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.
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