“It seems to me the actor who plays the Demon ought to get extra pay, if he has to be treated that way.”
“That’s so,” said Dick; “but I guess he’s used to it. It seems to agree with his constitution.”
“What building is that?” asked Frank, pointing to a structure several rods back from the street, with a large yard in front. It was an unusual sight for Broadway, all the other buildings in that neighborhood being even with the street.
“That is the New York Hospital,” said Dick. “They’re a rich institution, and take care of sick people on very reasonable terms.”
“Did you ever go in there?”
“Yes,” said Dick; “there was a friend of mine, Johnny Mullen, he was a newsboy, got run over by a omnibus as he was crossin’ Broadway down near Park Place. He was carried to the Hospital, and me and some of his friends paid his board while he was there. It was only three dollars a week, which was very cheap, considerin’ all the care they took of him. I got leave to come and see him while he was here. Everything looked so nice and comfortable, that I thought a little of coaxin’ a omnibus driver to run over me, so I might go there too.”
“Did your friend have to have his leg cut off?” asked Frank, interested.
“No,” said Dick; “though there was a young student there that was very anxious to have it cut off; but it wasn’t done, and Johnny is around the streets as well as ever.”
While this conversation was going on they reached No. 365, at the corner of Franklin Street.*
* Now the office of the Merchants’ Union Express Company.