"Street Life in New York with Boot Blacks" book response

After reading a chapter in the book Street Life in New York with the Boot Blacks, i was able to see how laborers worked for money years ago. Dick worked very hard and recieved only ten cents for a time he shined someones shoes. This amount of money,a fairly small amount, was still enough to get Dick through his day and allowed him to do such things as go to the Old Bowery, where he could get a few beers with his friends and have fun activities to participate in. Though Dick made money, he didn't make enough for a comfterable living enviroment. Dick slept on a bucket with hay inside and payed rent for this. Most Laborers such as Dick during this time had a difficult time living, and didn't have money to pay for such things as a normal bad set or their own home. Dick's life though hard was a fairly simple and easily obtainable life, one filled with enjoyment and satisfaction. These feelings were not felt by most laborers, but by the ones like Dick who had felt self reliance that their life made them happy.