Herbert Carter's Legacy; Or, the Inventor's Son by Jr. Horatio Alger (top reads .TXT) 📕

are willing to show me your father's model—”

“I shall be very much obliged to you if you will look at it,” said Herbert. “I have been afraid that father exaggerated its value and that it might have defects which would prevent its being adopted anywhere.”

“I will give you my opinion when I have seen it. And now suppose we set to work. Here is a treatise on logic. You may begin and read it very slowly, pausing at the end of every paragraph till I tell you to go on.”

Herbert began to read as he had been requested. For the first two or three times he took very little interest in his subject and thought it very dry. In fact, it was not all he began to re-read the earlier portions that he could comprehend much of it.

“Now,” said Cameron, after he had read half an hour, “I have something else for you to do. You are not only my reader, but I must make you my teacher, too.”

Herbert laughed, saying: “I think you'll have to get somebody that knows more than I, then; I wouldn't venture to teach a college student.”

“I mean that you shall hear my lessons. I want you to imagine yourself a college professor and ask me questions on what you have just read.”

“Do you think I can?”

“You may bungle a little at first, but you'll improve. If you do well, when I get through with you I will try to get you a professor's chair at some college.”

“I should like that, if professors get well paid.”

“They generally get more than five dollars a week; but that is all that I can afford to pay at present.”

“I'm only an apprentice,” said Herbert smiling, “and am quite satisfied.”

Herbert began to question Cameron on what he had been reading. He did not find it altogether easy, partly from want of practice, partly because the subject was one he knew nothing about. But whenever blunders were made Cameron laughed good-naturedly and the young professor joined in the merriment.

“We'll take political economy next,” said the student. “You won't find that so dry as logic.”

Though political economy is generally studied in the junior or senior year at college, its principles, if familiarly illustrated, are not beyond the comprehension of a boy of fifteen. He found himself reading with interest, and when he came to act the role of professor he acquitted himself more creditably than with logic.

“I think,” said Cameron, “I shall recommend you for the chair of political economy.”

“I like it much better,” said Herbert.

“So do I. Still, logic is important in its way. Tomorrow I must try you on Latin.”

“I am afraid it won't be much use,” said our hero. “I have studied it a little two winters when we had a college student keeping our winter school.”

“If you know as much as that you will answer my purpose better than I anticipated. Now we'll take a walk. You shall show me the houses of Wrayburn.”

“The houses of Wrayburn are four in number,” said Herbert; “the two churches, the town hall, and Squire Leech's house.”

“There's another walk which I prefer; I mean to Prospect Pond. Suppose we walk over to it.”

“I shall be glad to,” said Herbert.

“You are a very accommodating professor. You let me off from study when I feel lazy.”