She smiled and asked if we made a practice of sparring
every day.
I replied: "We always take our regular exercises."
She said: "How nice it is to be rich. Just see how much pleasure you
gentlemen take in your every-day amusements, while people like us have
to work hard, and never have any pleasure."
I told her that we always had great times, wherever we were. She said
she guessed that was so.
After breakfast I returned to the room, and let Frank have the shirt to
wear to breakfast; after which he came in with a large package
containing his order.
I lost no time in getting into a shirt, and, in fact, to tell the
truth, we each put on three shirts, for fear that some unforeseen
accident might occur. I might also add that we resolved when we put
those shirts on, that no outside one should ever be taken off unless it
was actually _soiled_.
The old adage, "Misfortunes never come singly," was well illustrated in
our case; for before night I was interviewed by the landlord in quite an
unexpected manner. While standing near the wash-room he came rushing up
to me, and calling me to one side, said:
"Johnston, I want to ask a little favor of you."
"Very well, landlord; I'll be glad to grant it, if I can. What is it?"
"Well, I want to ask you to loan me twenty-five dollars for just two
days, and I will----"
"Well, landlord," I interrupted, "I'd let you have it, but----"
"Well, now, look here, Johnston, don't think I am dunning you,--don't
think I am afraid of you," he hurriedly explained.
"Oh, no," said I. "I understand that, landlord, but I'll tell you how it
is; you see----"
"Don't think I am dunning you, Johnston, don't think that, for I'll hand
it right back to you in a day or two," he again assured me.
"That's all right," I said, "that's all right. I was going to say, I'd
let you have it in a minute, if I had it; but I haven't got it."
"Well! how much have you?" He asked in a much-surprised manner.
"I'll tell you all about it," I answered. "When we arrived here, nearly
six weeks ago, we had about two dollars left, after buying each of us a
shirt; and I don't think we have over twenty cents between us, just at
present."
He gazed at me in silence for a moment, and then said:
"What on earth am I going to do?"
"Well, indeed, I don't know; but perhaps you can borrow it from some
friend of yours; at any rate, it won't do any harm to try."
"No, but, I mean what am I going to do about your
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