Helping Himself; Or, Grant Thornton's Ambition by Jr. Horatio Alger (no david read aloud .txt) π
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- Author: Jr. Horatio Alger
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βI know there is such a minister there. To whom do these pearls belong?β
βTo my mother.β
βA likely story that a country minister's wife should own such valuable pearls,β said Mrs. Simpson, in a tone of sarcasm.
βHow do you account for it?β asked the clerk.
βThey were given my mother years since, by a rich lady who was a good friend of hers. She has never had occasion to wear them.β
Mrs. Simpson smiled significantly.
βThe boy has learned his story,β she said. βI did not give you credit for such an imagination, John Cavanaugh.β
βMy name is Grant Thornton, madam,β said our hero, gravely.
Five minutes later two men entered the store. One was a policeman, the other the head of the firm. When Grant's eye fell on the policeman he felt nervous, but when he glanced at the gentleman his face lighted up with pleasure.
βWhy, it's Mr. Clifton,β he said.
βGrant Thornton,β said the jeweler, in surprise. βWhy, I thoughtββ
βYou will do me justice, Mr. Clifton,β said Grant, and thereupon he related the circumstances already known to the reader.
When Mrs. Simpson found that the boy whom she had selected as an easy victim was known to the proprietor of the place, she became nervous, and only thought of escape.
βIt is possible that I am mistaken,β she said. βLet me look at the pearls again.β
They were held up for her inspection.
βThey are very like mine,β she said, after a brief glance; βbut I see there is a slight difference.β
βHow about the boy, madam?β asked the elder clerk.
βHe is the very image of my errand boy; but if Mr. Clifton knows him, I must be mistaken. I am sorry to have given you so much trouble. I have an engagement to meet, and must go.β
βStop, madam!β said Mr. Clifton, sternly, interposing an obstacle to her departure, βwe can't spare you yet.β
βI really must go, sir. I give up all claim to the pearls.β
βThat is not sufficient. You have laid claim to them, knowing that they were not yours. Officer, have you ever seen this woman before?β
βYes, sir, I know her well.β
βHow dare you insult me?β demanded Mrs. Simpson; but there was a tremor in her voice.
βI give her in charge for an attempted swindle,β said Mr. Clifton.
βYou will have to come with me, madam,β said the policeman. βYou may as well go quietly.β
βWell, the game is up,β said the woman, with a careless laugh.
βIt came near succeeding, though.β
βNow, my boy,β said the jeweler, βI will attend to your business. You want to sell these pearls?β
βYes, sir; they are of no use to mother, and she needs the money.β
βAt what do you value them?β
βI leave that to you, sir. I shall be satisfied with what you think them worth.β
The jeweler examined them attentively. After his examination was concluded, he said: βI am willing to give four hundred dollars for them. Of course they cost more, but I shall have to reset them.β
βThat is more than I expected,β said Grant, joyfully. βIt will pay all our debts, and give us a little fund to help us in future.β
βDo you wish the money now? There might be some risk in a boy like you carrying so much with you.β
βWhat would you advise, Mr. Clifton?β
βThat you take perhaps a hundred dollars, and let me bring the balance next Saturday night, when I come to pass Sunday at Colebrook.β
βThank you, sir; if it won't be too much trouble for you.β
CHAPTER VIII β GRANT TAKES A DECISIVE STEP
Grant came home a messenger of good tidings, as his beaming face plainly showed. His mother could hardly believe in her good fortune, when Grant informed her that he had sold the pearls for four hundred dollars.
βWhy, that will pay up all your father's debts,β she said, βand we shall once more feel independent.β
βAnd with a good reserve fund besides,β suggested Grant.
On Saturday evening he called on Mr. Clifton, and received the balance of the purchase money. On Monday, with a little list of creditors, and his pocket full of money, he made a round of calls, and paid up everybody, including Mr. Tudor.
βI told you the bill would be paid, Mr. Tudor,β he said, quietly, to the grocer.
βYou mustn't feel hard on me on account of my pressing you, Grant,β said the grocer, well pleased, in a conciliatory tone. βYou see, I needed money to pay my bills.β
βYou seemed to think my father didn't mean to pay you,β said Grant, who could not so easily get over what he had considered unfriendly conduct on the part of Mr. Tudor.
βNo, I didn't. Of course I knew he was honest, but all the same I needed the money. I wish all my customers was as honest as your folks.β
With this Grant thought it best to be contented. The time might come again when they would require the forbearance of the grocer; but he did not mean that it should be so if he could help it. For he was more than ever resolved to give up the project of going to college. The one hundred and fifty dollars which remained after paying the debts would tide them over a year, but his college course would occupy four; and then there would be three years more of study to fit him for entering a profession, and so there would be plenty of time for the old difficulties to return. If the parish would increase kis father's salary by even a hundred dollars, they might get along; but there was such a self-complacent feeling in the village that Mr. Thornton was liberally paid, that he well knew there was no chance of that.
Upon this subject he had more than one earnest conversation with his mother.
βI should be sorry to have you leave home,β she said; βbut I acknowledge the force of your reasons.β
βI shouldn't be happy at college, mother,β responded Grant, βif I thought
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