From Farm to Fortune; or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience

by Jr. Horatio Alger

  CHAPTER XIX

  NAT BECOMES A PRIVATE CLERK

  Abner Balberry and his bride remained in New York four days longer, andduring that time Nat did all in his power to make their visit a pleasantone. He received Mr. Garwell's permission to remain away from work oneday, and took his uncle and aunt to Central Park, and to the BrooklynBridge, and the Statue of Liberty. They were greatly pleased, and werefrank enough to tell Nat so.

  "I guess you are more cut out for the city than for the farm," saidAbner to his nephew. "I hope you do well. You must write to us often,an' some day you must pay us a visit."

  "I certainly will do that, Uncle Abner," said Nat, and then, to pleasethe bride, he purchased for her a souvenir book, containing manyillustrations of the metropolis. This book Mrs. Balberry prized highly,and from that moment she began to like Nat.

  "He ain't half so bad as I was led to expect," she said, on the wayhome. "He seems to know what he is doing."

  "He certainly is gettin' along," responded Abner. "Shouldn't wonder butwhat he'll be a regular business man some day."

  "Do you think it would pay to send Fred down to the city?"

  "No, he better stay on the farm. Fred ain't got the way about him thetNat's got."

  "He's just as smart," said the youth's mother, quickly.

  "Maybe, but he ain't got the knack o' it."

  "He would do just as well if he had the chance," continued Mrs.Balberry. As was perhaps natural she thought her own son as good as anyboy.

  On the day after Nat's uncle left New York John Garwell called the boyinto his private office.

  "Did you arrange matters with Mr. Balberry?" he asked, pleasantly.

  "Yes, sir. He is going to leave me alone after this," and our herosmiled.

  "I am glad to hear it, Nat. Then there is nothing in the way of yourcontinuing here."

  "No, sir."

  "In that case I want to ask you a question. How would you like to takeup stenography and typewriting?"

  "I'd like it first-rate, if I thought I could do anything with themafter I had learned them."

  "I would like to have a private secretary who understood stenography,and the use of the typewriter."

  "Oh, Mr. Garwell, do you think I would do?"

  "Perhaps. You are bright, and I feel that I can trust you."

  "If you want me to, I'll go at stenography and typewriting at once."

  "You'll have to have some time for it."

  "I can go at night. There are several evening schools I know of."

  "Very well, then, you may start in at once, and I will pay your tuitionfees."

  "I can pay those out of my savings."

  "No, bring the bills to me, Nat. And after this week your duties will bewholly as my private clerk," added John Garwell.

  This made quite a change for our hero. But it was an agreeable one, andhe went at his new duties with vigor. A good school was selected, whichNat attended five nights in the week.

  "This kind of knocks me out," said Dick, when our hero told him of thechange.

  "No, it don't," said Nat, quickly. "I've made arrangements for you,Dick."

  "Me? How?"

  "You are to come three nights a week, for lessons in arithmetic andpenmanship."

  "Do they give the lessons free?"

  "No, I am going to settle that."

  "How much will you pay?"

  "Three dollars a month."

  "I ought to pay that."

  "No, I am going to do it," said Nat, firmly, and he kept his word.

  As John Garwell's private clerk, Nat received ten dollars per week, andas he had no school bills to pay for himself he found it easy to pay forDick. The newsboy was making rapid progress, and this not only pleasedhis mother, but also the man who had promised to give Dick a position inhis stationery store.

  "I'm going to have a job in the store next month," said the newsboy oneday. "Mr. Andrews' clerk is going to leave, and I am to take his place."

  "And how much will Mr. Andrews give you?" asked Mrs. Talcott.

  "Six dollars a week to start on, and he says he will give me eightdollars as soon as I can help on the books."

  "I am glad to hear it, Dick."

  "I guess I've got Nat to thank for the job," said the newsboy. "I had todo some writing for Mr. Andrews, and he said the writing was allright."

  "Yes, you can certainly thank Nat," said Mrs. Talcott.

  The days passed swiftly for Nat. He made good progress at the eveningschool, and Mr. Garwell was correspondingly pleased. Every day the realestate broker trusted Nat more and more, until the lad occupied a trulyresponsible position.

  One day Nat was sent to Brooklyn, to have a certain document signed by alady of wealth.

  "You must get Mrs. Parloe's signature to this, Nat," said his employer,"and get somebody to witness the signature, and sign here," he added.

  "Yes, sir."

  "The paper is valuable, and I don't want you to let it go out of yoursight," went on John Garwell.

  "I'll take care to keep my eye on it," answered Nat.

  He was soon on his way, and after crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, took astreet car to the address given him. It was a fine brownstone house,with elegant lace curtains at the windows.

  "Does Mrs. Parloe live here?" he asked of the girl who came to the door.

  "Yes, sir."

  "I would like to see her on business," and Nat handed out a card onwhich was printed:

  JOHN WILBUR GARWELL, Real Estate Broker.

  _Represented by_ NATHANIEL M. NASON.

  The girl told Nat to take a seat, and went off with the card. He waitedfor fully five minutes, during which he heard a low murmur of voices ina back room. Then a tall, dark-eyed man came forward.

  "What do you wish of Mrs. Parloe?" he questioned, abruptly.

  "Excuse me, but my business is with the lady," answered Nat, politely.He had been told to transact business with Mrs. Parloe and with nobodyelse.

  "Oh! I suppose you came about that property," went on the dark-eyed man,surlily. "If you did, let me tell you, it won't do any good."

  To this our hero made no reply.

  "Mrs. Parloe will see you upstairs," said the girl, returning, andshowed Nat the way up. The dark-eyed man started to follow, but the girlcalled him back.

  "Mrs. Parloe wished you to remain below, Mr. Cameron," she said.

  At this the man uttered something under his breath which Nat could notcatch. Evidently, he was very angry, and he went into a side room,slamming the door after him.

  Nat found Mrs. Parloe sitting in an easy chair by a front window. Shewas something of an invalid and rather old.

  "I am glad to see you, Mr. Nason," said she. "Take a seat."

  "Thank you," returned Nat. "Here is a note for you from Mr. Garwell,"and he passed it over.

  The old lady read the communication carefully, nodding to herself as shedid so. Then she turned again to our hero.

  "Have you the document with you?"

  "Yes, ma'am," and Nat brought it forth. "You will have to have somebodyas a witness. Can I call somebody for you?"

  The old lady mused for a moment.

  "I don't believe Rufus will do it," she said, half aloud.

  "Do you mean the gentleman I met downstairs?"

  "Yes, my nephew, Rufus Cameron. He does not wish me to transact businesswith Mr. Garwell. You may call John, my hired man. He is quiteintelligent."

  "Where will I find him?"

  "You will--but never mind, Mary can call him."

  Mrs. Parloe touched a bell, and soon Mary appeared, and went off to findthe hired man. In the meantime, Nat fixed a reading stand so it could beused as a writing table, and brought out a stylographic pen his employerhad given him.

  Soon the hired man appeared. He was fairly well educated, and showed itin his face and manner.

  "I am going to sign this document, John," said the old lady. "I wish youto witness my signature."

  "Yes, ma'am."

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nbsp; Not without something of an effort, Mrs. Parloe affixed her signature tothe paper. Then Nat handed the document to John, and told him where toplace his own name in full, and also his address. In a minute the matterwas concluded, and Mrs. Parloe told the hired man to go, and he did so.

  "I trust Mr. Garwell has no further difficulty in this matter," said theold lady, as Nat stowed the document away in his pocket.

  "He told me to say that he is going to put it through just as soon ashe can," answered Nat. "I don't know anything more about it than that."

  "Are you one of his clerks?"

  "Yes, ma'am--his private clerk."

  "You are rather young for such a position."

  "I suppose I am, but Mr. Garwell seems to like me, and I am doing what Ican to please him."

  "Mr. Garwell is a good man," said the old lady, and there the interviewcame to an end, and Nat left the room. He was just going to leave thehouse when the dark-eyed man stepped into the lower hallway, and caughthim by the arm.