I asked 'em
wouldn't they give me a loaf, and take their pay in matches. But
they said they'd got enough matches to last three months; so there
wasn't any chance for a trade. While I was standin' at the stove
warmin' me, the baker went into a back room, and I felt so hungry I
thought I would take just one loaf, and go off with it. There was
such a big pile I don't think he'd have known it."
"But you didn't do it?"
"No, I didn't and I was glad of it, for when the man came in ag'in,
he said he wanted some one to carry some cake to a lady in St.
Mark's Place. His boy was sick, and he hadn't no one to send; so he
told me he'd give me ten cents if I would go. My business wasn't
very pressin' just then, so I went, and when I come back, I took my
pay in bread and cakes. Didn't they taste good, though?"
"So you didn't stay long in the match business, Dick?"
"No, I couldn't sell enough to make it pay. Then there was some
folks that wanted me to sell cheaper to them; so I couldn't make any
profit. There was one old lady--she was rich, too, for she lived in
a big brick house--beat me down so, that I didn't make no profit at
all; but she wouldn't buy without, and I hadn't sold none that day;
so I let her have them. I don't see why rich folks should be so hard
upon a poor boy that wants to make a livin'."
"There's a good deal of meanness in the world, I'm afraid, Dick."
"If everybody was like you and your uncle," said Dick, "there would
be some chance for poor people.
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