Paul the Peddler | Page 8

these contained more than
two-cent prizes, trade began to grow dull, and for ten minutes all Paul's
eloquent appeals to gentlemen to walk up and try their luck produced
no effect.

At this point Paul found that there was a rival in the field.
Teddy O'Brien, who had applied for a partnership the day before, came
up with a basket similar to his own, apparently filled with similar
packages. He took a position about six feet distant from Paul, and
began to cry out, in a shrill voice:
"Here's your bully prize packages! Best in the market! Here's where
you get your big prizes, fifty cents in some of 'em. Walk up boys,
tumble up, and take your pick afore they're gone. Fifty cents for five!"
"That's a lie, Teddy," said Paul, who saw that his rival's attractive
announcement was likely to spoil his trade.
"No, 'tisn't," said Teddy. "If you don't believe it, just buy one and see."
"I'll tell you what I'll do," said Paul, "I'll exchange."
"No," said Teddy; "I ain't a-goin' to risk givin' fifty cents for one."
"More likely you'd get ten for one. You're a humbug."
"Have you really got any fifty-cent prizes?" asked a newsboy, who had
sold out his morning stock of papers, and was lounging about the post
office steps.
"Best way is to buy, Johnny," said Teddy.
The boy did buy, but his prize amounted to only one cent.
"Didn't I tell you so?" said Paul.
"Just wait a while and see," said Teddy. "The lucky feller hasn't come
along. Here, Mike, jest buy a package!"
Mike, a boy of fifteen, produced five cents, and said, "I don't mind if I
do."
He selected a package, and, without opening it, slipped it into his

pocket.
"Why don't you open it?" said Teddy.
"What's the use?" said Mike. "There ain't no fifty cents inside."
However, he drew it out of his pocket, and opened it.
"What's this?" he exclaimed, pulling out a piece of scrip. "Howly St.
Patrick! it's I that's in luck, anyhow I've got the fifty cents!"
And he held up to view a fifty-cent scrip.
"Let me look at it," said Paul, incredulously.
But there was no room for doubt. It was a genuine fifty cents, as Paul
was compelled to admit.
"Didn't I tell you so?" said Teddy, triumphantly. "Here's where you get
fifty-cent prizes."
The appeal was successful. The sight of the fifty-cent prize led to a
large call for packages, of which Teddy immediately sold ten, while
Paul found himself completely deserted. None of the ten, however,
contained over two cents. Still the possibility of drawing fifty cents
kept up the courage of buyers, while Paul's inducements were so far
inferior that he found himself wholly distanced.
"Don't you wish you'd gone pardners with me?" asked Teddy, with a
triumphant grin, noticing Paul's look of discomfiture. "You can't do
business alongside of me."
"You can't make any money giving such big prizes," said Paul. "You
haven't taken in as much as you've given yet."
"All right," said Teddy. "I'm satisfied if you are. Have a package, Jim?"
"Yes," said Jim. "Mind you give me a good prize."

The package was bought, and, on being opened, proved to contain fifty
cents also, to Paul's great amazement. How Teddy's business could pay,
as it was managed, he could not comprehend. One thing was certain,
however, his new competitor monopolized the trade, and for two hours
Paul did not get a solitary customer.
"There's something about this I don't understand," he pondered,
thoughtfully. "He must lose money; but he's spoiled my trade."
Paul did not like to give up his beat, but he found himself compelled to.
Accordingly he took his basket, and moved off toward Wall street.
Here he was able to start in business without competitors, and
succeeded in selling quite a number of packages, until a boy came up,
and said:
"There's a feller up at the post office that's givin' fifty-cent prizes. I got
one of 'em."
There was a group of half-a-dozen boys around Paul, two of whom
were about to invest; but on hearing thus they changed their intention,
and walked of in the direction of the post office.
Looking up, Paul saw that the boy who had injured his trade was Mike,
who had drawn the first fifty-cent prize from his competitor.
"Can't you stop interfering?" he said, angrily. "I've lost two customers
by you."
"If you don't like it, you can lump it," said Mike, insolently. "This is a
free country, ain't it?"
"It's a mean trick," said Paul, indignantly.
"Say that ag'in, and I'll upset your basket," returned Mike.
"I'll say it as often as I like," said Paul, who wasn't troubled by
cowardice. "Come on, if you want to."
Mike advanced