Three months passed, during which Paul faithfully attended to his
duties as a telegraph boy. He was held in high consideration by the
superintendent, who was very naturally influenced by the fact that Paul
had made so many influential friends.
But the time was coming when he would no longer be Number 91.
One night he received a note signed Eliot Wade, asking him to call in
the evening at the Albemarle Hotel. He presented himself promptly, and
was cordially greeted by the young man from St. Louis, to whom he had
rendered an important service.
“I am glad to see you, Paul,” said the young man.
“And I am glad you have not forgotten me, Mr. Wade.”
“There was no danger of that. Well, Paul, I have come to New York for
the purpose I mentioned to you--that of starting a branch establishment
here.”
“Have you secured a store, sir?”
“Yes, I shall be located at ---- Broadway.”
“That is a fine location.”
“I hope it will prove so. And now, Paul, are you engaged--in business,
I mean?” he added, smiling.
“I am still a telegraph boy--Number 91.”
“Will you resign your position, and enter my service?”
“Willingly, sir. In a year or two I shall be too old for a telegraph
boy, and it will be well to learn some business. I suppose you will not
want me for some time.”
“On the contrary, I need you at once. There will be a good deal of work
attendant upon getting started, and I shall find plenty of work for
you.”
“I shall be glad to begin next Monday, sir. I don’t want to leave the
telegraph office without notice.”
“Very well; let it be so. Will twelve dollars a week satisfy you at
first?”
“Do you really mean it, Mr. Wade?” asked Paul, in surprise.
“Certainly.”
“But I shan’t earn so much.”
“Leave that to me,” said the young man, smiling. “I intend to have you
earn that sum, and more next year.”
Paul expressed his gratitude, and immediately gave notice at the
telegraph office that he was about to leave.
“I expected it, Number 91,” said the superintendent, “knowing what
powerful friends you had secured. I am sorry to lose you, but I wish
you success and prosperity in your new business.”
Paul thought best to make some change in his residence. He had already
secured a separate room for himself in the old tenement house, Jerry’s
sickness making it necessary. Now he persuaded old Jerry to pay the
rent of a modest flat up town, to which he and James Barclay’s family
removed. Paul hired a room not far away.
The location was not far from Central Park, and the better air and
diet very much improved the health of the old man, who has become less
miserly, and finds comfort in the society of his son’s family.
Paul makes frequent calls on Mr. Cunningham, who receives him as a
valued friend. Whether Paul’s partiality for Jennie Cunningham will
lead to anything when he gets older, I must leave the reader to
conjecture. It must be remembered that he is no longer a telegraph boy,
but a rising young business man.
Mrs. Granville retains her partiality for him, and makes no secret
of the fact that she has remembered Paul in her will. Paul would be
surprised if he knew the legacy he is to receive; but he wisely keeps
the matter out of his thoughts, and earnestly hopes the old lady may
live many years yet.
It is rather a curious circumstance that Mark Sterling is employed as a
boy in the same establishment where Paul is a clerk.
When Mark applied for the place he was not aware that the telegraph
boy, upon whom he had looked down so scornfully, was also employed
there. When he found it out, and that Paul was above him, he was
tempted to resign; but the place was a good one, and he decided to
wait awhile. He feared Paul would retaliate upon him, but he was soon
undeceived.
The ex telegraph boy treated him so cordially, and showed such an
obliging spirit, that Mark was won in spite of himself, and the two
became friends. I have no doubt that the improved social condition of
Paul, and the prospect that Mrs. Granville would leave him a legacy,
influenced Mark. At any rate, he has now become a friend of Number 91.
The telegraph boys who used to serve in the same office with Paul are
proud to point him out as a graduate of the office, and his rise in
life encourages them to hope for future advancement.
“I have had many boys in the office,” said the superintendent on a
recent occasion, “but never one that came up to NUMBER 91.”
THE END.
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Transcriber’s Notes:
Illustrations have been moved to paragraph breaks near where they are
mentioned.
Punctuation has been made consistent.
Variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in
the original publication, except that obvious typographical errors have
been corrected.
The following changes were made:
p. 190: “him” changed to “her” (eyed her gravely.)
p. 193: “a” added (found a great)
End-advertisements: “tractless” changed to “trackless” (the trackless
forest)