oment of leave-taking
came she sent him forth into the world with the tender warning never to
forget his home or his religious duties, or "that he had good blood in
him."

The change from his happy home to the place of "devil" in the printing
office was one which tried the lad's fortitude to the utmost. His
position was but little better than that of a menial, and not only was
all the drudgery and disagreeable work put upon him, but he was made the
sport of the workmen, some of whom used him even roughly. He bore it all
good-naturedly, however, devoting himself to his trade with the
determination to master it.

The printing office in which he was employed was located near Franklin
Square, then occupied by the best people of the city. Often, as young
Harper passed across the square to and from his work, his rough "country
clothes" drew upon him the ridicule of the children of these "goodly
citizens." They teazed and insulted him, and sometimes carried their
cruelty to the extremity of offering him bodily violence. He bore it
patiently for a time, but at length determined to put a stop to it. He
was physically the superior of any of his tormentors, and had put up
with their conduct merely from his sincere desire to avoid a "street
fight." In accordance with his new resolution, however, when one of them
approached him one day and asked for his card, he set down a bucket
which he was carrying, and, seizing the fellow, kicked him across the
square, saying to him: "That's my card, take good care of it. When I am
out of my time, and set up for myself, and you need employment, as you
will, come to me, bring the card, and I will give you work." "Forty-one
years after," says the writer upon whose authority this incident is
related, "when Mr. Harper's establishment was known throughout all the
land, after he had borne the highest municipal honors of the city, and
had become one of our wealthiest men, the person who had received the
card came to Mr. James Harper's establishment and asked employment,
claiming it on the ground that he had kept the card given him forty-one
years before."

In a little while James was joined by his brother John, who was
apprenticed to another printer in the city, and the two lads spent with
each other much of their leisure time. Both worked hard. James soon
became noted as the best pressman in the city, his great personal
strength enabling him to work the old-fashioned hand-press with ease. It
is sa