The Young Musician

The Young Musician

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Musician , by Horatio Alger #15 in our series by Horatio Alger
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Title: The Young Musician or Fighting His Way
Author: Horatio Alger
Release Date: May, 2004 [EBook #5673] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on August 7, 2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG MUSICIAN ***

Produced by Carrie Fellman

The Young Musician
OR
Fighting His Way
BY
HORATIO ALGER
CHICAGO

CONTENTS

I. A Candidate for the Poorhouse
II. Philip at Home
III. Nick Holden's Call
IV. The Auction
V. An Alliance Against Philip
VI. "A Fuss About a Fiddle"
VII. Mr. Job Tucker
VIII. In the Enemy's Hands
IX. The Poorhouse
X. Bad Tidings
XI. Philip's New Room
XII. A Pauper's Meal
XIII. A Friendly Mission
XIV. Philip Makes His Escape
XV. Escape and Flight
XVI. A Night Adventure
XVII. A Reformed Burglar
XVIII. A Professional Engagement
XIX. New Acquaintances
XX. A Lively Evening
XXI. Fortune Smiles Again
XXII. Rival Musicians
XXIII. An Hour of Triumph
XXIV. Lorenzo Riccabocca
XXV. A Change of Name
XXVI. A Promising Plan
XXVII. Unexpected Honors
XXVIII. A Triumphant Success
XXIX. Beset by Creditors
XXX. A Timely Gift
XXXI. The Professor's Flight
XXXII. The Race Across Fields
XXXIII. The Lost Wallet
XXXIV. A New Business Proposal
XXXV. Squire Pope Is Amazed
XXXVI. The Pretended Guardian
XXXVII. His Own Master
XXXVIII. An Offer Declined
XXXIX. An Ambitious Wayfarer
XL. The Indian Hunter
XXI. An Adventure in the Woods
XLII. An Indian at Last
XLIII. A Welcome Letter
XLIV. A Fresh Start

CHAPTER I.
A CANDIDATE FOR THE POORHOUSE.

"As for the boy," said Squire Pope, with his usual autocratic air, "I shall place him in the poorhouse."
"But, Benjamin," said gentle Mrs. Pope, who had a kindly and sympathetic heart, "isn't that a little hard?"
"Hard, Alrnira?" said the squire, arching his eyebrows. "I fail to comprehend your meaning."
"You know Philip has been tenderly reared, and has always had a comfortable home--"
"He will have a comfortable home now, Mrs. Pope. Probably you are not aware that it cost the town two thousand dollars last year to maintain the almshouse. I can show you the item in the town report."
"I don't doubt it at all, husband," said Mrs. Pope gently. "Of course you know all about it, being a public man."
Squire Pope smiled complacently. It pleased him to be spoken of as a public man.
"Ahem! Well, yes, I believe I have no inconsiderable influence in town affairs," he responded. "I am on the board of selectmen, and am chairman of the overseers of the poor, and in that capacity I shall convey Philip Gray to the comfortable and well-ordered institution which the town has set apart for the relief of paupers."
"I don't like to think of Philip as a pauper," said Mrs. Pope, in a deprecating tone.
"What else is he?" urged her husband. "His father hasn't left a cent. He never was a good manager."
"Won't the furniture sell for something, Benjamin?"
"It will sell for about enough to pay the funeral expenses and outstanding debts-that is all."
"But it seems so hard for a boy well brought up to go to the poorhouse."
"You mean well, Almira, but you let your feelings run away with you. You may depend upon it, it is the best thing for the boy. But I must write a letter in time for the mail."
Squire Pope rose from the breakfast-table and walked out of the room with his usual air of importance. Not even in the privacy of the domestic circle did he forget his social and official importance.
Who was Squire Pope?
We already know that he held two important offices in the town of Norton. He was a portly man, and especially cultivated dignity of deportment. Being in easy circumstances, and even rich for the resident of a village, he was naturally looked up to and credited with a worldly sagacity far beyond what he actually possessed.
At any rate, he may he considered the magnate of Norton. Occasionally he visited New York, and had been very much annoyed to find that his rural importance did not avail him there, and that he was treated with no sort of deference by those whom he had occasion to meet. Somehow, the citizens of