This would double his income, and enable him to
save up money. At present this was hardly possible. His own
earnings had been, and were likely to continue, very fluctuating.
Still, they constituted the main support of the family. His
mother made shirts for an establishment on Broadway at
twenty-five cents each, which was more than some establishments
paid. She could hardly average more than one shirt a day, in
addition to her household work, and in order to accomplish this,
even, she was obliged to work very steadily all day. Jimmy, of
course, earned nothing. Not that he was too young. There were
plenty of little newsboys who were as small as he--perhaps
smaller. I have seen boys, who did not appear to be more than
four years old, standing at the corners, crying the news in their
childish treble. But Paul was not willing to have Jimmy sent out
into the streets to undergo the rough discipline of street life.
He was himself of a strong, robust nature, and did not shrink
from the rough and tumble of life. He felt sure he could make
his way, and give as well as receive blows. But Jimmy was shy
and retiring, of a timid, shrinking nature, who would suffer from
what would only exhilarate Paul, and brace him for the contest.
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