human
I mean rowdies, and such. Poor people, if they behave themselves, are just as respectable to me as rich folks. I ain't the least mite aristocratic.
gpt
Ah, indeed! And the old man smiled again, and seemed to look relieved.
human
I'm very glad to hear it.
gpt
No, I must ask you to choose for me; but nothing very extravagant, you know. I'm used to plain fare.
human
So am I. But I'm going to have a good dinner for once in my life, and so shall you! cried Bert, generously.
gpt
What do you say to chicken soup, and then wind up with a thumping big piece of squash pie? How's that for a Thanksgiving dinner?
human
Sumptuous! said the old man, appearing to glow with the warmth of the room and the prospect of a good dinner.
gpt
But won't it cost you too much?
human
Too much? No, _sir_! laughed Bert.
gpt
Chicken soup, fifteen cents; pie--they give tremendous pieces here; thick, I tell you--ten cents. That's twenty-five cents; half a dollar for two. Of course, I don't do this way every day in the year. But mother's glad to have me, once in a while. Here, waiter!
human
Where is your mother? Why don't you dine with her?
gpt
That's the question: why don't I? I'll tell you why I don't. I've got the best mother in the world. What I'm trying to do is to make a home for her, so we can live together and eat our Thanksgiving dinners together some time. Some boys want one thing, some another. There's one goes in for good times; another's in such a hurry to get rich he don't care much how he does it; but what I want most of anything is to be with my mother and my two sisters again, and I ain't ashamed to say so.
human
I haven't been with her now for two years, hardly at all since father died. When his business was settled up--he kept a little grocery store on Hanover Street--it was found he hadn't left us anything. We had lived pretty well up to that time, and I and my two sisters had been to school; but then mother had to do something, and her friends got her places to go out nursing, and she's a nurse now. Everybody likes her, and she has enough to do. We couldn't be with her, of course. She got us boarded at a good place, but I saw how hard it was going to be for her to support us, so I said, 'I'm a boy; _I_ can do something for _myself_. You just pay their board, and keep 'em to school, and I'll go to work, and maybe help you a little, besides taking care of myself.'
gpt
What could _you_ do?
human
That's it. I was only 'leven years old, and what could I? What I should have liked would have been some nice place where I could do light work, and stand a chance of learning a good business. But beggars mustn't be choosers. I couldn't find such a place; and I wasn't going to be loafing about the streets, so I went to selling newspapers. I've sold newspapers ever since, and I shall be twelve years old next month.
gpt
You like it?
human
I like to get my own living, replied Bert, proudly,
gpt
Come, now, won't you have something between the soup and the pie? Don't be afraid: I'll pay for it. Thanksgiving don't come but once a year. You won't? A cup of tea, then, to go with your pie?
human
I think I _will_ have a cup of tea; you are _so_ kind,
gpt
All right! Here, waiter! Two pieces of your fattest and biggest squash pie; and a cup of tea, strong, for this gentleman.
human
I've told you about myself, added Bert;
gpt
About myself?
human
Yes. I think that would go pretty well with the pie.
gpt
I could go back and tell about my plans and hopes when I was a lad of your age, but it would be too much like your own story over again. Life isn't what we think it will be when we are young. You'll find that out soon enough. I am all alone in the world now, and I am sixty-seven years old.
human
Have some cheese with your pie, won't you? It must be so lonely at your age! What do you do for a living?
gpt
I have a little place in Devonshire Street. My name is Crooker. You'll find me up two flights of stairs, back room, at the right. Come and see me, and I'll tell you all about my business, and perhaps help you to such a place as you want, for I know several business men. Now don't fail.