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or anxiety, while he was not overworked. Here there was constant anxiety, and he never knew, when he rose in the morning, where his dinner was to come from, or whether he would be able to buy one. Still there was a fascination in the free, lawless life, and if he could only be sure of making even fifty cents a day he would probably have preferred it. It is not necessary to describe Sam's life in detail for the next month. He and Tim were constant companions; and under Tim's instruction he was rapidly acquiring the peculiar education of a street vagabond. Of his employments in that brief period it would be difficult to give a complete list. At one time he blacked boots for another boy, to whom he paid half his receipts, in return for the use of the box and blacking. But Sam was detected by his employer in rendering a false account, and was thrown upon his own resources again. It would have been much more to his interest to have a blacking-brush and box of his own; but whenever Sam had capital enough he preferred to spend it for a good dinner, so there did not seem much chance of his getting ahead. He had, before this time, been introduced to the Newsboys' Lodging House, where he was interrogated about his past life by the superintendent. Sam was obliged to have recourse to his imagination in reply, feeling that if he spoke the truth he would be liable to be returned to his country home. "Are your parents living?" inquired Mr. O'Connor. "No," said Sam, telling the truth this time. "When did they die?" "Two years ago." "Did they die in New York?" "Yes, sir. They died of small-pox," volunteered Sam. "And have you been supporting yourself since then?" "Yes, sir." "How does it happen that you have not been round here before?" "I was living with my uncle," answered Sam, hesitating. "Why have you left him?" "He didn't treat me well." "Perhaps you didn't behave well." "Oh, yes, I did." "What is your uncle's name?" "James Cooper." "Where does he live,--in what street?" "He's moved away from the city now," said Sam, feeling that he must put a stop to these inconvenient inquiries. So Sam was admitted to the privileges of the lodging-house. Now, he found it much easier to get along. For eighteen cents a day he was provided with lodging, breakfast and supper, and it was not often that he could not obtain as much as that. When he could earn enough more to buy a "square meal" in the midd
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