nce of such a thought.

"I am sure you won't let your father and mother want, if you have the
means to prevent it," she said aloud.

"We can't any of us tell what's coming, but I hope you may be well off
some time."

"I read in the country paper the other day that many of the richest men
in Boston and New York were once poor boys," said Harry, in a hopeful
tone.

"So I have heard," said his mother.

"If they succeeded I don't see why I can't."

"You must try to be something more than a rich man. I shouldn't want you
to be like Squire Green."

"He is rich, but he is mean and ignorant. I don't think I shall be like
him. He has cheated father about the cow."

"Yes, he drove a sharp trade with him, taking advantage of his
necessities. I am afraid your father won't be able to pay for the cow
six months from now."

"I am afraid so, too."

"I don't see how we can possibly save up forty dollars. We are
economical now as we can be."

"That is what I have been thinking of, mother. There is no chance of
father's paying the money."

"Then it won't be paid, and we shall be worse off when the note comes
due, than now."

"Do you think," said Harry, laying down the book on the table, and
looking up earnestly, "do you think, mother, I could any way earn the
forty dollars before it is to be paid?"

"You, Harry?" repeated his mother, in surprise, "what could you do to
earn the money?"

"I don't know, yet," answered Harry; "but there are a great many things
to be done."

"I don't know what you can do, except to hire out to a farmer, and they
pay very little. Besides, I don't know of any farmer in the town that
wants a boy. Most of them have boys of their own, or men."

"I wasn't thinking of that," said Harry. "There isn't much chance
there."

"I don't know of any work to do here."

"Nor I, mother. But I wasn't thinking of staying in town."

"Not thinking of staying in town!" repeated Mrs. Walton, in surprise.
"You don't want to leave home, do you?"

"No, mother, I don't want to leave home, or I wouldn't want to, if there
was anything to do here. But you know there isn't. Farm work wont' help
me along, and I don't' like it as well as some other kinds of work. I
must leave home if I want to rise in the world."

"But your are too young, Harry."

This was touching Harry on a tender spot. No boy of fourteen likes to be
considered very young. By that time he generally begins to feel a degree
of self-confidence an