Dan, the Newsboy, Jr. Horatio Alger [fantasy novels to read txt] 📗

for a boy like you, Dan. I hope you will invest it wisely."

[Pg 189]

"But, sir, you don't mean all this for me?" said Dan.

"Indeed I do. It is less than ten per cent on the money you have saved for us."

"How can I thank you for your kindness, sir?" said Dan, gratefully.

"By continuing to serve us faithfully. By the way, what wages do we pay you?"

"Six dollars a week."

"It is too little. From this time you will draw ten dollars."

"You have made me rich, Mr. Rogers," said Dan, gratefully.

"It is a little better than selling papers in front of the Astor House, isn't it, Dan?"

"A good deal, sir."

"I hope you will continue to prosper. Now, Dan, let me give you two pieces of advice."

"I wish you would, sir."

"First, put this money in a good savings-bank, and don't draw upon it unless you are obliged to. Let it be a nest-egg."

"I mean to do that, sir."

"And next, spend a part of your earnings in improving your education. You have already had unusual advantages for a boy of your age, but you[Pg 190] should still be learning. It may help you, in a business point of view, to understand book-keeping."

"I will learn it, sir."

Dan not only did this, but resumed the study of both French and German, of which he had some elementary knowledge, and advanced rapidly in all.

[Pg 191]

CHAPTER XXVI. DAN LEARNS TO DANCE.

Several months passed without any incidents worth recording.

Punctually every month Dan received a remittance of sixty dollars through a foreign banker, whose office was near Wall street.

Of this sum it may be remembered that ten dollars were to be appropriated to Althea's dress.

Of the little girl it may be said she was very happy in her new home. She formed a strong attachment for Mrs. Mordaunt, whom she called mamma, while she always looked forward with delight to Dan's return at night.

Mrs. Mordaunt was very happy in the child's companionship, and found the task of teaching her very congenial.

But for the little girl she would have had many lonely hours, since Dan was absent all day on business.

"I don't know what I shall do, Althea, when you go to school," she said one day.

[Pg 192]

"I don't want to go to school. Let me stay at home with you, mamma."

"For the present I can teach you, my dear, but the time will come when for your own good it will be better to go to school. I cannot teach you as well as the teachers you will find there."

"You know ever so much, mamma. Don't you know everything?"

Mrs. Mordaunt smiled.

"Compared with you, my dear, I seem to know a great deal, but there are others who know much more."

Althea was too young as yet, however, to attend school, and the happy home life continued.

Mrs. Mordaunt and Dan often wondered how long their mysterious ward was to remain with them. Had she a mother living? If so, how could that mother voluntarily forego her child's society?

These were questions they sometimes asked themselves, but no answer suggested itself. They were content to have them remain unanswered, so long as Althea might remain with them.

The increase of Dan's income, and the large sum he had on interest, would have enabled them to live comfortably even without the provision made for their young ward.

[Pg 193]

As it was they could do better. Dan felt himself justified in indulging in a little extravagance.

"Mother," said he, one evening, "I am thinking of taking a course of lessons in dancing."

"What has put that into your head, Dan?"

"Julia Rogers is to have a birthday party in two or three months, and I think from a hint her father dropped to-day I shall have an invitation. I shall feel awkward if I don't know how to dance. Besides——"

Here Dan hesitated.

"Well, Dan, what besides?"

"Tom Carver will be sure to be there, and if I don't dance, or if I am awkward, he will be sure to sneer at me."

"Will that make you feel bad, Dan?"

"Not exactly, but I don't want to appear at disadvantage when he is around. If I have been a newsboy, I want to show that I can take the part of gentleman as well as he."

"Does the ability to dance make a gentleman, Dan?"

"No, mother, but I should feel awkward without it. I don't want to be a wall-flower. What do you say to my plan, mother?"

"Carry it out by all means, Dan. There is no reason why you shouldn't hold up your head with any of[Pg 194] them," and Mrs. Mordaunt's eyes rested with pride on the handsome face and manly expression of her son.

"You are a little prejudiced in my favor, mother," said Dan, smiling. "If I were as awkward as a cat in a strange garret, you wouldn't see it."

"I am not quite blind, Dan."

Dan accordingly decided to take lessons in dancing. He selected a fashionable teacher, although the price was high, for he thought it might secure him desirable acquaintances, purchased a handsome suit of clothes, and soon became very much interested in the lessons. He had a quick ear, a good figure, and a natural grace of movement, which soon made him noticeable in the class, and he was quite in demand among the young ladies as a partner.

He was no less a favorite socially, being agreeable as well as good-looking.

"Mr. Mordaunt," said the professor, "I wish all my scholars did me as much credit as you do. You dance beautifully."

"Thank you, sir," said Dan, modestly, but he felt gratified.

By the time the invitation came Dan had no fears as to acquitting himself creditably.

"I hope Tom Carver will be there," he said to his mother, as he was dressing for the party.

[Pg 195]

CHAPTER XXVII. IN THE DRESSING-ROOM.

Mr. Rogers lived in a handsome brown-stone-front house up town.

As Dan approached, he saw the entire house brilliantly lighted. He passed beneath a canopy, over carpeted steps, to the front door, and rang the bell.

The door was opened by a stylish-looking colored man, whose grand air showed that he felt the importance and dignity of his position.

As Dan passed in he said:

"Gentlemen's dressing-room third floor back."

With a single glance through the open door at the lighted parlors, where several guests were already assembled, Dan followed directions, and went up stairs.

Entering the dressing-room, he saw a boy carefully arranging his hair before the glass.

"That's my friend, Tom Carver," said Dan to himself.

Tom was so busily engaged at his toilet that he didn't at once look at the new guest. When he had[Pg 196] leisure to look up, he seemed surprised, and remarked, superciliously:

"I didn't expect to see you here."

"Why not?" demanded Dan, who understood his meaning.

"Are you engaged to look after this room? If so, just brush me."

"With all my heart, if you'll brush me," answered Dan, partly offended and partly amused.

"What do you mean?" demanded Tom, haughtily.

"Just what I say. One good turn deserves another."

"Our positions are rather different, I think."

"How so? You are a guest of Miss Rogers, and so am I."

"You don't mean to say that you are going down into the parlor?"

"Why not?"

"A boy who sells papers in front of the Astor House is not a suitable guest at a fashionable party."

"That is not your affair," said Dan, coldly. "But it is not true that I sell papers anywhere."

"Oh, I forgot. You're a shop-boy now. You used to sell papers, though."

"And I will again, if necessary," answered Dan, as he took Tom's place in front of the glass and began to arrange his toilet.

[Pg 197]

Then, for the first time, Tom took notice that Dan was dressed as well as himself, in a style with which the most captious critic could not find fault. Tom was both surprised and disappointed. He would have liked to see Dan in awkward, ill-fitting, or shabby clothes. It seemed to him that an ex-newsboy had no right to dress so well, and he was greatly puzzled to understand how he could afford it.

"Where did you borrow those clothes?" he asked, impudently.

"Where did you borrow yours?" retorted Dan.

"Don't be saucy."

"You set me the example."

"It is not remarkable that I should be well dressed. I can afford it."

"So can I," answered Dan, laconically.

"Do you mean to say that you bought that suit and paid for it?"

"I do."

"It must have taken all your money."

"You are very kind to take so much interest in me. It may relieve your mind to see this."

Dan took a roll of bills from his pocket, and displayed them to the astonished Tom.

"I don't see where you got so much money," said Tom, mystified.

"I've got more in the bank," said Dan. "I [Pg 198]mention it to you that you needn't feel bad about my extravagance in buying a party suit."

"I wouldn't have come to this party if I had been you," said Tom, changing his tone.

"Why not?"

"You'll be so awkward, you know. You don't know any one except Miss Rogers, who, of course, invited you out of pity, not expecting you would accept."

"Did she tell you so?" asked Dan, smiling.

"No, but it stands to reason."

"You forget I know you," said Dan, smiling again.

"I beg you won't presume upon our former slight acquaintance," said Tom, hastily. "I shall be so busily occupied that I really can't give you any attention."

"Then I must shift for myself, I suppose," said Dan, good-humoredly. "Shall we go down?"

"Go first, if you like," said Tom, superciliously. "I will follow directly."

"He doesn't want to go down with me," thought Dan. "Perhaps I shall surprise him a little;" and he made his way down stairs.

[Pg 199]

CHAPTER XXVIII. DAN AT THE PARTY.

As Dan entered the parlors he saw the young lady in whose honor the party was given only a few feet distant.

He advanced with perfect ease, and paid his respects.

"I am very glad to see you here this evening, Mr. Mordaunt," said Julia, cordially.

"What a handsome boy he is!" she thought. "I had no idea he would look so well."

Mentally she pronounced him the handsomest young gentleman present.

"Take your partners for a quadrille, young gentlemen," announced the master of ceremonies.

"Are you engaged, Miss Rogers?" asked Dan.

"Not as yet," answered the young lady, smiling.

"Then may I have the honor?"

"Certainly."

So it happened that as Tom Carver entered the room, he beheld, to his intense surprise and disgust, Dan leading the young hostess to her place in the quadrille.

[Pg 200]

"What a cheek that fellow has!" said Tom to himself. "I suppose he never attempted to dance in his life. It will be fun to watch his awkwardness. I am very much surprised that Julia should condescend to dance with him—a common newsboy."

At first Tom thought he wouldn't dance, but Mrs. Rogers approaching said:

"Tom, there's Jane Sheldon. She has no partner."

Accordingly Tom found himself leading up a little girl of eight.

There was no place except in the quadrille in which Dan and Julia Rogers were to dance. Tom found himself one of the "sides."

"Good-evening, Julia," he said, catching the eye of Miss Rogers.

"Good-evening, Tom. You are late."

"I am too late to be your partner."

"Yes, but you see I am not left a wall-flower," said the young lady, smiling. "Mr. Mordaunt kindly relieved me of that apprehension."

"You are fortunate," said Tom, sneering.

"I leave my partner to thank you for that compliment," said Julia, determined not to gratify Tom by appearing to understand the sneer.

"There's no occasion," said Tom, rudely.

"I am glad of it," said Dan, "for I am so unused[Pg 201] to compliments that I am afraid I should answer awkwardly."

"I can very well believe that," returned Tom, significantly.

Julia did not smile. She looked offended rather for she felt that rudeness to her partner reflected upon herself.

But here the music struck up, and the quadrille began.

"Now for awkwardness," said Tom to himself, and he watched Dan closely.

But, to his surprise, nothing could be neater or better modulated than Dan's movements. Instead of hopping about, as Tom thought he would, he was thoroughly graceful.

"Where could the fellow have learned to dance?" he asked himself, in disappointment.

Julia was gratified; for, to tell the truth, she too had not been altogether without misgivings on the subject of Dan's dancing, and, being herself an excellent dancer, she would have found it a little disagreeable if Dan had proved awkward.

The quadrille proceeded, and Tom was chagrined that the newsboy, as he mentally termed Dan, had proved a better