Once fairly established in their new home, Paul went out into the
streets to earn his living. The two most obvious, and, on the whole,
most profitable trades, were blacking boots and selling newspapers. To
the first Paul, who was a neat boy, objected on the score that it would
keep his hands and clothing dirty, and, street boy though he had become,
he had a pride in his personal appearance. To selling papers he had not
the same objection, but he had a natural taste for trade, and this led
him to join the ranks of the street peddlers. He began with vending
matches, but found so much competition in the business, and received
so rough a reception oftentimes from those who had repeated calls from
others in the same business, that he gave it up, and tried something
else. But the same competition which crowds the professions and the
higher employments followed by men, prevails among the street trades
which are pursued by boys. If Paul had only had himself to support,
he could have made a fair living at match selling, or any other of the
employments he took up; but his mother could not earn much at making
vests, and Jimmy was lame, and could do nothing to fill the common
purse, so that Paul felt that his earnings must be the main support of
the family, and naturally sought out what would bring him in most money.

At length he had hit upon selling prize packages, and his first
experience in that line are recorded in the previous chapter. Adding
only that it was now a year since his father's death, we resume our
narrative.

"Do you want to know how much I've made, mother?" asked Paul, looking up
at length from his calculation.

"Yes, Paul."