straight　into　our　boy's　soul；　warming　and　cheering　him　to　his　finger…tips；　opening　his　heart；　and　bringing　out　all　his　secretsOliver　had　told　Fred　the　story　of　his　fruitless　tramps　for　work；　of　his　mother's　　hopes　and　fears；　of　his　own　ambitions　and　his　aims。　And　Fred；　his　own　heart　wide　open；　had　told　Oliver　with　equal　frankness　the　story　of　his　own　struggles；　of　his　leaving　his　father's　farm　in　the　western　part　of　the　State；　and　of　his　giving　up　everything　to　come　to　New　York　to　study　art。

It　was　the　old；　old　story　of　two　chance　acquaintances　　made　friends　by　reason　of　the　common　ground　of　struggle　and　privation　on　which　they　stood；　comrades　　fighting　side　by　side　in　the　same　trenches　for　the　same　end；　and　both　dreaming　of　the　morrow　which　would　always　bring　victory　and　never　death。　A　story　told　without　reserve；　for　the　disappointments　of　life　had　not　yet　dulled　their　enthusiasm；　nor　had　the　caution　acquired　by　its　many　bitter　experiences　yet　checked　the　free　flow　of　their　confidences。

To　Oliver；　in　his　present　despondent　mood；　the　hand　held　out　to　him　was　more　than　the　hand　of　a　comrade。　It　was　the　hand　of　a　strong　swimmer　thrust　into　the　sea　to　save　a　drowning　man。　There　were　others　then　besides　himself；　he　thought；　as　he　grasped　it；　who　were　making　this　fight　for　bread　and　glory；　there　was　something　else　in　the　great　city　besides　　cruelty　and　misery；　money…getting　and　money…　spendingsomething　of　unselfishness；　sympathy　and　love。

The　two　sat　on　the　steps　of　Fred's　boarding…house　that　house　where　Oliver　was　to　spend　so　many　happy　days　of　his　after…lifeuntil　there　was　only　time　enough　to　catch　the　barge。　Reluctantly　he　bade　his　new…found　comrade　good…by　and；　waving　his　hand；　turned　the　corner　in　the　direction　of　the　dock。

The　edge　of　Oliver's　cloud　had　at　last　caught　the　light！




CHAPTER　VIII

AN　OLD　SONG



Not　only　had　the　sunshine　of　a　new　friendship　illumined　the　edge　of　Oliver's　clouds；　but　before　the　week　was　out　a　big　breeze　laden　with　success　had　swept　them　so　far　out　to　sea；　that　none　but　the　clearest　　of　skies　radiant　with　hope　now　arched　above　his　happy　face。

A　paste…board　sign　had　wrought　this　miracle。

One　day　he　had　been　tramping　the　lower　parts　of　the　city；　down　among　the　docks；　near　Coenties　Slip；　looking　up　the　people　who　on　former　visits　had　said：　〃Some　other　time；　perhaps；〃　or　〃If　we　should　have　room　for　another　man　we　will　be　glad　to　remember　you；〃　or　〃We　know　Mr。　Cobb；　and　shall　be　pleased；〃　etc。；　etc。；　when　he　chanced　to　espy　a　strange　sign　tacked　outside　a　warehouse　door；　a　sign　which　bore　the　unheard…of…announcementunheard　of　to　Oliver；　　especially　the　last　word；　〃Shipping　Clerk　WANTED。〃

No　one；　for　weeks；　had　WANTED　anything　that　Oliver　　could　furnish。　Strangely　enough　too；　as　he　afterward　　discovered；　the　bullet…headed　Dutch　porter　had　driven　the　last　tack　into　the　clean；　white；　welcome　face　of　the　sign　only　five　minutes　before　Oliver　stopped　in　front　of　it。　Still　more　out　of　the　common；　　and　still　more　incomprehensible；　was　the　reply　made　to　him　by　the　head　salesman；　whom　he　found　just　inside　the　doora　wiry；　restless　little　man　with　two　keen　black　eyes；　and　a　perfectly　bald　head。

〃Yes；　if　you　can　mark　boxes　decently；　can　show　any　references；　don't　want　too　much　pay；　and　can　come　NOW。　We're　short　of　a　boy；　and　it's　our　busy　season。〃

Oh！　blessed　be　Mr。　Crocker；　thought　Oliver；　as　he　picked　up　a　marking…brush；　stirred　it　round　and　round　in　the　tin　pot　filled　with　lamp…black　and　turpentine；　　and　to　his　own　and　the　clerk's　delight；　painted；　on　a　clean　board；　rapidly　and　clearly；　and　in　new　letters　　toonew　to　the　clerkthe　full　address　of　the　bald…headed　man's　employers：

MORTON；　SLADE　&　CO。；　121　PEARL　STREET；　NEW　YORK。

More　amazing　still　were　the　announcements　made　by　the　same　bald…headed　man　after　Oliver　had　shown　him　Amos　Cobb's　recommendations：　Oliver　was　to　come　to　work　in　the　morning；　the　situation　to　be　permanent　　provided　Cobb　confirmed　by　letter　the　good　wishes　he　had　previously　expressed；　and　provided　Mr。　Morton；　the　senior　partner；　approved　of　the　bald…　head's　action；　of　which　the　animated　billiard…ball　said　there　was　not　the　slightest　doubt　as　he；　the　ball；　had　charge　of　the　shipping　department；　and　was　responsible　　for　its　efficiency。

All　of　these　astounding；　incomprehensible　and　amazing　occurrences　Oliver　had　written　to　his　mother；　ending　his　letter　by　declaring　in　his　enthusiasm　　that　it　was　his　art；　after　all；　which　had　pulled　him　through；　and　that　but　for　his　readiness　with　the　brush；　he　would　still　be　a　tramp；　instead　of　〃rolling　in　luxury　on　the　huge　sum　of　eight　dollars　a　week；　with　every　probability　of　becoming　a　partner　in　the　house；　and　later　on　a　millionnaire。〃　To　which　the　dear　lady　had　replied；　that　she　was　delighted　to　know　he　had　pleased　his　employers；　but　that　what　had　pleased　her　most　was　his　never　having　lost　heart　while　trying　to　win　his　first　fight；　adding：　〃The　second　victory　will　come　more　easily；　my　darling　boy；　and　so　will　each　one　hereafter。〃　Poor　lady；　she　never　knew　how　sore　that　boy's　feet　had　been；　nor　how　many　times　he　had　gone　with　half　a　meal　or　none　at　all；　for　fear　of　depleting　too　much　the　small　store　she　had　given　him　when　he　left　home。

With　his　success　still　upon　him；　he　had　sallied　forth　to　call　upon　young　Fred　Stone　who　had　grasped　his　hand　so　warmly　the　night　he　had　rescued　the　dog　from　the　street…boys；　and　whose　sympathy　had　gone　out　to　him　so　freely。　He　had　written　him　of　his　good　fortune；　and　Fred　had　replied；　begging　him　to　call　upon　him；　and　had　appointed　this　same　Friday　night　as　the　night　of　all　others　when　he　could　entertain　him　best。

But　Oliver　is　not　the　same　boy　who　said　good…by　to　Fred　that　moonlight　night　the　week　before。　His　eyes　are　brighter；　his　face　is　a…glow　with　ill…concealed　　pleasure。　Even　his　step　shows　the　old…time　spring　and　lightness　of　the　days　at　homeon　his　toes　part　of　the　time；　as　if　restraining　an　almost　　uncontrollable　impulse　to　stop　and　throw　one　or　two　hand…　springs　just　to　relieve　the　pressure　on　his　nerves。

When　he　reached　the　bench　in　the　Square　where　he　had　sat　so　many　nights　with　his　head　in　his　hands；　one　of　those　quick　outbursts　of　enthusiasm　took　possession　　of　him；　the　kind　that　sets　young　hearts　singing　　with　joy　when　some　sudden　shift　of　hope's　kaleidoscope　　opens　a　wide　horizon　brilliant　with　the　light　of　future　success。　With　an　exclamation　of　boyish　glee　he　plumped　himself　down　upon　the　hard　planks　of　the　bench；　and　jumped　up　again；　pirouetting　on　his　toe　and　slanting　his　hat　over　one　eye　as　if　in　a　spirit　of　sheer　bravado　against　fate。　Then　he　sauntered　　out　of　the　iron　gate　to　Fred's　house。

Even　as　he　waited　on　the　stone　steps　of　Miss　Teeturn's　　boarding…house　for　the　dowdy　servant…girl's　returnsuch　dirty；　unkempt　steps　as　they　were；　and　such　a　dingy　door…plate；　spotted　with　rain　and　dust；　not　like　Malachi's；　he　thoughthe　could　hardly　restrain　　himself　from　beating　Juba　with　his　foot；　a　plantation　trick　Malachi　had　taught　him；　keeping　time　the　while　with　the　palms　of　his　hands　on　his　shapely　legs。

Meanwhile　another　young　enthusiast　is　coming　downstairs　three　steps　at　a　time；　this　one　bare…　headed；　all　out　of　breath；　and　without　a　coat；　who　pours　out　his　heart　to　the　first　Juba…beating　enthusiast　　as　the　two　climb　the　stairs　together　to　the　second　enthusiast's　room　on　the　very　top　floor。　He　tells　him　of　his　delight　at　seeing　him　again　and　of　the　lot　of　fellows　waiting　to　welcome　him　under　the　skylight；　　and　of　what　a　jolly　lot　the　〃Skylarkers〃　really　are；　and　of　Mr。　Slade；　Oliver's　employer；　whom　Fred　knows　and　who　comes　from　Fred's　own　town；　and　of　how　much　Mr。　Slade　likes　a　certain　new　clerk；　one　Oliver　Horn；　of　Kennedy　Square；　he　having　said　so　the　night　before；　this　same　Horn　being　the　precise　individual　whose　arm　at　that　very　moment　was　locked　in　Fred's　own　and　which　was　now　getting　an　extra　squeeze　merely　for　the　purposes　of　identification。

All　of　this　Fred　poured　into　Oliver's　willing　ear　without　stopping　to　take　breath；　as　they　mounted　the　four　long　flights　of　stairs　that　led　to　the　top　floor；　where；　under　the　roof；　there　lived　a　group　of　Bohemians　as　unique　in　their　personalities　as　could　be　found　the　great　city　over。

When　the　two　pairs　of　feet　had　at　last　reached　the　last　flight　of　steps　under　the　flat　roof　of　the　house；　the　〃Skylarkers〃　were　singing　〃Old　Dog　Tray〃　at　the　top　of　their　voices；　to　the　accompaniment　　of　a　piano；　and　of　some　other　instruments；　the　character　of　which　our　young　hero　failed　to　recognize；　　although　the　strains　had　grown　louder　and　louder　as　the　young　men　mounted　the　stairs。

As　Oliver　stood　in　the　open　doorway　and　looked　in　through　the　haze　of　tobacco…smoke　upon　the　group；　he　instantly　became　conscious　that　a　new　world　had　opened　before　him；　a　world；　as　he　had　always　pictured　　it；　full　of　mystery　and　charm；　peopled　by　a　race　as　fascinating　to　him　as　any　Mr。　Crocker　had　ever　described；　and　as　new　and　strange　as　if　its　members　had　been　the　denizens　of　another　planet。

The　interior　was　not　a　room；　but　a　square　low…ceiled　hall　into　which　opened　some　six　or　more　small　bedrooms；　slept　in；　whenever　sleep　was　possible；　by　an　equal　number　of　Miss　Teetum's　boarders。　　The　construction　and　appointments　of　this　open　garret；　with　two　exceptions；　were　similar　to　those　of　all　other　garrets　of　its　class：　it　had　walls　and　　ceiling；　once　whitewashed；　and　now　discolored　by　roof…　leaks　from　a　weather…beaten　skylight；　its　floor　was　bare　of　carpet；　and　it