The Project Gutenberg EBook of Five Hundred Dollars, by Horatio Alger
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Title: Five Hundred Dollars
or, Jacob Marlowe's Secret
Author: Horatio Alger
Release Date: May 2, 2007 [EBook #21270]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS,
OR, JACOB MARLOWE'S SECRET.
BY
HORATIO ALGER, JR.
AUTHOR OF "THE ERIE TRAIN BOY," "FROM FARM BOY TO
SENATOR," "THE YOUNG ACROBAT," ETC.
NEW YORK
HURST & COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
* * * * *
CHAPTER I.
A NEW ARRIVAL IN LAKEVILLE.
Slowly through the village street walked an elderly man, with bronzed
features and thin gray hair, supporting his somewhat uncertain steps by
a stout cane. He was apparently tired, for, seeing a slight natural
elevation under a branching elm tree, he sat down, and looked
thoughtfully about him.
"Well," he said, "Lakeville hasn't changed much since I left it, twenty
years since. Has there been any change among those who are near to me? I
don't know, but I shall soon find out. Shall I receive a welcome or not?
There ought to be two families to greet me, but----"
Here a boy appeared on the scene, a boy of fifteen, with a sturdy
figure and a pleasant face, whose coarse suit indicated narrow means, if
not poverty. Seeing the old man, with instinctive politeness he doffed
his hat and with a pleasant smile bade him good-morning.
"Good-morning," returned the traveller, won by the boy's pleasant face
and manner. "If you are not in a hurry won't you sit down by me and
answer a few questions?"
"With pleasure, sir; my business isn't driving."
"This is Lakeville, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir."
"I used to know the place--a good many years since. It hasn't grown
much."
"No, sir; it's rather quiet."
"Chiefly a farming region, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir; but there is a large shoe manufactory here
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