“You had your regular evening off yesterday,” was the reply.
“I would not ask but for my friend, who is a stranger in the city, and depends upon me to find him a boarding place,” said Sam, whose devotion to friendship was not wholly disinterested.
“Did you sell him anything?”
“Yes, he took a pair of two-dollar slippers.”
“I will try to do without you this evening, as you particularly desire it,” said Mr. Craven; “but you must not repeat the application.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Sam.
“I’m in luck, Joshua,” he said, returning to his country friend; “I am off for the evening. We’ll go to the theatre and have a high old time.”
“Do you have to work in the evening, Sam?” asked Joshua, surprised.
“Yes,” answered Sam. “You see,” he added, consequentially, “I know all the business, and they can’t get along very well without me.”