Rupert's Ambition

"Yes, so far as we know."

"And still your father found him unsatisfactory. There must have been some cause of complaint?"

"He was impudent," said Julian. "He felt too large for his position."

"Was he impudent to your father?"

"No."

"To whom, then?"

"To me."

"Oh, to you. Were you employed in the store?"

"No, sir."

"Then I don't see how you could have come in contact with him."

"I used to go into the store sometimes. That was very natural, as it was my father's store."

"And on one of these occasions he was impudent to you?"

"Yes, sir."

"This is a serious charge. What would you advise me to do? Do you think I ought to discharge him?"

"I will only say this, that my father would not have him in the store."

"You said in your letter that you did not wish to injure him. If he should be discharged that would certainly be an injury."

"Yes, sir, I suppose so," answered Julian, with hesitation.

He was puzzled and could not understand what Mr. Wilson was driving at.

"I will send for Mr. Benton."

When Benton came into the presence of the superintendent, Mr. Wilson said,

"Mr. Benton, this boy, Mr. Julian Lorimer, has been bringing charges against you."

"I am not surprised to hear it, sir."

"He says you did not treat him respectfully when you were in his father's store; that, in short, you were impudent to him."

"There is some truth in my not treating him respectfully. He came up to my counter and interfered with my work."

"You were aware that he was Mr. Lorimer's son?"

"Oh, yes, sir."

"And yet you rebuked or snubbed him?"

"Yes, sir."

"He thinks that a serious matter. He thinks I ought to discharge you. My own feeling is that you treated him just right."

Julian looked paralyzed.

"And to make up to you for his malicious attempt to injure you, I will raise your salary two dollars a week."

"Thank you, sir."

"As for you, young man, I don't wish to see you in the store again. James, you may show Mr. Lorimer out."

Julian lost no time in getting out of the place. He had never felt so humiliated before. It would be hard to describe his blended rage and mortification. It was certainly aggravating to reflect that he had only succeeded in raising Mr. Benton's salary.

CHAPTER XXIV.

LESLIE'S PROGRESS

Leslie Waters obtained the situation of bell-boy through Rupert's recommendation, and entered upon his duties at once. He had failed in his ambition to become an actor. With his elevated ideas of the position of a member of the profession, he did not immediately become reconciled to figuring as a bell-boy, but it enabled him to live in the great city, which became daily more and more attractive to him.

Rupert engaged for him a small hall bedroom in the same house in which he was himself living. The price agreed upon was only a dollar and a half weekly, which, with his salary, he could pay without inconvenience.

Rupert was afraid that Leslie would prove too flighty and impracticable for his humble duties, but was agreeably disappointed. Accustomed to work on a farm in a quiet country town, Leslie found hotel life very attractive, and labored zealously to give satisfaction. The day after he went to work he wrote to his father in Rahway as follows:

"Dear Father—

"I hope you are not angry at my leaving home so suddenly. I had got tired of country life, and felt that I was destined to a career in the city. I was not sure what employment awaited me, but hoped in some way to make a living. I have succeeded—I have secured a position in the Somerset Hotel, on Broadway. I take my meals at the hotel, and am paid a salary of five dollars per week besides. I have to pay a dollar and a half for a room, and the balance of my pay will defray the rest of my expenses.

"I owe my success to a very friendly boy, not quite as old as I am, who is employed in the hotel. My hours are from six to six, so that I have my evenings to myself. I think you will agree that I am doing better and earning more than I ever did in Rahway. Of course I hope to be promoted, perhaps to go into some more congenial business when I get better acquainted in the city. If you should come to the city at any time I shall be glad to have you call at the hotel.

    "Your son, 
    "Leslie Waters."

In reply, Leslie received the following letter, written in a cramped hand, indicating that the writer was not accustomed to epistolary composition:

"Son Leslie—

"I have received your letter, and am glad to learn that you are not quite so foolish as I supposed. I was afraid you had the foolish notion of becoming a play actor. I never knew one in that profession who was a solid, sensible man. To my mind it is a very poor business. It is all very well for boys to speak pieces at school exhibitions, but when they start in to speak pieces for a livelihood it is very foolish. I surmised from some things I had observed in you that you had such a notion in your head, but I am glad I was mistaken.

"The hotel business is a good business, I am told. You don't tell me what your duties are, but you seem to be earning pretty good pay. I hope you will give satisfaction. You never earned even three dollars a week at farming, so that perhaps it may be well for you to stay where you are really earning a good income. Some time you may be qualified to keep a hotel yourself. Your mother's cousin keeps a hotel somewhere in Kansas, and I hear that he is making money. You did wrong to leave home without permission, but I will not find fault with you under the circumstances. When I go to New York I will call in and see how you are getting along. Your mother will make up a bundle of clothing and send you by express.

    "Your father, 
    "Jethro Waters."

Leslie showed this letter to Rupert.