Helping Himself | Page 5

home, eh?"
"No, Uncle Godfrey, we are all well."
"I was afraid some one might be sick, from your coming over. However,
I suppose you have some errand in Somerset."
"My only errand is to call upon you, uncle."

"I suppose I am to consider that a compliment," said the old bachelor,
not ill pleased. "Well, and when are you going to be ready for college?"
"I can be ready to enter in September," replied Grant.
"That is good. All you will have to do will be to present yourself for
examination. I shall see you through, as I have promised."
"You are very kind, Uncle Godfrey," said Grant; and then he hesitated.
"It's Thornton family pride, Grant. I want my nephew to be somebody.
I want you to be a professional man, and take a prominent place in the
world."
"Can't I be somebody without becoming a professional man, or---"
"Or, what?" asked his uncle, abruptly.
"Getting a college education?" continued Grant.
"What does this mean?" asked the old lawyer, knitting his brow.
"You're not getting off the notion of going to college, I hope?"
"I should like to go to college, uncle."
"I'm glad to hear that," said Godfrey Thornton, relieved. "I thought you
might want to grow up a dunce, and become a bricklayer or something
of that kind."
Somehow Grant's task began to seem more difficult than he had
anticipated.
"But," continued Grant, summoning up his courage, "I am afraid it will
be rather selfish."
"I can't say I understand you, Grant. As long as I am willing to pay
your college bills, I don't see why there is anything selfish in your
accepting my offer."
"I mean as regards father and mother."
"Don't I take you off their hands? What do you mean?"
"I mean this, Uncle Godfrey," said Grant, boldly, "I ought to be at work
earning money to keep them. Father's income is very small, and--"
"You don't mean to say you want to give up going to college?" said
Godfrey Thornton, hastily.
"I think I ought to, uncle."
"Why?"
"So that I can find work and help father along. You see, I should be
four years in college, and three years studying a profession, and all that
time my brother and sister would be growing older and more expensive,
and father would be getting into debt."

Uncle Godfrey's brow wore a perceptible frown.
"Tell me who has put this idea into your head?" he said. "I am sure it
isn't your father."
"No one put it into my head, Uncle Godfrey. It's my own idea."
"Humph! old heads don't grow on young shoulders, evidently. You are
a foolish boy, Grant. With a liberal education you can do something for
your family."
"But it is so long to wait," objected Grant.
"It will be a great disappointment to me to have you give up going to
college, but of course I can't force you to go," said his uncle, coldly. "It
will save me three hundred dollars a year for four years-I may say for
seven, however. You will be throwing away a grand opportunity."
"Don't think I undervalue the advantage of a college training, uncle,"
said Grant, eagerly. "It isn't that. It's because I thought I might help
father. In fact, I wanted to make a proposal to you."
"What is it?"
"You say it will cost three hundred dollars a year to keep me in
college?"
"Well?"
"Would you be willing to give father two hundred a year for the next
four years, and let me take care of myself in some business place?"
"So this is your proposal, is it?"
"Yes, sir."
"All I have got to say is, that you have got uncommon assurance. You
propose to defeat my cherished plan, and want me to pay two hundred
dollars a year in acknowledgment of your consideration."
"I am sorry you look upon it in that light, Uncle Godfrey."
"I distinctly decline your proposal. If you refuse to go to college, I
wash my hands of you and your family. Do you understand that?"
"Yes, Uncle Godfrey," answered Grant, crestfallen.
"Go home and think over the matter. My offer still holds good. You can
present yourself at college in September, and, if you are admitted,
notify me."
The lawyer turned back to his writing, and Grant understood that the
interview was over.
In sadness he started on his return walk from Somerset. He had
accomplished nothing except to make his uncle angry. He could not

make up his mind what to do.
He had walked about four miles when his attention was sharply drawn
by a cry of terror. Looking up quickly, he saw a girl of fourteen flying
along the road pursued by a drunken man armed with a big club. They