in by so young a person as himself, was the selling of flowers or chewing gum. These had not, he knew, the standing which his former business had; boys have sold newspapers for so long that grown men who sell them appear to be invading one of boys' established rights; but the selling of flowers and chewing gum is regarded as irregular. He knew, by observation, the method of the flower business but not the source from which the young merchants obtained their stocks.
He bargained, after reflection, with the Italian for a small handful of his most faded flowers, and went west to Clark Street. Here he turned north, inspecting through their doorways the interiors of the somewhat questionable cafes. If he saw a man and woman inside seated together at a table, he pulled off his disreputable cap and went in. With his apprehensive stare fixed on proprietor and waiters and ready at any move on their parts to run, he laid one of the flowers on the table in front of the woman. The price he asked for each flower was five cents. Sometimes the woman took the flower and her escort
