Rufus and Rose; Or, The Fortunes of Rough and Ready

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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 ANDPLUCK 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 receptionaccorded, both by the press and the public, to these stories of streetlife. Several of the characters are drawn from life, and _nearly all_ ofthe incidents are of actual occurrence. Indeed, the materials have beenfound so abundant that invention has played but a subordinate part.

  The principal object proposed, in the preparation of these volumes, hasbeen to show that the large class of street boys--numbering thousands inNew York alone--furnishes material out of which good citizens may bemade, if the right influences are brought to bear upon them. In everycase, therefore, the author has led his hero, step by step, fromvagabondage to a position of respectability; and, in so doing, hasincurred the charge, in some quarters, of exaggeration. It can easily beshown, however, that he has fallen short of the truth, rather thanexceeded it. In proof, the following extract from an article in a NewYork daily paper is submitted:--

  "As a class, the newsboys of New York are worthy of more than commonattention. The requirements of the trade naturally tend to developactivity both of mind and body, and, in looking over some historicalfacts, we find that _many of our most conspicuous public men_ havecommenced their careers as newsboys. Many of the principal offices ofour city government and our chief police courts testify to the truth ofthis assertion. From the West we learn that many of the mostenterprising journalists spring from the same stock."

  Not long since, while on a western journey, the Superintendent of theLodging House in Park Place found one of his boys filling the positionof District Attorney in a western State, another settled as a clergyman,and still others prosperous and even wealthy business men. These factsare full of encouragement for those who are laboring to redeem andelevate the street boy, and train him up to fill a respectable positionin society.

  Though the six volumes already issued complete his original purpose, theauthor finds that he has by no means exhausted his subject, and isinduced to announce a second series, devoted to still other phases ofstreet life. This will shortly be commenced, under the general name ofthe

  "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 MissManning.

  "Yes," said Rufus, "I've retired from the newspaper business on a largefortune, and now I'm going into business in Wall Street just to occupymy time."

  The last speaker was a stout, well-grown boy of fifteen, with a pleasantface, calculated to inspire confidence. He looked manly andself-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, anda certain ready wit, joined with attention to business, he had met withbetter 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, nodoubt, by his name, Rufus; but the appellation described not inaptly hisprominent traits. He understood thoroughly how to take care of himself,and thought it no hardship, that, at an age when most boys are tenderlycared 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 sisterRose from the miserable home in which he had kept her, and hadundertaken to support her, as well as himself. He had been fortunateenough 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, andkept her in Brooklyn for a while, until Rufus got a clue to herwhereabouts, and succeeded in getting her back. At the time when thestory opens, he had just recovered her, and having been fortunateenough to render an important service to Mr. Turner, a Wall Streetbroker, was on this Monday morning to enter his office, at a salary ofeight dollars a week.

  This sketch of the newsboy's earlier history is given for the benefit ofthose who have not read the book called "Rough and Ready," in which itis related at length. It is necessary to add that Rufus was in somesense a capitalist, having five hundred dollars deposited in asavings-bank to his credit. Of this sum, he had found three hundred oneday, which, as no claimant ever appeared for it, he had been justifiedin 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 MissManning.

  "Yes, it does already. When I woke up this morning, I was going to jumpout of bed in a hurry, thinking I must go round to Nassau Street to getmy 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 theseamstress, pointing to a paper in his hand.

  "It's this morning's 'Herald,'" explained Rufus; "you and Rose will haveto be looking for another room where Martin can't find you. You'll findtwo columns of advertisements of 'Boarders and Lodgers Wanted,' so youcan 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 whenyou get back."

  There was considerable reason to fear that the step-father, JamesMartin, would make a fresh attempt to get possession of Rose, and Rufusfelt 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 tomost of his class, and spoke more correctly in general, but occasionallyfell into modes of pronunciation such as he was accustomed to hear fromhis street associates. He had lately devoted a part of his evenings tostudy, under the superintendence of Miss Manning, who, coming originallyfrom 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 littlesister, 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," saidRufus, 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 myshare 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 FranklinStreet near the Hudson River, and the seamstress, taking the "Herald,"turned to the column of "Boarders and Lodgers Wanted."
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br />   There was a long list, but the greater part of the rooms advertisedwere quite beyond her slender means. Remembering that it would beprudent to get out of their present neighborhood, in order to put thedrunken step-father off the track, she looked for places farther uptown. The objection to this, however, was, that prices advance as you goup town. Still the streets near the river are not considered soeligible, and she thought that they might find something there. Shetherefore 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 shawland bonnet. When she was dressed for the street, Rose would hardly havebeen taken for the sister of a newsboy. She had a pretty face, full ofvivacity and intelligence, and her brother's pride in her had led him todress her better than might have been expected from his small means.Many children of families in good circumstances were less neatly andtastefully dressed than Rose.

  Taking the little girl by the hand, Miss Manning led the way down thenarrow staircase. It was far from a handsome house in which they hadthus far made their home. The wall-paper was torn from the walls inplaces, revealing patches of bare plastering; there was a faded and wornoil-cloth upon the stairs, while outside the rooms at intervals, alongthe entry, were buckets of dirty water and rubbish, which had beentemporarily placed there by the occupants. As it was Monday, washing wasgoing on in several of the rooms, and the vapor arising from hot sudsfound its way into the entry from one or two half-open doors. On thewhole, it was not a nice or savory home, and the seamstress felt noregret in leaving it. But the question was, would she be likely to finda better.

  The seamstress made her way first to Spring Street. She was led toinfer, from the advertisement, that she might find cheap accommodations.But when she found herself in front of the house designated, she foundit so dirty and neglected in appearance that she did not feel likeentering. She was sure it would not suit her.

  Next she went to Leroy Street. Here she found a neat-looking three-storybrick house.

  She rang the bell.

  "You advertise a room to let," she said to the servant; "can I look atit?"

  "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 theplain attire of the seamstress.

  Of course there was no more to be said. So Miss Manning and Rose foundtheir 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 gettingtired."

  Christopher Street is only three blocks from Leroy. In less than tenminutes they found themselves before the house advertised. It was afair-looking house, but the seamstress found, on inquiry, that the roomwas a large one on the second floor, and that the rent would be beyondher means. She was now at the end of her list.

  "I think, Rose," she said, "we will go to Washington Square, and sitdown 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 tenacres. Up to 1832, it had been for years used as a Potter's Field, orpublic cemetery, and it is estimated that more than one hundred thousandbodies were buried there. But in 1832 it became a park. There is a basinand a fountain in the centre, and it is covered with trees ofconsiderable size. At frequent intervals there are benches for theaccommodation of those who desire to pass an hour or two in the shade ofthe trees. In the afternoon, particularly, may be seen a large numberof children playing in the walks, and nurse-maids drawing their youngcharges in carriages, or sitting with them on the seats.

  Rose was soon busied in watching the sports of some children of her ownage, while Miss Manning carefully scanned the advertisements. But shefound nothing to reward her search. At length her attention was drawn tothe 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 alongthe northern side of Washington Square. Before the up-town movementcommenced, it was a fashionable quarter, and even now, as may beinferred from the character of the houses, is a very nice andrespectable 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 beyondher means,--she said that to herself; still, prompted by an impulsewhich she did not attempt to resist, she determined to call and makeinquiries about the rooms advertised.