Risen from the Ranks; Or, Harry Walton's Success. Alger Horatio Jr.
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.
CHAPTER IV
"Allow me to introduce myself," said the stranger boy. "My name is Oscar Vincent, from Boston, at present a student at the Prescott Academy, at your service."
As he spoke, he doffed his hat and bowed, showing a profusion of chestnut hair, a broad, open brow, and an attractive face, lighted up by a pleasant smile.
Harry felt drawn to him by a feeling which was not long in ripening into friendship.
Imitating the other's frankness, he also took off his hat and replied,—
"Let me introduce myself, in turn, as Harry Walton, junior apprentice in the office of the 'Centreville Gazette,' sometimes profanely called 'printer's devil.'"
"Good!" said Oscar, laughing. "How do you like the business?"
"I think I shall like it, but I have only just started in it. I went into the office for the first time to-day."
"I have an uncle who started as you are doing," said Oscar. "He is now chief editor of a daily paper in Boston."
"Is he?" said Harry, with interest. "Did he find it hard to rise?"
"He is a hard worker. I have heard him say that he used to sit up late of nights during his apprenticeship, studying and improving himself."
"That is what I mean to do," said Harry.
"I don't think he was as lazy as his nephew," said Oscar. "I am afraid if I had been in his place I should have remained in it."
"Are you lazy?" asked Harry, smiling at the other's frankness.
"A little so; that is, I don't improve my opportunities as I might. Father wants to make a lawyer of me so he has put me here, and I am preparing for Harvard."
"I envy you," said Harry. "There is nothing I should like so much as entering college."
"I daresay I shall like it tolerably well," said Oscar; "but I don't hanker after it, as the boy said after swallowing a dose of castor oil. I'll tell you what I should like better—"
"What?" asked Harry, as the other paused.
"I should like to enter the Naval Academy, and qualify myself for the naval service. I always liked the sea."
"Doesn't your father approve of your doing this?"
"He wouldn't mind my entering the navy as an officer, but he is not willing to have me enter the merchant service."
"Then why doesn't he send you to the Naval Academy?"
"Because I can't enter without receiving the appointment from a member of Congress. Our member can only appoint one, and there is no vacancy. So, as I can't go where I want to, I am preparing for Harvard."
"Are you studying Latin and Greek?"
"Yes."
"Have you studied them long?"
"About two years. I was looking over my Greek lesson when you playfully tumbled over me."
"Will you let me look at your book? I never saw a Greek book."
"I sometimes wish I never had," said Oscar; "but that's when I am lazy."
Harry opened the book—a Greek reader—in the middle of an extract from Xenophon, and looked with some awe at the unintelligible letters.
"Can you read it? Can you understand what it means?" he asked, looking up from the book.
"So-so."
"You must know a great deal."
Oscar laughed.
"I wonder what Dr. Burton would say if he heard you," he said.
"Who is he?"
"Principal of our Academy. He gave me a blowing up for my ignorance to-day, because I missed an irregular Greek verb. I'm not exactly a dunce, but I don't think I shall ever be a Greek professor."
"If you speak of yourself that way, what will you think of me? I don't know a word of Latin, of Greek, or any language except my own."
"Because you have had no chance to learn. There's one language