his father and endeavored to reason
with him, but was dismissed with the argument: "You don't want to learn
anything useful; if it was something connected with a show, you'd master
it mighty quick."

"But father, I have no skill or sleight to work with tools."

The father interrupted with a peremptory: "Do as I did--learn."

"I can't learn," pleaded the boy, "try as I may, I'm not cut out for a
mechanic. If I could work like you it would be a pleasure to me to keep
at it. I'm out of all heart with my work."

The father evidently felt for the boy as he spoke in a more kindly tone:
"You are not lazy; the things that you can do, you do well. Now you
painted around that hull quicker than any man at work on the boat. Be a
little more patient, take more pains and you'll make a good workman. I
will pay you wages, try to make something useful out of yourself. You'll
never amount to a hill of beans if you follow up your show notions,"
pleaded the father.

"Pap, I'm satisfied with what you give, it ain't that. I don't like the
work. Of course, I painted the hull of the boat quickly but that's all I
can do and Captain Abrams says there's nothing in puttying up nail holes
and painting hulls; anybody can learn that in six months."

The father became cross again, and, in a threatening tone, said: "I am
your father and it is my duty to do my best for you; I firmly believe I
am fulfilling my duty as a parent in ordering you to give up all other
notions as to the future and get down to business and learn this trade.
Now make up your mind; go at your work with the feeling that you are
determined to succeed. If you go at your work in a half-hearted way you
are certain to fail."

"Well, that's the way I feel about this work; I can't learn it, I don't
want to. There's a dozen other things I'd rather do and I can make more
money out of them."

This stubborn talk exasperated the father, and pointing his finger at
the boy to emphasize his words, he said: "First, it was circus, then it
was minstrels. You tried the newspaper business, you were not
satisfied."

"Why, you made me quit newspaper work," interrupted Alfred.

"Don't interrupt me again," cautioned the father, "then it was that
infernal panorama. That panorama was the worst of all, it gave you the
habit of roving; you've never been satisfied a day since you went off
with that panorama."

"But father, you and all your family were willing I should go. You
wanted me to go; I