Sam's Chance, and How He Improved It

  CHAPTER V.

  SAM'S FINANCES.

  Sam did not find it quite so pleasant being in a place as he hadanticipated. He had been accustomed to roam about the streets subjectonly to his own control. Now he was no longer his own master. He mustgo and come at the will of his employer. To be sure, his earnings weregreater than in his street life, and he had a regular home. He knewbeforehand where he was going to sleep, and was tolerably sure of ameal. But before the end of the first week he got out of money. Thiswas not strange, for he had begun without any reserve fund.

  On the third day he applied to Henry Martin for a loan.

  "If you don't lend me some stamps, I'll have to go without breakfast,"he said.

  "When shall you get your first week's pay?" asked Henry.

  "Saturday night, the boss said, though I didn't go to work tillWednesday."

  "Then you need money for your meals today and to-morrow?"

  "Yes," said Sam.

  "I'll lend you a dollar if you'll be sure to pay me up to-morrownight."

  "I'll do it, sure."

  "There it is, then. Now, Sam, I want to give you a little advice."

  "What is it?"

  "To-morrow, after paying me and putting by enough to pay the rent ofthe room, you'll have two dollars and seventy-five cents left."

  "So I shall," said Sam, with satisfaction.

  "You mustn't forget that this has got to last you for meals for thenext week."

  "How much is it a day?"

  "About forty cents."

  "I guess I can make it do."

  "I shall get along for two fifty, and you ought to find what you willhave left enough."

  "I've had to live on ten cents a day more'n once," said Sam.

  "That's too little."

  "I should think it was. I went to bed hungry, you bet!"

  "Well, there's no need of being so economical as that. You've got toeat enough, or you won't be fit for work. You'll have to be careful,though, if you want to come out even."

  "Oh, I can manage it," said Sam, confidently.

  But Sam was mistaken. He proved himself far from a good calculator. OnSunday he gratified an unusually healthy appetite, besides buying twofive-cent cigars. This made necessary an outlay of seventy-five cents.The next day also he overran his allowance. The consequence was thaton Wednesday night he went to bed without a cent. He did not sayanything about the state of his finances to Henry, however, till thenext morning.

  "Henry," he said, "I guess I'll have to borrer a little more money."

  "What for?" asked his companion.

  "I haven't got anything to buy my breakfast with."

  "How does that happen?"

  "I don't know," said Sam. "I must have lost some out of my pocket."

  "I don't think you have. You have been extravagant, that's what's thematter. How much did you spend on Sunday?"

  "I don't know."

  "I do, for I kept account. You spent seventy-five cents. That's twiceas much as you could afford."

  "It was only for one day."

  "At any rate, you have used up in four days as much as ought to havelasted you the whole week."

  "I don't get enough pay," grumbled Sam, who was unprepared with anyother excuse.

  "There are plenty of boys that have to live on as small pay. I am oneof them."

  "Will you lend me some money?"

  "I'll tell you what I will do. I'll lend you twenty-five cents everymorning, and you'll have to make it do all day."

  "I can't live on that. You spend more yourself."

  "I know I do; but if you spend twice as much as you ought one day,you've got to make it up another."

  "Give me the money for three days all at once," said Sam.

  "No, I won't."

  "Why not?"

  "You'd spend it all in one day, and want to borrow some moreto-morrow."

  "No, I wouldn't."

  "Then, you don't need it all the first day."

  "You're mean," grumbled Sam.

  "No, I'm not. I'm acting like a friend. It's for your own good."

  "What can I get for twenty-five cents?"

  "That's your lookout. You wouldn't have had to live on it, if youhadn't been too free other days."

  In spite of Sam's protestations, Henry remained firm, and Sam wascompelled to restrain his appetite for the remainder of the week. I amashamed to say that, when Saturday night came, Sam tried to evadepaying his just debt. But this his roommate would not permit.

  "That won't do, Sam," he said. "You must pay me what you owe me."

  "You needn't be in such an awful hurry," muttered Sam.

  "It's better for both of us that you pay it now," said Henry. "If youdidn't, you'd spend it."

  "I'll pay you next week. I want to go to hear the minstrelsto-night."

  "You can't go on borrowed money."

  "If I pay you up, I don't have enough to last me till next pay day."

  "That's your lookout. Do you know what I would do if I was in yourplace?"

  "What would you do?"

  "I'd live on four dollars a week till I'd got five dollars laidaside."

  "I'd like the five dollars, but I don't want to starve myself."

  "It would be rather inconvenient living on four dollars, I admit, butyou would feel paid for it afterward. Besides, Sam, you need someshirts and stockings. I can't keep lending you mine, as I have beendoing ever since you came here."

  "I can't afford to buy any."

  "I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll buy some for you, if you'll agree topay me up at the rate of fifty cents a week."

  "All right!" said Sam, who was very ready to make promises. "Give methe money, and I'll buy some to-night."

  "I'd rather go with you, and see that you get them," said Henry,quietly. "You might forget what you were after, and spend the moneyfor something else."

  Perhaps Sam recognized the justice of his companion's caution. At anyrate, he interposed no objection.

  I hope my young readers, who are used to quite a different style ofliving, will not be shocked on being told that Sam purchasedsecond-hand articles at a place recommended by his roommate.Considering the small sum at his command, he had no choice in thematter. Boys who have to pay their entire expenses out of five dollarsa week cannot patronize fashionable tailors or shirt makers. So forthree dollars Sam got a sufficient supply to get along with, thoughhardly enough to make a display at a fashionable watering place.

  Sam put the bundle, containing this important addition to his wardrobeunder his arm, not without a feeling of complacency.

  "Now," said Henry, "it will take you six weeks to pay me for these, athalf a dollar a week."

  "All right!" said Sam, carelessly.

  He was not one to be disturbed about a debt and his companion wasshrewd enough to see that he must follow Sam up, if he wanted to gethis money paid at the periods agreed upon.

  Henry Martin continued to devote a part of every evening to study. Hetried to prevail upon Sam to do the same, but without success.

  "I get too tired to study," said Sam, and while his roommate was athome he was in the habit of strolling about the streets in search ofamusement.

  On the next Tuesday evening he met a boy of his acquaintance, whoinquired where he was going.

  "Nowhere in particular," said Sam.

  "Come into French's Hotel, and see them play billiards."

  Sam complied.

  There was one vacant table, and presently the other proposed a game.

  "I can't afford it," said Sam.

  "Oh, it won't be much. If you beat me I'll have to pay."

  Sam yielded, and they commenced playing, Both being novices, the gameoccupied an hour, and Sam, who was beaten, found to his dismay that hehad to pay sixty cents.

  "It don't seem more'n fifteen minutes," he said to himself. "It'sawful dear."

  "So it is," said his companion; "but if you had beaten me you wouldhave got off for nothing."

  "I don't see how I'm goin' t
o live on five dollars a week," thoughtSam, uncomfortably, "I wonder when they'll raise me."