Page:Life in the Open Air.djvu/340

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But if they are, I should think they would mind their weddings all the more."

"I didn't mean weddings with wives; I meant weddings with wader. But adyhow, tibes is dull, and bein' you wanted a boy, I thought I would like to go into business with you."

The boy's perfect simplicity, perfect self-possession, and an air of entire honesty and courage, greatly amused and pleased Brightly. He saw he had found a character.

"So you think you would like to go into business with me," he said.

"If agreeable."

"I cannot pay a boy much salary, you know."

"Id isn't the zalary; id's the coddection."

"You flatter me," said Brightly, his sense of humor more and more tickled with the other's seriousness.

"I speag the drooth. There's dot mady med in the sdreet I'd drust. I've sold 'em all gades ad dubbrellas, ad I know 'em all."

"But you look pretty prosperous now, Moses. Why change?"

"I have to dress well od aggout of the hodels."

He was attired to suit the hotel taste, in Chatham Street's most attractive styles. "Very neat," "Very chaste," and "Le bon ton," or some similar label, inscribed in gold on a handsome white card, had not long since decked each article of his raiment.

"But this bredspid," continued he, touching it,