"He thought of that, but he said—and I think he's a real gentleman—that he knew I was honest by my appearance, and he was willing to trust me."
"Quite complimentary, Charlie. How much did he pay you for your trouble?"
"Half a dollar."
"Then you have done a good deal better than I have. I have been working all day, and shall not realize more than twenty-five cents for my labor."
"I wish you didn't have to work at all, mother."
"Thank you, Charlie; but I dare say I am happier for having something to do. I wish I could get better pay for my work. But you haven't told me what the other errand was. You said you had two."
"Yes," said Charlie, "I had just got back from Rutland Street, and had bought two or three evening papers which I was going to try to sell, when a man came up to me, and after looking at me for a minute or two, asked me if I would take a little walk with him. He said he was a stranger in Boston, and didn't know his way about much. He asked me if I had lived here long, and what my name was. He told me he would pay me if I would go around with him, and point out some of the public buildings. He told me he would pay me at the rate of twenty-five cents an hour for my time. I told him I had one or two papers to dispose of."
"'Never mind about them,' said he, 'I will take them off your hands.'
"'But they are alike,' said I.