Fortune! and through a lady, too! To think of it! The promised advantage
might be great or small, but whatever it was, it would be most welcome.
And the honor, too! A piece of positive advantage for an act of manly
gallantry!
I immediately put on that black hat, and with those identical gray
trowsers upon my legs, I strode down to 321 Dash street, and mounted
instantly to the second floor. As there was but one entrance door from
the stair-way on this floor, I felt certain that I had found the right
place.
The business of Mr. A.R.R. was evidently a very profitable one, for his
room was quite full of people. I inquired of a boy for the author of the
notice I held in my hand, (I had carefully cut it from the paper,) and
was informed that this was the right place, and that the gentleman would
see me in a few moments. I took a seat and regarded the persons who were
standing and sitting about the room. They were all men, and in a few
minutes I discovered, to my great surprise, that they all wore black
hats and gray pantaloons!
I must admit, that when I made this discovery, I experienced a very
peculiar sensation, as if some one had suddenly dropped a little
ice-water down my back. Was it possible that all these men were here in
answer to that advertisement, which I considered addressed to me alone?
There were all sorts of them; old gentlemen with heads grayer than their
pants; young fellows who looked like clerks; and middle-aged men, who
seemed like very respectable heads of families.
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