ved, whether in private houses or at
the Great Delmonico's of "Fourteenth Street," as you would meet with at
one or _two_ haunts I wot of in the Palais Royale. Still, I leave it to
yourself, a dinner is but a poor "quid" to him lacking the "quo" of an
immediate fortune--is it not?

Matters began to grow serious with me; for, my income having amounted to
_nil_ since my landing in the new world, my assets were gradually
diminishing. I had only a few pounds left; as my expenditure for
lodging alone was at the rate of over two guineas a week; and Monsieur
Parole d'Honneur's loan, which I looked upon only in the light of
trading capital, I had determined not to touch on for personal need.

What should I do?

I went to one of the American gentlemen to whom I had been introduced,
and laid my position before him. He advised me, as he had previously
advised me, to "look about" me.

I had "looked about me" already for some three months--without anything
coming of it; however, I looked about me now again, and?--met Brown of
Philadelphia!

"Brown of Philadelphia" was one who is known among our "cousins" as a
"live" man. Brown of Philadelphia was an enterprising man; he was more:
he was a benevolent man. He had a splendid scheme, he told me, for
turning over thousands of dollars at once. He had no wish to merely
better himself, however. He was a man with a large heart, and would
make my fortune too. It seemed as if Providence had specially
interfered to prevent his meeting with a partner until I had answered
his advertisement! _I_ should be his partner. I need not know anything
of the business--_he_ would manage all that. What I should have to do,
would be, to take care of all the money that came in--a post for which
both he and I thought I was peculiarly fitted. And the scheme?--

Perhaps you will laugh when I tell you. It was selling blacking!

There is nothing to be ashamed of in it, though. Have not Day and
Martin made a fortune by it, and a name in all the world? Has not many
a proud merchant prince risen to eminence on a more ignoble commodity?

Blacking! There is something noble in causing the feet of posterity to
shine; and to be the means of testing the standing of a would-be
gentleman! Clean boots are an essentiality of society; why should I
shrink from the responsibility of helping to produce them?

Well, whether you consider it a lowering trade or not, Brown of
Philadelphia suggested our "going