Joe the Hotel Boy

Preface
A number of years ago the author of this story set out to depict life among the boys of a great city, and especially among those who had to make their own way in the world. Among those already described are the ways of newsboys, match boys, peddlers, street musicians, and many others.

In the present tale are related the adventures of a country lad who, after living for some time with a strange hermit, goes forth into the world and finds work, first in a summer hotel and then in a large hotel in the city. Joe finds his road no easy one to travel, and he has to face not a few hardships, but in the end all turns out well.

It may be added here that many of the happenings told of in this story, odd as they may seem, are taken from life. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction, and life itself is full of romance from start to finish.

If there is a moral to be drawn from this story, it is a twofold one, namely, that honesty is always the best policy, and that if one wishes to succeed in life he must stick at his work steadily and watch every opportunity for advancement.

JOE THE HOTEL BOY.

Contents

 * Chapter I: Out in a Storm
 * Chapter II: A Mysterious Conversation
 * Chapter III: A Home in Ruins
 * Chapter IV: The Search for the Blue Box
 * Chapter V: A New Suit of Clothes
 * Chapter VI: An Accident on the Lake
 * Chapter VII: Blows and Kind Deeds
 * Chapter VIII: The Timid Mr. Gussing
 * Chapter IX: An Unfortunate Outing
 * Chapter X: David Ball from Montana
 * Chapter XI: A Fruitless Chase
 * Chapter XII: The Particulars of a Swindle
 * Chapter XIII: Off for the City
 * Chapter XIV: A Scene on the Train
 * Chapter XV: What Happened to Josiah Bean
 * Chapter XVI: A Matter of Six Hundred Dollars
 * Chapter XVII: Joe's New Position
 * Chapter XVIII: Joe Shows His Muscle
 * Chapter XIX: One Kind of a Duel
 * Chapter XX: Attacked in the Dark
 * Chapter XXI: Days at the Hotel
 * Chapter XXII: About Some Mining Shares
 * Chapter XXIII: The Fire at the Hotel
 * Chapter XXIV: The Blue Box at Last
 * Chapter XXV: Joe Visits Chicago
 * Chapter XXVI: How a Satchel Disappeared
 * Chapter XXVII: Joe Makes a Discovery
 * Chapter XXVIII: From out of a Tree
 * Chapter XXIX: The Fate of Two Evildoers
 * Chapter XXX: Conclusion