A NEW ACQUAINTANCE.
"Give me a ticket to Willoughby," said Walter, offering the five-dollar
bill which he had come so near losing.
The ticket was handed him, and three dollars and seventy-five cents were
returned to him.
"How long are you going to stay away?" asked the station-master, with
whom Walter had some acquaintance.
"I may not come back at all."
"Have you left Drummond's store?"
"Yes."
"Isn't that rather sudden?"
"A little so; but I didn't mean to stay long."
The shriek of the locomotive now became audible, and Walter went out on
the platform. Five minutes later found him occupying a seat, or rather
half a seat, for there sat next to him a brisk, energetic-looking man,
of about thirty years of age.
He had been reading the morning paper, but apparently he had got through
with it, for he folded it up, and put it in his pocket.
"Fine day," he said, briskly.
"Yes, sir, very fine," answered Walter.
"Some people are affected by the weather; I am not," pursued his
fellow-traveller. "I feel as smart one day as another."
"It isn't quite so cheerful when it rains," observed Walter.
"I'm always cheerful. I've got too much business to do to mope. When a
man's got enough to busy himself about, he hasn't time to be in the
dumps."
"There's a good deal in that," said Walter.
"Of course there is. Push along, keep moving, that's my motto. Are you
in business?"
"No, sir, not at present."
"I'm in the subscription-book business,--got an office in New York. We
send out agents everywhere to canvass for our publication. Lots of
money in it."
"Is there?"
"Yes. I used to be an agent myself, and, though I say it, I don't think
there are many agents that can get ahead of me. Sometimes I used to make
twenty dollars a day. At last I thought I'd like to settle down, so I
bought a partnership, and now, instead of being an agent, I send out
agents."
"Isn't twenty dollars a day pretty large for an agent to make?" asked
Walter.
"Yes, there are not many do it, but plenty make from five to ten right
along. You look as if you would make a good agent."
"What makes you think so?" asked Walter.
"You look smart."
"Thank you," said Walter, laughing. "I am afraid you won't think so much
of my ability when I tell you I have been working for the last three
months for my board."
"It's a shame. You'd better come with us. We'll do much better by you
than that."
"I am going to consult some friends about my future plans. If you are
willing to tell me a little of your business, I will think of what you
propose."
"I have with me our latest publication. It's going like wildfire. Just
the thing to please the people. I'll show it to you."
Walter looked with interest while his new acquaintance drew out from a
carpet-bag, which he had beneath the seat, a good-sized parcel wrapped
in brown paper. Untying it, he produced a bulky octavo, in flashy
binding, and abounding in illustrations. He opened the book and turned
over the leaves rapidly.
"It's stuffed full of illustrations, you see," said he. "The expense of
the pictures alone was absolutely e-nor-mous!" he added, dwelling upon
the last word by way of emphasis. "But we're going to make it pay. The
sale will be immense. Our agents already in the field report remarkable
sales."
"What's the title of the book?" asked Walter, who had yet been unable to
determine this point, by reason of the rapid turning of the pages.
"'Scenes in Bible Lands.' We include other countries besides Palestine,
and we've made a book that'll sell. Most every family will want one."
"What terms do you offer to agents?"
"Why, the book sells at retail at three dollars and fifty cents. Of this
the agent keeps one dollar and twenty-five cents. Pretty good, isn't
it?"
"Yes, I should think it was."
"You see you have only to sell four copies a day to make five dollars.
If you're smart, you can do better than that."
It really did seem very good to Walter, who couldn't help comparing it
with the miserable wages he had received from Mr. Drummond.
"I think that would pay very well," he said.
"Most paying business out," said the other. "Say the word, and I'll
engage you on the spot."
"Where would you want me to sell?"
"I should like to have you go West. This way districts are mostly taken
up. It would give you a good chance to travel and see the world."
Now Walter was, like most young people, fond of new scenes, and this
consideration was a weighty one. It would enable him to travel, and pay
his expenses while doing so.
"Better say the word."
"I can't now. I must see my friends first."
"Where are you going?"
"To Willoughby."
"How long are you going to stay?"
"I can't tell. A few days probably."
"Well, I'll give you the number of our office in New York. When you get
ready, report to us there, and we'll put you in the field."
To this Walter assented, and asked several questions further, to which
he received encouraging answers. The stranger gave him his card, from
which our hero learned that he had made the acquaintance of Mr. James
Pusher, of the firm of Flint & Pusher, subscription publishers, No. --
Nassau St., New York.
"Good-by," said Mr. Pusher, cordially, when Walter left the train for
the Willoughby station; "hope to see you again."
"Thank you," said Walter; "very likely you will."
Taking his carpet-bag in his hand, for he had arranged to have his
trunk come the next day, he walked over to the house of Mr. Shaw, his
father's executor.
Mr. Shaw was in his office, a little one-story building standing by
itself a little to the left of his house. He was busily writing, and did
not at once look up. When he saw who it was, he rose up and welcomed
Walter with a smile.
"I'm very glad to see you, Walter," he said. "I was just wishing you
were here. When did you leave Stapleton?"
"This afternoon, Mr. Shaw. I have just reached Willoughby."
"And how did you like Stapleton?"
"Tolerably well."
"And Mr. Drummond,--how were you pleased with him?"
"As to that," said Walter, smiling, "I can't say that I liked him as
well as I might."
"I judged that from what I have heard of his character. He has the
reputation of being very mean. A cent in his eyes is as large as a
dollar appears to some men. How did he pay you for your services?"
"I worked for board wages."
"And pretty poor board at that, I imagine."
"I had no fear of the gout," said Walter. "The living isn't luxurious."
"Well, I'm glad you are back again. For the present I shall expect you
to be my guest."
This settled the embarrassing question which had suggested itself as to
where he should stay. His late father's house was of course shut up, and
he had no relatives in Willoughby.
"Thank you, Mr. Shaw," he said. "For a few days I shall be glad to
accept your kind offer. What progress have you made in settling the
estate?"
"I can give you some idea of how it stands. There will be something
left, but not much. After paying all debts, including Nancy's, there
will certainly be a thousand dollars; but if you pay Nancy's legacy,
that will take half of this sum."
"The legacy shall be paid," said Walter, promptly, "no matter how
little remains. I am glad there is enough for that."
"I honor your determination, Walter, but I don't think Nancy will be
willing to take half of what you have left."
"Then don't let her know how little it is."
"There is a chance of something more. I have made no account of the
Great Metropolitan Mining stock, of which your father held shares to the
amount of one hundred thousand dollars, cost price. How these will come
out is very uncertain, but I think we can get something. Suppose it were
only five per cent., that would make five thousand dollars. But it isn't
best to count on that."
"I shan't make any account of the mining stock," said Walter. "If I get
anything, it will be so much more than I expect."
"That is the best way. It will prevent disappointment."
"How long before we find out about it?"
"It is wholly uncertain. It may be six months; It may be two years. All
I can say is, that I will look after your interests."
"Thank you, I am sure of that."
"Now, as to your plans. You were at the Essex Classical Institute, I
think?"
"Yes, sir."
"What do you say to going back for a year? It is not an expensive
school. You could stay a year, including all expenses, for the sum of
five hundred dollars."
Walter shook his head.
"It would consume all my money; and as long as I am not going to
college, my present education will be sufficient."
"As to consuming all your money," said Mr. Shaw, "let me say one thing.
I received many favors from your father, especially when a young man
just starting in business. Let me repay them by paying half your
expenses for the next year at school."
"You are very kind, Mr. Shaw," said Walter, gratefully, "and I would
accept that favor from you sooner than from any one; but I've made up my
mind to take care of myself, _and paddle my own canoe_."
"Well, perhaps you're right," said the lawyer, kindly; "but at least
you will accept my advice. Have you formed any plans for the future?"