Jr. Horatio Alger

“ He had seen more of the dark than the bright side of life, but he had not been without his enjoyments. Youth is hopeful and can find enjoyment under the most unpropitious circumstances.
So Julius, as he took his last walk through the streets with which he had for years been familiar, felt sorry that he was to leave them the next day, perhaps, for many years. It is true he hoped to do better at the West, but all his present associations were with Broadway, Chatham Street, and the Bowery, and City Hall Park, and his new life would seem strange at first. ”

“ I call it horrid, after a fortnight on board this dear little yacht, to have to get on to a crowded steamer, with no accommodation and lots of seasick women, perhaps, and crying children. You surely cannot be in earnest?”
“I do not like it any more than you do, Minnie; but, as Tom says we had better do it, and my husband agrees with him, I am afraid we must submit. Do you really think it is quite necessary, Mr. Virtue? Minnie and I are both good sailors, you know; and we would much rather have a little extra tossing about on board the Seabird than the discomforts of a steamer.” ”

“ Grantham, who had often spent a day on board the Seabird, said.
“I hardly know her myself,” Tom said, rather ruefully; “but I hope she’s all right, Mrs. Grantham, and that you and Miss Graham will find everything you want.”
“It is charming!” Mrs. Grantham said enthusiastically. “It’s awfully good of you, Tom, and we appreciate it; don’t we, Minnie? It is such a surprise, too; for James said that while I should find everything very comfortable, I must not expect that a small yacht would be got up like a palace.” ”

“ Most of the boys were frightened, for we had no guns with us. We knew that if we climbed the trees the bear could climb after us. So, as they looked upon me as a leader, they turned to me, and said, ‘Theophilus, what shall we do? The bear will kill us,’ and one of the smallest boys began to cry. But I was not frightened,” continued Mr. Slocum, impressively. “I was always noted for my presence of mind even as a boy.
“‘Don’t be frightened, boys,’ I said, ‘I will save you.’
“I had heard that nearly all beasts are afraid of the human eye. ”

“ Slocum,” said Frank, with a grave face, but a humorous twinkle in his eye.
“That isn’t for me to say,” said Mr. Slocum, complacently. “You know the truth shouldn’t be spoken at all times. Ahem! what sum is it that troubles you?”
“This, sir.”
“Yes, I see.”
Mr. Slocum took up the arithmetic, and looked fixedly at the sum with an air of profound wisdom, then turned back to the rule, looked carefully through the specimen example done in the book, and after five minutes remarked: “It is quite easy, that is, for me. Give me your slate.” ”

“ Julius shook his head.
“I don’t know much about any places, except New York and Jersey,” he added.
“I live in the city of Milwaukee, in Wisconsin. It is quite a flourishing city.”
“Is it as big as New York?”
“Oh, no; we can’t show any cities in the West as big as New York. I doubt if we ever shall, though we’ve some large cities, that are growing fast. Do you think you are likely to come to Milwaukee?”
“I don’t know,” said Julius. “Mr. O’Connor could tell you.” ”

“ Don’t be discouraged because you cannot yet speak as well as I do. Keep on in your efforts. Let your motto ever be Excelsior! and the time will perhaps come when you will receive the applause of listening multitudes. The school is now dismissed.”
“Wasn’t it rich, Julius?” asked John Sandford, when they were walking home. “I never wanted to laugh so much in all my life. But the best of it was about the red scalp.”
“You’re envious, John. That’s the reason you ridicule Mr. Slocum’s speaking. I’m afraid you’ll never be as great an orator as he is.” ”

“ But there is no occasion for lying.”
“I’ll try not to, but I ain’t an angel.”
“Angels are scare, as far as my observation goes,” said his companion, smiling, “and you appear to have too much human nature about you to be altogether angelic. But there’s one thing you can do. You can try to do right.”{38}
“I mean to,” said Julius, promptly. “I want to grow up respectable.”
“If you want to, you probably will. You’ll have a better chance at the West than you would in New York.”
“If I stayed there, I’d be a bootblack all my life,” said Julius. “There ain’t no chance for a boy like me to rise. ”

“ The boys looked at him, and two of the younger ones said, “Good-morning.”
“You will at once enter the schoolhouse,” said the new teacher, with dignity.
“Isn’t the bell going to ring?” asked Henry Frye.
“Yes. On the whole, you may wait for the bell.”
He entered the schoolhouse, and a minute later reappeared at the door ringing the bell violently.
Probably few persons are the objects of more critical attention than a new teacher, for the pupils who are to be under his charge. It is to many an embarrassment to be subjected to such close scrutiny, but Mr. Theophilus Slocum rather liked it. ”

“ In a few years they would be men, and lay aside the street employments by which they had gained a scanty and miserable living. When that time came, would they take a respectable place in the ranks of workingmen, or become social outlaws like Jack Morgan and his confederate, Marlowe? Such thoughts had come frequently to Julius of late, and his present state of mind was one of the most encouraging signs of his future good conduct. He was dissatisfied with his past life, and anxious to enter upon a better.
The thirty boys were not all in one car. ”

“ Mrs. Grantham said, “and thank you all! Oh, Tom, we have had a terrible time of it, and had lost all hope till we saw your sail, and even then the captain said that he was afraid nothing could be done. Minnie was the first to make out it was you, and then we began to hope. She has been so brave, dear girl. Ah! here she comes.”
But Minnie’s firmness came to an end now that she felt the need for it was over. She was unable to stand when she was lifted from the slings, and Tom carried her below.
“Are there any more women, Mrs. Grantham?” ”

“ Julius had already examined critically the personal appearance of Mr. Taylor, whom he regarded as his future employer and guardian. His past life had made him a good and quick observer of character. Street boys, obliged to fight their way, and struggle for a livelihood, are by their circumstances made preternaturally sharp. They acquire a judgment and self-reliance beyond their years, however defective they may be in the knowledge to be gained from books. Engaged in reading his uncle’s letter, Mr. Taylor did not notice the keen glance with which Julius regarded him. ”

“ You ain’t afraid of a horse as well as a bear, are you, Teddy?”
“I ain’t used to ’em, you see.”
“Nor I; but I will be soon.”
Teddy did not reply; but congratulated himself that he should have no horse to take care of. In this, however, he was mistaken, as his new guardian kept a horse also, though he did not have as much use for him as if he had been a farmer.
Teddy, I may here remark, was an exception to his class. Street boys are rarely deficient in courage or enterprise, and most would be delighted at the opportunity to control or drive a horse. ”

“ When he was in seclusion, Julius looked out for himself, and, being sharp and shrewd, and accustomed to depend upon his own exertions, managed just as well without his guardian as with him. He had no particular reason to like Jack, who merely gave him the liberty of earning his own living, and frequently borrowed his scanty earnings without thinking it necessary to repay them.
Some weeks before, Jack, with a friend and confederate, Marlowe, formed a plan for entering a house on Madison Avenue, which, they had reason to believe, contained a considerable amount of plate. ”

“ A boy of the age of Julius can always make himself useful on a Western farm, but it was only partially with a view to this consideration that he was received.
Mr. Taylor resolved to give him a good education, and increase his advantages, if he showed himself to possess capability and willingness to learn.
Comparatively few of the boys who are sent to the West can hope to obtain such homes; but though their privileges and opportunities may be less, they will in most cases obtain a decent education, good treatment, and a chance to rise. ”

“ They may at times be mischievous, as most boys in all conditions are, and with whatever advantages. There are few who show themselves really bad.”
“That is all I want to know, Mr. O’Connor. I will take this boy, Corny, and try him, with your consent.”
“Have you spoken with him?”
“Yes; he thinks he shall like being on a farm.”
“Then, sir, you have only to give us good references, and the matter shall be arranged. We always insist upon them, as we feel under obligations to place our boys in good families, where they will be likely to receive good treatment.” ”

“ I don’t see why you can’t be just as successful as they. I hope you will be, and if, some years hence, you come to New York, I hope you will visit the Lodging House. If I am still there, I shall be glad to see you, and have you speak to the boys, and encourage them, by the sight of your prosperity, to work as you have done. ”

“ It could be seen now that there was a group of people clustered in the bow of the wreck. Two or three light lines were coiled in readiness for throwing.
“Now, Watkins,” Tom said, going aft, “make straight for the wreck. I see no broken water between us and them, and possibly there may be deep water under their bow.”{191}
It was an anxious moment, as, with the sails flattened in, the yawl forged up nearly in the eye of the wind towards the wreck. Her progress was slow, for she was now stemming the current. ”

“ The Indian is the worst lion there is in the woods.”
“Let us go home quick, Julius,” said Carrie, clasping his hand tighter in her fear.
“Yes, Carrie; we will keep on as fast as we can. We will go straight. If we keep on far enough, I am sure we must get out of the woods. But I am afraid you will get tired.” ”

“ Slocum’s stories were always listened to with close attention, in the confident expectation that they would be found to redound greatly to his credit. So the boys looked up, and exhibited a gratifying interest on the part of the class.
“You must know,” said the teacher, “that we have extensive forests in Maine, in some of which wild animals{147} are to be found. One day, when a mere boy, I wandered into the woods with some of my school companions. We were hunting for squirrels. All at once an immense bear walked around from behind a tree, and faced us, not more than fifty feet away. ”

“ O’Connor to go West. There I found kind friends and a good home, and had a chance to secure a good education. Now I carry on a large farm for my benefactor, and second father, as I consider him, and I hope in time to become rich. I tell you, boys, it will pay you to leave the city streets and go out West. You may not be as lucky as I have been in finding rich friends, but it will be your own fault if you don’t get along. There are plenty of homes waiting to receive you, and plenty of work for you to do. ”

“ A NEWSBOY’S LETTER.
“I say, Julius, you’re in luck,” said Teddy.
“I won’t be in luck if Marlowe or Ned Sanders gets hold of me.”
“They won’t find you, away out West.”
“Marlowe might. He’s a tough customer, Marlowe is. I mind how he looked when he got hold of me at Staten Island. Jack ain’t so bad, but Marlowe’d go a thousand miles to get hold of me.”
“I wouldn’t think of it, Julius.”
“I shan’t lose no sleep. If he don’t break out of jail, I’ll be a man before he can get at me.”
“Look out of the window, Julius. See them cows harnessed together. What are they doin’?” ”

“ It would never do to go groping our way along with such currents as run among the islands. Put the last reef in the try-sail before you hoist it. I think you had better get the foresail down altogether, and run up the spit-fire jib.”
The Seabird was soon under way again.
“Now, Watkins, you take the helm; we will go down and have a cup of hot coffee, and I will see that the steward has a good supply for you and the hands; but first, do you take the helm, Jack, whilst Watkins and I have a look at the chart, and try and work out where we are, and the course we had better lie for Guernsey.” ”

“ I know Brookville very well. I have a nephew living there. He is a prosperous farmer. By the way, I shouldn’t be surprised if he would like a boy. Suppose I give you a note to my young friend here to deliver to him.”
“I should be glad to have you do so.”
“If Ephraim takes him into his family, he will have an excellent home.”
“That is what we desire for all our party.”
“Do you generally succeed?”
“Very generally. We seldom receive complaints from the children we have placed. They are treated kindly almost without exception.” ”

“ Fairbanks was!”
“I should say he was,” said Tom Allen. “You wouldn’t catch him making a jackass of himself by making such a speech.”
“I hope he knows something,” said Julius, “for I want to learn.”
“I don’t believe he does,” said John. “When a man talks so much about what he knows, I think he’s a humbug. Did you hear what he said about taking right ‘holt’? It seems to me a teacher from one of the best academies in Maine ought to know better.”
“He puts on airs enough,” said Tom Allen. “If he expects he’s going to tread us under foot, he’ll find himself mistaken.” ”

“ O’Connor said: “Boys, Corny’s advice is very good, and I advise you to follow it, especially as to avoiding cigars and tobacco, which can only do boys harm. I am not sure that any of you stand a chance of becoming a Congressman or President, as he suggests, but there is one thing pretty certain—you can, if you are honest, industrious, and improve your opportunities at the schools which you will have a chance to attend, obtain a respectable position in society. Some of the boys who in former years have gone to the West have become prosperous,{74} having farms or shops of their own. ”