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Alger, Horatio, 1832-1899

"Ragged Dick, Or, Street Life in New York with the Boot-Blacks"

So at the end of the week
both boys found themselves with surplus earnings. Dick had the
satisfaction of adding two dollars and a half to his deposits in
the Savings Bank, and Fosdick commenced an account by depositing
seventy-five cents.
On Sunday morning Dick bethought himself of his promise to Mr.
Greyson to come to the church on Fifth Avenue. To tell the truth,
Dick recalled it with some regret. He had never been inside a church
since he could remember, and he was not much attracted by the
invitation he had received. But Henry, finding him wavering, urged
him to go, and offered to go with him. Dick gladly accepted the
offer, feeling that he required someone to lend him countenance
under such unusual circumstances.
Dick dressed himself with scrupulous care, giving his shoes a
"shine" so brilliant that it did him great credit in a professional
point of view, and endeavored to clean his hands thoroughly; but, in
spite of all he could do, they were not so white as if his business
had been of a different character.
Having fully completed his preparations, he descended into the
street, and, with Henry by his side, crossed over to Broadway.
The boys pursued their way up Broadway, which on Sunday presents
a striking contrast in its quietness to the noise and confusion
of ordinary week-days, as far as Union Square, then turned down
Fourteenth Street, which brought them to Fifth Avenue.


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