him very much, and gave him the job without any
hesitation.

The baker's apprentices had noticed what a good fellow Henry was,
and would often give him, in addition to the loaf for the family,
some nice cakes to carry home. So he was, as you see, now working
among friends.

Henry had never painted before; but he had observed painters at
their work, and he did it well. He soon became known to all the
people of the town, and made many friends. He was never idle. He
made canes when he had no other work. He varnished, or painted, or
did anything that he could get to do, and supported the whole family
comfortably for two years.

At the end of this time, his father sent to him to bring the family
home to Hamburg. Henry left without a single debt, and in the place
of the five dollars carried home ten to his father.

I must tell you of a piece of Henry's economy and self-denial. He
grew very fast, and his boots became too small for him. While he was
getting every thing comfortable for others, he denied himself a pair
of new boots, and used to oil the old ones every time he put them
on, so as to be able to get his feet into them, and never complained
of the pain.

Our hero--for I am sure he was a true hero--was now seventeen. The
French had left Hamburg when he returned, but it was still necessary
to have a body of soldiers to protect it, and he joined a corps of
young men. They made him distributer of provisions. His office was
one given only to those known to be honest and worthy of confidence.
The citizens began even then to show their respect for the little
pedler of dust sticks and canes. We shall see what he was yet to be.

Henry returned to cane-making, to which he and his father soon added
work in whalebone. They were pretty successful, but, as they had
very little money to purchase stock and tools, could not make a
great business.

It was about this time that Henry became acquainted with one who was
to form the greatest happiness of his life. There was a poor girl in
Hamburg who was a seamstress, and who not only supported herself but
her mother by her needle. Her name was Agatha. She had a lovely face
and very engaging manners; her character was still more lovely than
her face; and she had only these to recommend her, for she was very
poor. Henry became strongly attached to her, and she soon returned
his love.

Henry's father and mother did not approve of this connection because
the girl was very poor; and