Risen from the Ranks: Harry Walton's Success

Harry STUMBLES upon an acquaintance.

After supper Harry went round to the tavern to see about his trunk.  A group of young men were in the bar-room, some of whom looked up as he entered.  Among these was Luke Harrison, who was surprised and by no means pleased to see his creditor.  Harry recognized him at the same instant, and said, “How are you, Luke?”

“Is that you, Walton?” said Luke.  “What brings you to Centreville?  Professor Henderson isn’t here, is he?”

“No; I have left him.”

“Oh, you’re out of a job, are you?” asked Luke, in a tone of satisfaction, for we are apt to dislike those whom we have injured, and for this reason he felt by no means friendly.

“No, I’m not,” said Harry, quietly.  “I’ve found work in Centreville.”

“Gone back to pegging, have you?  Whose shop are you in?”

“I am in a different business.”

“You don’t say!  What is it?” asked Luke, with some curiosity.

“I’m in the office of the ‘Centreville Gazette.’  I’m going to learn the printing business.”

“You are?  Why, I’ve got a friend in the office,—­John Clapp.  He never told me about your being there.”

“He didn’t know I was coming.  I only went to work this afternoon.”

“So you are the printer’s devil?” said Luke, with a slight sneer.

“I believe so,” answered our hero, quietly.

“Do you get good pay?”

“Not much at first.  However, I can get along with what money I have, and what is due me.”

Luke Harrison understood the last allusion, and turned away abruptly.  He had no wish to pay up the money which he owed Harry, and for this reason was sorry to see him in the village.  He feared, if the conversation were continued, Harry would be asking for the money, and this would be disagreeable.

At this moment John Clapp entered the bar-room.  He nodded slightly to Harry, but walked up to Luke, and greeted him cordially.  There were many points of resemblance between them, and this drew them into habits of intimacy.

“Will you have something to drink, Harrison?” said Clapp.

“I don’t mind if I do,” answered Luke, with alacrity.

They walked up to the bar, and they were soon pledging each other in a fiery fluid which was not very likely to benefit either of them.  Meanwhile Harry gave directions about his trunk, and left the room.

“So you’ve got a new ‘devil’ in your office,” said Luke, after draining his glass.

“Yes.  He came this afternoon.  How did you hear?”

“He told me.”

“Do you know him?” asked Clapp, in some surprise.

“Yes.  I know him as well as I want to.”

“What sort of a fellow is he?”

“Oh, he’s a sneak—­one of your pious chaps, that ’wants to be an angel, and with the angels stand.’”

“Then he’s made a mistake in turning ‘devil,’” said Clapp.

“Good for you!” said Luke, laughing.  “You’re unusually brilliant to-night, Clapp.”

“So he’s a saint, is he?”

“He set up for one; but I don’t like his style myself.  He’s as mean as dirt.  Why I knew him several months, and he never offered to treat in all that time.  He’s as much afraid of spending a cent as if it were a dollar.”

“He won’t have many dollars to spend just at present.  He’s working for his board.”

“Oh, he’s got money saved up,” said Luke.  “Fellows like him hang on to a cent when they get it.  I once asked him to lend me a few dollars, just for a day or two, but he wouldn’t do it.  I hate such mean fellows.”

“So do I. Will you have a cigar?”

“I’ll treat this time,” said Luke, who thought it polite to take his turn in treating once to his companion’s four or five times.

“Thank you.  From what you say, I am sorry Anderson has taken the fellow into the office.”

“You needn’t have much to say to him.”

“I shan’t trouble myself much about him.  I didn’t like his looks when I first set eyes on him.  I suppose old Mother Anderson will like him.  She couldn’t abide my smoking, and he won’t trouble her that way.”

“So; he’s too mean to buy the cigars.”

“He said he couldn’t afford it.”

“That’s what it comes to.  By the way, Clapp, when shall we take another ride?”

“I can get away nest Monday afternoon, at three.”

“All right.  I’ll manage to get off at the same time.  We’ll go to Whiston and take supper at the hotel.  It does a fellow good to get off now and then.  It won’t cost more than five dollars apiece altogether.”

“We’ll get the carriage charged.  The fact is, I’m little low on funds.”

“So am I, but it won’t matter.  Griffin will wait for his pay.”

While Harry’s character waa being so unfavorably discussed, he was taking a walk by himself, observing with interest the main features of his new home.  He had been here before with Professor Henderson, but had been too much occupied at that time to get a very clear idea of Centreville, nor had it then the interest for him which it had acquired since.  He went upon a hill overlooking the village, and obtained an excellent view from its summit.  It was a pleasant, well-built village of perhaps three thousand inhabitants, with outlying farms and farm-houses.  Along the principal streets the dwellings and stores were closely built, so as to make it seem quite city-like.  It was the shire town of the county, and being the largest place in the neighborhood, country people for miles around traded at its stores.  Farmers’ wives came to Centreville to make purchases, just as ladies living within a radius of thirty miles visit New York and Boston, for a similar purpose.  Altogether, therefore, Centreville was quite a lively place, and a town of considerable local importance.  The fact that it had a weekly paper of its own, contributed to bring it into notice.  Nor was that all.  Situated on a little hillock was a building with a belfry, which might have been taken for a church but for a play-ground near by, which indicated that it had a different character.  It was in fact the Prescott Academy, so called from the name of its founder, who had endowed it with a fund of ten thousand dollars, besides erecting the building at his own expense on land bought for the purpose.  This academy also had a local reputation, and its benefits were not confined to the children of Centreville.  There were about twenty pupils from other towns who boarded with the Principal or elsewhere in the town, and made up the whole number of students in attendance—­about eighty on an average.

Standing on the eminence referred to, Harry’s attention was drawn to the Academy, and he could not help forming the wish that he, too, might share in its advantages.

“There is so much to learn, and I know so little,” he thought.

But he did not brood over the poverty which prevented him from gratifying his desire.  He knew it would do no good, and he also reflected that knowledge may be acquired in a printing office as well as within the walls of an academy or college.

“As soon as I get well settled,” he said to himself, “I mean to get some books and study a little every day.  That is the way Franklin did.  I never can be an editor, that’s certain, without knowing more than I do now.  Before I am qualified to teach others, I must know something myself.”

Looking at the village which lay below him, Harry was disposed to congratulate himself on his new residence.

“It looks like a pleasant place,” he said to himself, “and when I get a little acquainted, I shall enjoy myself very well, I am sure.  Of course I shall feel rather lonely just at first.”

He was so engrossed by his thoughts that he did not take heed to his steps, and was only reminded of his abstraction by his foot suddenly coming in contact with a boy who was lying under a tree, and pitching headfirst over him.

“Holloa!” exclaimed the latter, “what are you about?  You didn’t take me for a foot-ball, did you?”

“I beg your pardon,” said Harry, jumping up in some confusion.  “I was so busy thinking that I didn’t see you.  I hope I didn’t hurt you.”

“Nothing serious.  Didn’t you hurt yourself?”

“I bumped my head a little, but it only struck the earth.  If it had been a stone, it might have been different.  I had no idea there was any one up here except myself.”

“It was very kind of you to bow so low to a perfect stranger,” said the other, his eyes twinkling humorously.  “I suppose it would only be polite for me to follow your example.”

“I’ll excuse you,” said Harry laughing.

“Thank you.  That takes a great burden off my mind.  I don’t like to be outdone in politeness, but really I shouldn’t like to tumble over you.  My head may be softer than yours.  There’s one thing clear.  We ought to know each other.  As you’ve taken the trouble to come up here, and stumble over me, I really feel as if we ought to strike up a friendship.  What do you say?”

“With all my heart,” said our hero.