CHAPTER V.
HOUSE HUNTING.
At ten o'clock Paul closed up his business for the forenoon, andreturning to their temporary home, found his mother waiting for him.
"Well, Paul," she said inquiringly, "have you heard of any goodrooms?"
"Here is an advertisement of some nicely furnished rooms in Bleeckerstreet;" and Paul pointed to the _Herald._
"They may be above our means, Paul."
"At any rate we can go and look at them. We must expect to pay more ifwe take them furnished."
"Do you think we had better take furnished rooms?" asked Mrs. Hoffmandoubtfully.
"I think so, mother, just now. All our furniture is burned, you know,and it would take too much of our capital to buy new. When we getricher we will buy some nice furniture."
"Perhaps you are right, Paul. At any rate we will go and look at theserooms."
"If they don't suit us, I have the paper with me, and we can looksomewhere else."
"May I go, mother?" asked Jimmy.
"We might have to go about considerably, Jimmy," said Paul. "I amafraid you would get tired."
"If Mrs. Norton will let you stay here, I think it will be better,"said his mother. "Are you sure he won't be in your way, Mrs. Norton?"
"Bless his heart, no," returned the policeman's wife heartily. "Ishall be glad of his company. Mr. Norton and Sam are away most of thetime, and I get lonely sometimes."
Jimmy felt rather flattered by the thought that his company wasdesired by Mrs. Norton, and readily resigned himself to stay at home.Paul and his mother went out, and got on board a Bleecker street car,which soon brought them to the desired number.
The house was quite respectable in appearance, far more so certainlythan the burned tenement house. The time had been when Bleecker streetwas fashionable, and lined with the dwellings of substantial andprosperous citizens. That time had gone by. Still it was severalgrades above the streets in the lower part of the city.
Paul rang the bell, and the door was opened by a maid-servant.
"I saw an advertisement in the _Herald_ about some rooms to let," saidPaul. "Can we see them?"
"I'll speak to the mistress," was the reply. "Won't you come in?"
They entered the hall, and were shown into the parlor, where they tookseats on a hard sofa. Soon the door opened, and a tall lady entered.
"You would like to look at my rooms?" she inquired, addressing Mrs.Hoffman.
"If you please."
"They are on the third floor--all that I have vacant. If you willfollow me, I will show you the way."
At the top of the second staircase she threw open the door of agood-sized room, furnished plainly but neatly.
"There is another room connected with this," she said, "and a bedroomon the upper floor can go with it."
"Is it arranged for housekeeping?" asked Mrs. Hoffman.
"Yes; you will find the back room fitted for cooking. Come in and Iwill show you."
She opened a door in the rear room, displaying a pantry and sink,while a cooking-stove was already put up. Both rooms were carpeted. Inthe front room there was a sofa, a rocking-chair, some shelves forbooks, while three or four pictures hung from the walls.
"I don't see any sleeping accommodations," said Mrs. Hoffman, lookingaround.
"I will put a bed into either room," said the landlady. "I havedelayed doing it till the rooms were let."
"How do you like it, mother?" asked Paul.
"Very well, but----"
Mrs. Hoffman hesitated, thinking that the charge for suchaccommodations would be beyond their means. Paul understood, and askedin his turn:
"How much do you ask for these rooms by the month?"
"With the small room upstairs besides?"
"Yes."
"Thirty dollars a month."
Mrs. Hoffman looked at Paul in dismay. This was more than three timeswhat they had been accustomed to pay.
"We can afford to pay more than we have hitherto," he said in a lowvoice. "Besides, there is the furniture."
"But thirty dollars a month is more than we can afford," said hismother uneasily.
"My mother thinks we cannot afford to pay thirty dollars," said Paul.
"The price is very reasonable," said the landlady. "You won't findcheaper rooms in this street."
"I don't complain of your price," said Mrs. Hoffman, "only it is morethan we can afford to pay. Could you take less?"
"No," said the landlady decidedly. "I am sure to get tenants at thatprice."
"Then, Paul, I think we must look further," said his mother.
"If you don't find anything to your mind, perhaps you will come back,"suggested the landlady.
"We may do so. How much would you charge for these two rooms alone?"
"Twenty-six dollars a month."
The prices named above are considerably less than the present rates;but still, as Paul's income from his business only amounted to fiftyor sixty dollars a month, it seemed a good deal for him to pay.
"We may call again," said Mrs. Hoffman as they went downstairs. "Butwe will look around first."
"How much do you think we can afford to pay, Paul?" asked Mrs.Hoffman.
"We can easily afford twenty dollars a month, mother."
"That is more than three times as much as we pay now."
"I know it, but I want a better home and a better neighborhood,mother. When we first took the other rooms, six dollars a month wasall we were able to pay. Now we can afford better accommodations."
"What other rooms have you got on your list, Paul?"
"There are some rooms in Prince street, near Broadway."
"I am afraid they would be too high-priced."
"At any rate we can go and look at them. They are near by."
The rooms in Prince street proved to be two in number, well furnished,and though not intended for housekeeping, could be used for thatpurpose. The rent was twenty-five dollars a month.
"I do not feel able to pay more than twenty dollars," said Mrs.Hoffman.
"That is too little. I'll split the difference and say twenty-two anda half. I suppose you have no other children?"
"I have one other--a boy of eight."
"Then I don't think I should be willing to let you the rooms," saidthe landlady, her manner changing. "I don't like to take youngchildren."
"He is a very quiet boy."
"No boys of eight are quiet," said the landlady decidedly. "They areall noisy and troublesome."
"Jimmy is never noisy or troublesome," said Mrs. Hoffman, resentingthe imputation upon her youngest boy.
"Of course you think so, as you are his mother," rejoined thelandlady. "You may be mistaken, you know."
"Perhaps you object to me also," said Paul. "I am more noisy than mylittle brother."
"I look upon you as a young man," said the landlady--a remark at whichPaul felt secretly complimented.
"I think we shall have to try somewhere else, mother," he said."Perhaps we shall find some house where they don't object to noisyboys."
It seemed rather a joke to Paul to hear Jimmy objected to as noisy andtroublesome, and for some time afterward he made it a subject forjoking Jimmy. The latter took it very good-naturedly and seemed quiteas much amused as Paul.
The _Herald_ had to be consulted once more. Two other places near bywere visited, but neither proved satisfactory. In one place the roomswere not pleasant, in the other case the price demanded was too great.
"It's twelve o'clock already," said Paul, listening to the strokes ofa neighboring clock. "I had no idea it was so hard finding rooms. Iwonder whether Mrs. Norton would keep us a day longer."
"Perhaps we can go out this afternoon and prove more successful,Paul."
"I've a great mind to consult Mr. Preston, mother. I think I'll callat his place of business at any rate, as I may need to draw some ofthe money we have in his hands. You know we've all got to buy newclothes."
"Very well, Paul. Do as you think best. You won't n
eed me."
"No, mother."
Mrs. Hoffman returned to her temporary quarters, and reporting herwant of success, was cordially invited by Mrs. Norton to remain as herguest until she succeeded in obtaining satisfactory rooms.
Slow and Sure: The Story of Paul Hoffman the Young Street-Merchant Page 5