登陆注册
5260400000007

第7章 Chapter III(2)

He hurried out again and ran to his father's bank. It was after banking hours; but he knew how to get in, and he knew that his father would be glad to see him make thirty dollars. He only wanted to borrow the money for a day.

"What's the trouble, Frank?" asked his father, looking up from his desk when he appeared, breathless and red faced.

"I want you to loan me thirty-two dollars! Will you?"

"Why, yes, I might. What do you want to do with it?"

"I want to buy some soap--seven boxes of Castile soap. I know where I can get it and sell it. Mr. Dalrymple will take it. He's already offered me sixty-two for it. I can get it for thirty-two.

Will you let me have the money? I've got to run back and pay the auctioneer."

His father smiled. This was the most business-like attitude he had seen his son manifest. He was so keen, so alert for a boy of thirteen.

"Why, Frank," he said, going over to a drawer where some bills were, "are you going to become a financier already? You're sure you're not going to lose on this? You know what you're doing, do you?"

"You let me have the money, father, will you?" he pleaded. "I'll show you in a little bit. Just let me have it. You can trust me."

He was like a young hound on the scent of game. His father could not resist his appeal.

"Why, certainly, Frank," he replied. "I'll trust you." And he counted out six five-dollar certificates of the Third National's own issue and two ones. "There you are."

Frank ran out of the building with a briefly spoken thanks and returned to the auction room as fast as his legs would carry him.

When he came in, sugar was being auctioned. He made his way to the auctioneer's clerk.

"I want to pay for that soap," he suggested.

"Now?"

"Yes. Will you give me a receipt?"

"Yep."

"Do you deliver this?"

"No. No delivery. You have to take it away in twenty-four hours."

That difficulty did not trouble him.

"All right," he said, and pocketed his paper testimony of purchase.

The auctioneer watched him as he went out. In half an hour he was back with a drayman--an idle levee-wharf hanger-on who was waiting for a job.

Frank had bargained with him to deliver the soap for sixty cents.

In still another half-hour he was before the door of the astonished Mr. Dalrymple whom he had come out and look at the boxes before attempting to remove them. His plan was to have them carried on to his own home if the operation for any reason failed to go through. Though it was his first great venture, he was cool as glass.

"Yes," said Mr. Dalrymple, scratching his gray head reflectively.

"Yes, that's the same soap. I'll take it. I'll be as good as my word. Where'd you get it, Frank?"

"At Bixom's auction up here," he replied, frankly and blandly.

Mr. Dalrymple had the drayman bring in the soap; and after some formality--because the agent in this case was a boy--made out his note at thirty days and gave it to him.

Frank thanked him and pocketed the note. He decided to go back to his father's bank and discount it, as he had seen others doing, thereby paying his father back and getting his own profit in ready money. It couldn't be done ordinarily on any day after business hours; but his father would make an exception in his case.

He hurried back, whistling; and his father glanced up smiling when he came in.

"Well, Frank, how'd you make out?" he asked.

"Here's a note at thirty days," he said, producing the paper Dalrymple had given him. "Do you want to discount that for me? You can take your thirty-two out of that."

His father examined it closely. "Sixty-two dollars!" he observed.

"Mr. Dalrymple! That's good paper! Yes, I can. It will cost you ten per cent.," he added, jestingly. "Why don't you just hold it, though? I'll let you have the thirty-two dollars until the end of the month."

"Oh, no," said his son, "you discount it and take your money. I may want mine."

His father smiled at his business-like air. "All right," he said.

"I'll fix it to-morrow. Tell me just how you did this." And his son told him.

At seven o'clock that evening Frank's mother heard about it, and in due time Uncle Seneca.

"What'd I tell you, Cowperwood?" he asked. "He has stuff in him, that youngster. Look out for him."

Mrs. Cowperwood looked at her boy curiously at dinner. Was this the son she had nursed at her bosom not so very long before? Surely he was developing rapidly.

"Well, Frank, I hope you can do that often," she said.

"I hope so, too, ma," was his rather noncommittal reply.

Auction sales were not to be discovered every day, however, and his home grocer was only open to one such transaction in a reasonable period of time, but from the very first young Cowperwood knew how to make money. He took subscriptions for a boys' paper; handled the agency for the sale of a new kind of ice-skate, and once organized a band of neighborhood youths into a union for the purpose of purchasing their summer straw hats at wholesale. It was not his idea that he could get rich by saving. From the first he had the notion that liberal spending was better, and that somehow he would get along.

It was in this year, or a little earlier, that he began to take an interest in girls. He had from the first a keen eye for the beautiful among them; and, being good-looking and magnetic himself, it was not difficult for him to attract the sympathetic interest of those in whom he was interested. A twelve-year old girl, Patience Barlow, who lived further up the street, was the first to attract his attention or be attracted by him. Black hair and snapping black eyes were her portion, with pretty pigtails down her back, and dainty feet and ankles to match a dainty figure.

She was a Quakeress, the daughter of Quaker parents, wearing a demure little bonnet. Her disposition, however, was vivacious, and she liked this self-reliant, self-sufficient, straight-spoken boy. One day, after an exchange of glances from time to time, he said, with a smile and the courage that was innate in him: "You live up my way, don't you?"

"Yes," she replied, a little flustered--this last manifested in a nervous swinging of her school-bag--"I live at number one-forty-one."

同类推荐
  • 圭塘小稿

    圭塘小稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 杨式太极拳拳谱全体大用诀

    杨式太极拳拳谱全体大用诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 祖庭指南

    祖庭指南

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 人中画

    人中画

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说旧城喻经

    佛说旧城喻经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 站在时光彼端的你

    站在时光彼端的你

    亲爱的怪草,你还好吗……“拍毕业照的时候,一定要叫上我。”这句话你在最后一次离开学校的时候说过。你一直是一个说话算话的人,但后来你爽约了。拍照走位时,我身边特地空出了属于你的位置,可你到最后都没有出现。这是早就知道的事情,但我还是一个人躲在狭小的厕所间里哭了很久。
  • 冷傲世子糟糠妻

    冷傲世子糟糠妻

    一个是王爷世子,一个是皇帝儿子。却为着一个布衣村姑,两人开始互相暗自较劲。这是一段世子与皇子的争风吃醋史,这也是一个村姑荡气回肠的爱情记。......................
  • 其实历史可以这样读

    其实历史可以这样读

    如何读史,大有学问,如果没有广博的知识,很难揭开历史的面纱;如果没有丰富的人生体验,很难体会历史的百般滋味。读史就是与古人交流,站在历史的角度去体悟他们的是非功过,用现代的观点来理解他们的悲喜人生。正因为如此,所以在读史的时候,就要把自己置身于宏大的历史洪流中,跟古人面对面地交流,如此,就能深入到历史人物的内心世界,把握他们心灵的脉动,洞察久远历史的尘封画卷。
  • 如果巴黎不快乐2

    如果巴黎不快乐2

    他是那样曾风光无限的男人,为了她,甘愿窝在一个小渔村里,画漫画养家。她在漂亮的小楼里,为心爱的男人煮咖啡,抱着他们的小宝贝。恍如世外桃源,而这样的神仙眷侣生活,与现实屡屡相碰,他们能在小渔村窝多久?究竟发生了什么,让佟卓尧重新回归商场,成为从前那个叱咤风云的商界精英男人。而又是怎样的变故,让阮曼君回到律师行业,重新做她最心爱的职业。他们回到上海,他做回佟家三少,重振家族生意,她在一家律师事务所,事业蒸蒸日上。那么,他们的爱情呢?【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 暗影之毒液

    暗影之毒液

    这里没有复仇者,没有灭霸,没有无限宝石,只有毒液,我是毒液,你和我都是,我们的名字就叫毒液。
  • 来从无安处

    来从无安处

    我从来都知道这里不是我的家相识相恋然后…就没有了
  • AQ逆商:通向成功的逆向法则

    AQ逆商:通向成功的逆向法则

    本书精选了古今中外各行各业的高逆商人物的精彩事例。从这些不畏艰难困苦勇于攀登的事例中,我们可以品味出修炼培养逆商的各种要素。逆境是生命的苦旅,有修身筑业的效果。这本书适合于青年学生、职场工作人员和创业人士。它可读性强,能够充实人们生活,通过对培养逆商的各种因素的分析,对读者有较好的启示性,尤其是对身处经济危机、逆境之中的读者,能产生实际的指导作用。
  • 刁钻宝贝逍遥娘

    刁钻宝贝逍遥娘

    谁说一定要结婚才能生孩子?谁说一定要找个男人才能生孩子?呵,她还不是一睁开眼睛就有个天下无敌的可爱儿子!这样感觉也不错哦,开着自己的小酒馆。带着称呼自己娘亲,却又不是自己亲生的儿子,逍遥自在的过日子。偶尔的闲来无事,跑去打家劫舍,偶尔的被一些色迷迷的男人,吃吃豆腐,摸摸小手。不过,她就是搞不懂了,凭什么她自己不在意的事情,有的人会那么在意呢?还要莫名其妙带走自己的儿子。前提竟然是,不要她!哼,真当老娘是好欺负的呀!会为了那么区区十万两银子,而卖掉自己的儿子?片段一一大一小两个男人,坐在墙头不住的摇晃着腿脚。“豆豆,你喜不喜欢我做你的爹爹呀?”“喜欢啊,你给豆豆买芙蓉糕,还给豆豆那么多钱钱!”小鬼头流着哈喇子,幻想着大把大把的银子!“哈哈哈…你这小子,真是天下最可爱的宝贝!”“不是,豆豆不是最可爱的!”小鬼一脸严肃,板着脸纠正他的话。“不是吗?”他很奇怪。“恩恩!因为娘亲说,她才是最最可爱的,豆豆只能是第二!”一声巨响,某男华丽丽的从墙头直接跌下…小鬼头赶紧捂住自己的眼睛,“唉,早就告诉过你,不要爬这么高的嘛!”片段二:看着站在自己面前,熟悉却面无表情的男人;看着他醒目的大红喜服生生的刺痛自己的眼,自己的心……原来,这个世界上终究没有所谓的爱情!原来,她终究找不到一个值得自己托付终生的男人!也许曾经有过,却被她放弃了……缓缓的褪下自己手腕上晶莹玉润的镯子,冷笑着,往他的脚下一丢。还带着她体温的翡翠玉镯,瞬间跌成六七节。“今日,玉断情尽,你我之间从此以后,再无瓜葛!”转身,她任一缕微风吹乱额前的秀发……*********做菜一流,语言精短,性格摸不透的大厨小蔡由左慕秋亲领养,希望好好对我们家小蔡哦!推荐好友文文:三山小姐《夫君太难缠》花小楼《腹黑王妃闯天下》倾君之时《小娘子乱惹桃花》红涩《宠妃残颜》青涩鸢萝《诱--欢》荷兰雨晴《军师皇妃》澜姗《血妻》windstar《七日狼宠》纳兰初七《老公,纯属意外》罗宛《狼心夫君别爱我》张来福没文化《母妃乖乖让我疼》三昧水忏《嗜血狂后》陌潇湘《罪妃天下》慕容若依《带着包子嫁豪门》莲绯《豪门继女》民族风饰品专卖http://m.wkkk.net
  • 佰日妖

    佰日妖

    醒之时分,诅咒应灵。界内执念,扭曲成神。百日为妖,不慎则魔。支离破碎,还吾人身。喵曰:心生三果,魂飞魄散半妖是非人! ps: 《佰日妖》 欢喜真心向明月,奈何明月照沟渠。 庙前老牛吃嫩草,溪边和尚勤洗头。
  • 中华女杰(近代卷)

    中华女杰(近代卷)

    妇女是推进人类文明进步的伟大力量。从夏商开始至今,在中华五千年文明进程和近现代中国社会发展中,在政治、军事、经济、文化领域,中国妇女都做出了不可替代的贡献。陈家新编著的《中华女杰(近代卷)》遴选了1840年以后至1949年20位中华女英雄,讲述她们的故亊,宣扬她们的爱国主义精神和女性特有的崇高风范、品格。《中华女杰(近代卷)》收入的人物有傳善祥、周秀英、秋瑾、向警予、陈铁军、杨开慧、冷云、赵一曼、刘胡兰、萧红等。