Walter Sherwood's Probation

by Jr. Horatio Alger

  "A regular sockdolager, isn't it, Gates?" said Walter.

  "I don't see that it's so bad," answered Gates slowly. "Your money isn'tall lost."

  "But I must leave college."

  "True; but, as your guardian says, you are young, and if you come backat the end of a year you will still be a year younger than I for yourstanding. Of course, I am sorry to have you go."

  "I am sure of that, Gates."

  "Is the prospect of working for a year so unpleasant to you, Walter?"

  "No, I can't say it is," said Walter, brightening up, "not if I canchoose my employment. I shouldn't like to go behind the counter in agrocery store, or--"

  "Black boots for a living?"

  "Well, hardly," said Walter, laughing.

  "Probably your guardian will consult your preferences."

  "I wish I could arrange to travel. I should like to see something of theworld."

  "Why not? You might get an agency of some kind. One collegevacation--last summer--I traveled about as book agent."

  "How did you like it?"

  "Not very much. I met with a good many rebuffs, and was occasionallylooked upon with suspicion, as I could see. Still, I made a living, andbrought back thirty dollars to start me on my new term."

  "Just what my supper cost the other evening."

  "Yes; I didn't think it wise to spend the money in the same way."

  "You have cheered me up, Gates. I really believe I shall like to spend ayear in some kind of business."

  "Write your guardian to that effect. He may be blaming himself for hisagency in your misfortune, and a cheerful letter from you will brightenhim up."

  "All right! I will."

  Walter sat down and dashed off the following note:

  "DEAR GUARDIAN: Your letter just received. I won't pretend that I amnot sorry for the loss of my money, but I am sure that you acted for thebest. Don't trouble yourself too much about the matter. Perhaps it willall come out right in a year or so. In the meantime I think I shall findit not unpleasant to work for a year if you will let me select the kindof business I am to follow.

  "I will make the money you sent me do for the present, and will send youmy term bills as you desire. You can depend upon my settling up ascheap as possible, though I confess I have not hitherto been nearly aseconomical as I might have been. Now that I know it is necessary, youshall have no reason to complain of me.

  "Your affectionate ward, WALTER SHERWOOD."

  "What do you think of that, Gates?" asked Walter, giving the letter tohis chum to read.

  "Excellent! It shows the right spirit."

  "I am glad you think so."

  "Do you know, Walter, I think I have more occasion for regret than you?I must bid farewell to my room-mate and this pleasant room."

  "To your room-mate, yes, but not necessarily to the room."

  "I shall have to furnish it in very different style for the present.I am not sure that I can afford a carpet. The luxury of my presentsurroundings, I am afraid, will spoil me for humble quarters."

  "Don't borrow any trouble about that. I shall leave you the furniture asit stands, and when I come back to college, even if we are in differentclasses, you must take me in again."

  "Of course I will agree to an arrangement so much in my favor, butperhaps your guardian will think you had better sell the furniture andrealize what you can."

  "No, I am sure he won't. There's nothing mean about Doctor Mack. You cantake in any one you please in my place, only I am to come back at theend of a year if things turn out well."

  "I heartily hope you will come back, and if you will excuse my sayingso, with a more earnest spirit, and a determination to do justice toyour really excellent talents."

  "Good advice! I'll adopt it. I'll begin to do better at once. I wasintending to take a drive this evening, but it would cost me twodollars, and I will stay at home and save the money."

  "Come with me on a walk, instead."

  "I will."

  "We will go to the top of Mount Legar. At sunset there will be a fineview from there."

  "I must stop on the way and pay Mr. Daniels what I owe him. He will losea good deal by my going away."

  "True; but his loss will be your gain."

  At the outset of their walk the two students called at the hotel, andfound Mr. Daniels on the piazza.

  "Glad to see you, Mr. Sherwood," said the landlord briskly.

  "I think you will be, Mr. Daniels, for I have come to pay your bills."

  "Money is always welcome, Mr. Sherwood. You have no idea how much I loseby trusting students. There was Green, of the last graduating class,left college owing me forty-five dollars. He has gone West somewhere,and I never expect to get a cent of my money."

  "You came pretty near losing by me, Daniels."

  "How is that?" queried the landlord, looking surprised.

  "I've lost a lot of money, or my guardian has for me, and I've got toleave college at the end of this term."

  "You don't say so!" ejaculated Mr. Daniels regretfully.

  "It's all true. My guardian wrote me about it this morning."

  "I suppose you're a good deal cut up about it, Mr. Sherwood."

  "Well, I was at first, but I may be able to come back after a year ortwo. I shall go into some business, and meanwhile my guardian will dowhat he can to recover the money lost. It isn't so bad, after all."

  "I shall be sorry to have you go, Mr. Sherwood."

  "You will miss my bills, at any rate. I wouldn't have given that supperthe other evening if I had known how things stood. I would have put thethirty dollars to better use."

  "Well, you've paid up like a gentleman, anyway. I hope you'll come backin a year as rich as ever. You wanted a team to-night, James told me."

  "That was before I got my guardian's letter. I shall walk, instead oftaking a carriage-ride."

  "I will let the account stand, if you wish."

  "No. I can't afford to run up any bills. Good night, Mr. Daniels."

  "You did right, Walter," said Gates. "It is a bad thing to run upbills."

  "Especially when you are poor. It seems odd to be poor."

  "I am used to it, Walter. You don't seem very sad over it."

  "I am not. That is what puzzles me. I really begin to think I like it."

  CHAPTER VI

  TRUE FRIEND AND FALSE

  A college community is for the most part democratic. A poor student withtalent is quite as likely to be a favorite as the heir to a fortune,often more so. But there are always some snobs who care more for dollarsthan sense. So Walter was destined to find out, for he made no secret ofhis loss of fortune. Most of his college friends sympathized with him,but there was one who proved unreliable.

  This was Harvey Warner, the son of a man who had made a fortune duringthe Civil War, some said as a sutler. Harvey professed to be veryaristocratic, and had paid especial attention to Walter, because he,too, had the reputation of being wealthy. He had invited Walter to passa couple of weeks at the summer residence of the Warners, near LakeGeorge. This, however, was before he had heard of Walter's loss offortune. As soon as he learned this, he decided that the invitation mustbe withdrawn. This would be awkward, as he had been on very intimateterms with our hero, and had been a guest at the banquet.

  Not foreseeing the effect of his changed circumstances on the mind ofhis late friend, Walter, meeting him on the campus the day afterward,called out, familiarly: "How are you, old fellow? Why didn't you comeround to my room last evening?"

  "I had another engagement, Sherwood," answered Warner, stiffly.

  "You ought to give me the preference," said Walter, not observing theother's change of manner.

  "Ahem! a man must judge for himself, you know. By the way, is it truethat you have lost all your money?"

  "I don't know how much I have lost, but I am not coming back to collegenext year."

  "You are in hard luck," said Warner coldly. "By the way, I think weshall have to give up that plan for the s
ummer."

  "What plan?"

  "Why, you know I invited you to visit me at Lake George."

  Walter began to comprehend.

  "Why, are you not going to be there?" he asked,

  "Yes, but the house will be full of other fellows, don't you know."

  "So that there will be no room for me," said Walter calmly, lookingWarner full in the face.

  "Awfully sorry, and all that sort of thing," drawled Warner. "Besides, Isuppose you will have to go to work."

  "Yes, I expect to go to work--after awhile. Probably I shall take a fewweeks for rest. By the way, when did you find out that your home wouldbe full--of other fellows?"

  "Got a letter from my sister this morning. Besides--in your changedcircumstances, don't you know, you might find it awkward to be living ina style you couldn't keep up."

  "Thank you, Warner. You are very considerate. I really didn't give youcredit for so much consideration."

  "Don't mention it! Of course with your good sense you understand?"

  "I think I do."

  "And, by the way, I believe you borrowed two dollars of me last week. Ifit is inconvenient for you to pay the whole at once, you might hand me adollar."

  "And I called that fellow my friend!" said Walter to himself.

  "You are very considerate again, but I think I would rather pay thewhole at once. Can you change a ten?"

  Harvey Warner looked surprised. He had jumped to the conclusion thatWalter was the next thing to a pauper, and here he was better suppliedwith money than himself.

  "I am not sure that I have as much money here," he said.

  "Then come with me to the drug-store; I am going to buy a bottle oftooth-wash, and will change the bill there."

  Warner accepted this proposal.

  "I'd better make sure of my money while he has it," he reflected.

  "I hope you're not very much disappointed about the visit?" he said.

  "Not at all! I should have had to decline. I have been invited to spenda month at the Adirondacks with Frank Clifford."

  "You don't mean it!" ejaculated Warner enviously.

  Clifford was a member of an old family, and an invitation from him wasfelt to confer distinction. Warner himself would have given a good dealto be on sufficiently intimate terms to receive such a compliment.

  "When did he invite you?" he asked suggestively.

  Walter saw what was in his mind, and answered, with a smile:

  "He invited me this morning."

  "Had he heard--"

  "Of my loss of fortune? Oh, yes! But why should that make anydifference?"

  "I wouldn't go, if I were you."

  "Why not?"

  "You are going to be a poor man."

  "I don't know about that."

  "You are poor now, at any rate."

  "Well, perhaps so, but am I any the worse for that?"

  "I thought you would understand my meaning."

  "I do, but I am glad that all my friends don't attach the importance youdo to the possession of fortune. Good morning!"

  "I suppose it's the way of the world!" thought Walter, as his quondamfriend left him. "But, thank Heaven, all are not mercenary! I've got afew friends left, anyhow."

  A few rods farther on he met Victor Creswell, perhaps the richeststudent in the junior class.

  "What's this I hear, Walter?" he asked. "Have you lost your money?"

  "Some of it, I believe."

  "And you are not coming back to college?"

  "I shall stay out a year. Perhaps I can come back then."

  "You needn't leave at all. My governor allows me a hundred dollars amonth for my own use--spending money, you know. I'll give you half ofit, if that will enable you to pull through."

  Walter was touched.

  "You are a friend worth having, Creswell," he said. "But I really thinkI shall enjoy being out of college for a year. I shall find out what isin me. But I sha'n't forget your generous offer."

  "Better accept it, Sherwood. I can get along well enough on fiftydollars a month."

  "I won't accept it for myself, but I'll tell you something. My chum,Gates, is very hard pushed. You know he depends wholly on himself, andtwenty-five dollars just at this time would be a godsend to him. He isworried about paying his bills. If, now, you would transfer a little atyour generosity to him--"

  "I don't know him very well, but if you speak well of him that isenough. I shall be glad to help him. Let me see how much I can spare."

  He drew out a wallet, and from it four ten dollar bills.

  "Here are forty dollars," he said. "Give them to him, but don't let himknow where they came from."

  "Creswell, you're a trump!" said Walter, shaking his hand vigorously."You don't know how happy you will make him."

  "Oh, that's all right. But I'm sorry you won't let me do something foryou."

  "I will if I need it."

  "Good!" said Creswell, in a tone of satisfaction. "Now, mind, you don'thesitate."

  Walter, happy in the happiness he was going to confer, made his wayquickly to his own room. Gates sat at the table with a troubled brow,writing some figures on a piece of paper.

  "What are you about, Gates?" asked his chum.

  "I have been thinking." said Gates wearily, "that perhaps I ought to dowhat you have decided to do."

  "What's that?"

  "Leave college.

  "But why?"

  "I am so troubled to pay my bills. I wrote to my uncle last week--he isa well-to-do farmer--asking him if he wouldn't send me fifteen dollarsto help pay my term bills. I promised to come and help him in the farmwork during July."

  "What does he say?" asked Walter, smiling, Gates couldn't understandwhy.

  "That he never pays for work in advance--he doesn't approve of it."

  "He could afford it?"

  "Oh, yes; he's got a good sum in the savings-bank, but he is a verycautious man. I don't see how I'm going to get through. Perhaps I hadbetter take a year away from college."

  "There is no need of that. I have some money here for you."

  "Some money for me?"

  "Yes," and Walter placed four ten-dollar bills on the table.

  "But, Walter, you are in no position to lend me money."

  "True; the money doesn't come from me."

  "But who besides you would do me such a great favor?"

  "One of the rich fellows in college--no, I can't tell you his name. Youcan take it without hesitation."

  "But it must have been to you that he lent it."

  "No, he understands that it is to be given to you. Will it help you?"

  "Will it help me? It will carry me through gloriously," and Gates wasradiant with pleasure.

  "Are you going to leave college now?"

  "No; this help is providential. I will never be distrustful again."

  "I wish Creswell could see how much happiness his gift has brought withit," thought Walter.

  CHAPTER VII

  WALTER'S EXPERIMENT BEGINS

  After a conference between Walter and his guardian it was decidedthat he should wait till the first of September before seeking for anybusiness position. Walter, who was somewhat impulsive, was disposedto start at once, but Doctor Mack said: "No, you are entitled to avacation. When your class resumes study at Euclid, it will be time foryou to begin to earn your living."

  "I am not sure that I deserve a vacation," said Walter frankly. "I havenot studied as hard at I ought."

  "Very probably. You have not been in earnest. You are a year older now,and you have a better understanding of your position."

  "You are very charitable, my dear guardian," said Walter.

  Doctor Mack smiled.

  "I am quite aware," he said, "that old heads are not often to be foundon young shoulders."

  "Then you think it will be right for me to enjoy myself this summer?"

  "I want you to do so."

  "One of my college friends, Frank Clifford, has invited me to pass amonth with him in the A
dirondacks. The Cliffords have a lodge not farfrom Blue Mountain Lake. Frank's mother and sisters will be abroad, andhe wants me to keep him company."

  "I can think of no objection. How shall you spend your time?"

  "In hunting and fishing. There are splendid chances for both up there,so Clifford says."

  "Go and have your good time. When you come back we will talk of yourfuture plans."

  Walter's stay was prolonged to eight weeks, and when he returned itwas already nearing the end of August. He was browned by exposure, andlooked the picture of health.

  "Now I am ready to go to work, Doctor Mack," he said. "Have you anyplans for me?"

  "How would you like to go into a drug-store? I have a college classmatewho is a very successful druggist in Syracuse."

  Walter shrugged his shoulders.

  "I don't believe I have a taste for making pills," he said.

  "I thought not. What do you think of entering a dry-goods store? I amacquainted with the head of a prominent establishment in New York."

  "It is a very respectable position, but I should feel cabined, cribbed,confined in it."

  "I am at the end of my tether. Have you formed any plans of your own?"

  "Well, not exactly."

  "But you have thought somewhat on the subject?"

  "Yes," answered Walter.

  "If at all possible, I shall let you have your own way."