The village of Mapleton had but three manufacturing industries: a lumber
mill, where logs were sawed up into various dimensions; a box shop, in
which were made wooden boxes of many different sizes and shapes; and a
large woolen factory. After leaving home, Fred went directly to the
agent of the lumber mill and tried to get a chance to work for him, but
in this he was unsuccessful. At the box shop he likewise received no
encouragement, for there they needed no help. So there was but one more
place left to try--that was the woolen factory, where he might still
find a vacancy.
The idea of becoming a factory hand, after having been behind the
counter as clerk, was repulsive to him; still he must do something;
anything was better than idleness. Consequently he went to the mill, and
climbed four long flights of stairs, which took him to the top of the
building. Here he opened a large, heavy iron door, and entered the
spinning room, down which he passed until he came to the overseer's
desk.
The latter--a large, gruff, red faced man--was not there at the time,
but on spying Fred he hurriedly came forward and demanded to know the
boy's business. On being informed that employment was wanted, he said he
needed no help, and indicated by his manner that he wished to be
bothered no further.
Young Worthington now dropped down a flight and tried to get work in the
card room, but with no success. On the next floor below was the weaving
room, and here he soon learned that the overseer considered that he
could get along very successfully without his help.
But two more departments--the finishing and the dyeing rooms--remained
to be visited, and then the ordeal would be over.
As the boy descended the stairs to the former, he had very little hope
of accomplishing his purpose, for thus far he had received no
encouragement whatever.
Fred knew the gentleman in charge of the department perfectly well, for
he was his Sunday school teacher, and moreover, was the father of his
friend Dave; nevertheless he passed down the long hall with many a
misgiving, and approaching the overseer timidly, said:
"Good morning, Mr. Farrington."
"Good morning, Fred," said the latter cordially. "What brings you here
this morning?"
"I came in, sir," replied Fred, with an evident sense of humiliation,
"to see if you could give me work in your department."
"Why, you can't mean it! You have not left the store, I hope?"
"Yes, I do mean that I want a job, and I am sorry to say I got through
in the store last night."
"You surprise me! What could have been the trouble?"
Fred knew he was now talking to a large hearted, sympathetic man, and
one who had always seemed to take a keen interest in his welfare, so he
related the entire incident.
Mr. Farrington watched him closely as he recited what had taken place at
the store, and then the kind hearted man expressed, both by words and
manner, his regret that matters should have taken such a turn. "My boy,
don't look so discouraged," he said. "I will do what I can to help you.
Mr. Rexford should not have judged you so hastily; from what you tell
me, I can't see that he has any good proof that you are guilty."
"I am certain that I am not guilty, but how can I prove my innocence?"
"Ah, that may be difficult, as it is a mysterious affair. But I believe
you have told me the truth, and I shall do all I can to help you in
every way."
Our young friend brightened up somewhat at this cheering statement, and
with a grateful look, replied:
"You know, Mr. Farrington, I just told you why he so readily suspected
me, and he has had no faith in me ever since that time."
"That was an unfortunate occurrence, to be sure, but from what Dave
says, I think if the whole truth were known you would be blamed less."
"I am glad you know something of the facts of that affair, and have some
charity for me; before coming in here, I began to think that every one
had turned against me, and I hardly had courage to ask you for a place,
they treated me so in all the upper rooms."
"Did you go up there to try to get work?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you come to me first?"
"I hardly know, only I didn't feel like asking you for favors under the
circumstances, for I couldn't tell what you would think of me since
being discharged by Mr. Rexford."
"Well, that is human nature, I suppose, for I have often noticed that
when one gets into trouble, instead of going to his friends for advice
and assistance, he will seek the aid of those who care nothing for his
welfare. I am glad, however, that you did not get work in the other
rooms, for then you would not have come to me, and I should not have
heard your version of this matter. Moreover, I suspect the feeling that
kept you away from me this morning would have influenced you to leave my
class at the Sunday school. But now you won't do that, will you?"
"No, I will not. Father and mother would not allow me to, any way."
"You are fortunate in having such parents; but as to coming here to
work, I want to see you get something better. You are too smart and
ambitious a boy to come into a factory, for such labor, as a rule, makes
one stupid and unfits him for anything else."
"I would like something better," replied Fred more cheerfully. "I
couldn't bear the thought of always being a common mill hand; still I
should be very glad to get even this for a while, rather than lie idle.
Isn't there a chance to work up, the same way that you did?"
"Yes, there is a chance, but it is a small one; for I should say that
from the great number who enter a factory, not one out of ten thousand
ever gets as high as an overseer. Still, you are right in wanting to get
to work, and you had better be here than on the street corners; but
instead of taking up with this, can't it be shown what became of the
missing money? If so, perhaps I can influence Mr. Rexford to take you
back. Or, if I couldn't, yet by your showing yourself innocent of his
charge you would then be in a fair way of getting a position in some
other store, for you were popular with customers, I understand."
"I don't know of any way to account for the missing bill. I never saw it
at all."
"You never saw it, and you say there were just eighteen dollars
missing?"
"Yes, sir."
Mr. Farrington mused thoughtfully a moment, then muttered to himself,
yet audibly: "Eighteen dollars missing!"
Presently he said aloud: "I will think this matter over, and see what I
can do for you. Come and see me tomorrow forenoon."