A FAREWELL CALL.
Ben was startled by Major Grafton's abrupt proposal. To go to Europe
would be delightful, he admitted to himself, but to start at a few
hours' notice was naturally exciting. What would his mother and
sister say?
"I suppose there isn't time for me to go home and see my mother
before sailing?" he ventured to say, interrogatively.
"As we are to sail at three o'clock this afternoon, you can judge
for yourself about that," said the major, coolly. "Don't you want to
go?"
"Oh, yes, sir. There is nothing I should like better. I should like
to have said good-by to my mother, but----"
"Unfortunately, you can't. I am glad you take so sensible a view of
the matter. I will depend on you to be ready."
"How long shall we probably be gone?" asked Ben.
"I can tell you better some weeks hence, Philip. By the way," he
added, after a moment's thought, "if any letters should come here
addressed to you, don't open them till I come back."
Ben looked at the major in surprise. Why should he not open any
letters that came for him? He was not likely, he thought, to receive
any except from Sunderland.
"I will explain," continued the major. "There are some people in the
city that are continually writing begging letters to me. They use
every method to annoy me, and might go so far as to write to you and
ask your intercession."
"I understand," said Ben, unsuspiciously.
"I thought you would," returned the major, evidently relieved. "Of
course if you get any letter from home you will open that."
"Thank you, sir."
After breakfast Major Grafton left the hotel without saying where
he was going, and Ben addressed himself first to packing his trunk,
and then going down to the reading-room. There he sat down and wrote
a letter to his mother, which ran thus:
"DEAR MOTHER:--I can imagine how much you will be surprised
when I tell you that when this letter reaches you I shall
be on my way to Europe. Major Grafton, my employer, only
told me an hour since, and we sail this afternoon at three.
I should be glad to come home and bid you and my little
sister good-by, but there is no time. I know you will miss
me, but it is a splendid chance for me to go, and I shall
be receiving a liberal salary, out of which I can send you
money from time to time. I know I shall enjoy myself, for I
have always had a longing to go to Europe, though I did not
dream that I should have the chance so soon. I will write to
you as soon as we get on the other side.
"Your loving son, BEN.
"P. S.--We sail on the Parthia."
It may be readily understood that this letter made a great
sensation in Sunderland. Mrs. Baker hardly knew whether to be glad
or sorry. It was hard to part from Ben for an uncertain period. On
the other hand, all her friends congratulated her on Ben's great
success in securing so good a position and salary. It was certainly
a remarkable stroke of good fortune.
Ben was about to write another letter to Clarence, explaining why he
could not accept the invitation for dinner on Sunday, but a glance
at the clock showed him that he would have a chance to go to his
uncle's store, and that seemed, on the whole, more polite.
He jumped on board a Broadway car at Twenty-third street, and
half an hour later got out in front of his uncle's large business
establishment. He entered with quite a different feeling from that
attending his first visit, when, in his country attire, poor and
without prospects, he came to make an appeal to his rich uncle.
Handsome clothes are apt to secure outward respect, and one of the
salesmen came forward, obsequiously, and asked:
"What can I show you, young gentleman?"
"Nothing, thank you," answered Ben, politely. "Is my uncle in?"
"Your uncle?"
"Mr. Walton."
"Oh, yes; you will find him in his office."
"Thank you."
Nicholas Walton looked up as Ben entered his presence, and did
not immediately recognize the handsomely-dressed boy who stood
before him. He concluded that it was one of Clarence's high-toned
acquaintances.
"Did you wish to see Clarence?" he asked affably. "I am sorry to say
that he has not been in this morning."
"I should like to see him, Uncle Nicholas; but I also wished to see
you."
"Oh, it's Ben!" said Mr. Walton, in a slightly changed tone.
"Yes, uncle; I met my cousin at the Windsor last evening."
"He told me so. You are staying there, he says."
"For a very short time. My cousin was kind enough to invite me to
dinner on Sunday."
"Yes; we shall be glad to have you dine with us."
"I am sorry I cannot come. I am to sail for Europe this afternoon."
"You sail for Europe!" repeated his uncle, in amazement.
"Yes, uncle. I knew nothing of it till this morning."
"It is indeed surprising. To what part do you go?"
"I believe we sail for Liverpool in the Parthia. More than that I
know nothing."
"You are certainly strangely fortunate," said the merchant,
musingly. "Does this Major Grafton appear to be wealthy?"
"I judge that he is."
"Does he pay you well?"
"He gives me fifty dollars per month."
"And what do you do?"
"I am his private secretary, but thus far I have not been called
upon to do much. I suppose I shall have more to do when I get to
Europe."
"He seems to be eccentric as well as rich. Perhaps he will want to
adopt you. I advise you to try to please him."
"I shall certainly do that, though I don't think he will adopt me."
"Clarence will be sorry not to have seen you. He has taken a trip
to Long Branch this morning with Percy Van Dyke."
"I saw Percy last evening."
"This country nephew of mine gets into fashionable society
remarkably quick," thought the merchant. "There must be something in
the boy, or he would not make his way so readily."
"We are all going to Long Branch next week," said Mr. Walton, aloud.
"We are to stay at the West End. If you had remained here you could
have tried to persuade Major Grafton to spend part of the season at
the Branch."
"I shall be satisfied with Europe," said Ben, smiling.
"You have reason to be satisfied. Clarence will envy you when he
hears that you are going."
"It didn't look as if he were likely to envy me for anything when I
met him here the other day," thought Ben.
"Please remember me to my cousin," said Ben, and shaking his
uncle's extended hand he left the store.
He was passing through the store when he felt a touch on his
shoulder.
Turning, he recognized the tall lady he had met just after his last
visit.
"Are you not the boy who told me I had a ticket on my shawl?" she
inquired.
"Yes, madam," replied Ben, smiling.
"I recognize your face, but otherwise you look very different."
"You mean I am better dressed."
"Yes; I thought you a country boy when I met you."
"So I am, but I am trying to be mistaken for a city boy."
"I am relieved to meet you, for some one told me you had got into
some trouble with the unmannerly boys who were following me."
"I am much obliged to you for your solicitude in my behalf," said
Ben, not caring to acknowledge the fact of the arrest.
"I had hoped to be of service to you, but I see you don't appear to
need it. I am here buying a suit of clothes for a poor boy in whom
I am interested. Let me give you my card, and if you ever need a
friend, come and see me."
The card bore the name of "Jane Wilmot, 300 Madison avenue."
Ben thanked Miss Wilmot and left his uncle's store.