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RISEN FROM THE RANKS,

OR,

HARRY WALTON'S SUCCESS.





BY

HORATIO ALGER, JR.,


AUTHOR OF "RAGGED DICK," "TATTERED TOM," "LUCK AND PLUCK,"
"BRAVE AND BOLD" SERIES.





1874.




To

THOMAS E. BARRY,

of the

BOSTON BAR,

THIS VOLUME

INSCRIBED WITH FRIENDLY REGARD




PREFACE.

"Risen from the Ranks" contains the further
history of Harry Walton, who was first
introduced to the public in the pages of "Bound to
Rise." Those who are interested in learning
how far he made good the promise of his
boyhood, may here find their curiosity gratified.
For the benefit of those who may only read the
present volume, a synopsis of Harry's previous
life is given in the first chapter.

In describing Harry's rise from the ranks I
have studiously avoided the extraordinary
incidents and pieces of good luck, which the story
writer has always at command, being desirous
of presenting my hero's career as one which may
be imitated by the thousands of boys similarly
placed, who, like him, are anxious to rise from
the ranks. It is my hope that this story,
suggested in part by the career of an eminent
American editor, may afford encouragement to
such boys, and teach them that "where there is
a will there is always a way."

New York, October 1874.




RISEN FROM THE RANKS;

OR,

HARRY WALTON'S SUCCESS.


CHAPTER I.

HARRY WALTON.

"I am sorry to part with you, Harry," said Professor Henderson. "You
have been a very satisfactory and efficient assistant, and I shall
miss you."

"Thank you, sir," said Harry. "I have tried to be faithful to your
interests."

"You have been so," said the Professor emphatically. "I have had
perfect confidence in you, and this has relieved me of a great deal
of anxiety. It would have been very easy for one in your position to
cheat me out of a considerable sum of money."

"It was no credit to me to resist such a temptation as that," said
Harry.

"I am glad to hear you say so, but it shows your inexperience
nevertheless. Money is the great tempter nowadays. Consider how
many defalcations and breaches of trust we read of daily in
confidential positions, and we are forced to conclude that honesty is
a rarer virtue than we like to think it. I have every reason to
believe that my assistant last winter purloined, at the least, a
hundred dollars, but I was unable to prove it, and submitted to the
loss. It may be the same next winter. Can't I induce you to change
your resolution, and remain in my employ? I will advance your pay."

"Thank you, Professor Henderson," said Harry gratefully. "I
appreciate your offer, even if I do not accept it. But I have made
up mind to learn the printing business."

"You are to enter the office of the 'Centreville Gazette,' I believe."

"Yes, sir."

"How much pay will you get?"

"I shall receive my board the first month, and for the next six
months have agreed to take two dollars a week and board."

"That won't pay your expenses."

"It must," said Harry, firmly.

"You have laid up some money while with me, haven't you!"

"Yes, sir; I have fifty dollars in my pocket-book, besides having
given eighty dollars at home."

"That is doing well, but you won't be able to lay up anything for the
next year."

"Perhaps not in money, but I shall be gaining the knowledge of a good
trade."

"And you like that better than remaining with me, and learning my
business?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, perhaps you are right. I don't fancy being a magician myself;
but I am too old to change. I like moving round, and I make a good
living for my family. Besides I contribute to the innocent amusement
of the public, and earn my money fairly."

"I agree with you, sir," said Harry. "I think yours is a useful
employment, but it would not suit everybody. Ever since I read the
life of Benjamin Franklin, I have wanted to learn to be a printer."

"It is an excellent business, no doubt, and if you have made up your
mind I will not dissuade you. When you have a paper of your own, you
can give your old friend, Professor Henderson, an occasional puff."

"I shall be glad to do that," said Harry, smiling, "but I shall have
to wait some time first."

"How old are you now?"

"Sixteen."

"Then you may qualify yourself for an editor in five or six years. I
advise you to try it at any rate. The editor in America is a man of
influence."

"I do look forward to it," said Harry, seriously. "I should not be
satisfied to remain a journeyman all my life, nor even the half of
it."

"I sympathize with your ambition, Harry," said the Professor,
earnestly, "and I wish you the best success. Let me hear from you
occasionally."

"I should be very glad to write you, sir."

"I see the stage is at the door, and I must bid you good-by. When
you have a vacation, if you get a chance to come our way, Mrs.
Henderson and myself will be glad to receive a visit from you.
Good-by!" And with a hearty shake of the hand, Professor Henderson
bade farewell to his late assistant.

Those who have read "Bound to Rise," and are thus familiar with Harry
Walton's early history, will need no explanation of the preceding
conversation. But for the benefit of new readers, I will
recapitulate briefly the leading events in the history of the boy of
sixteen who is to be our hero.

Harry Walton was the oldest son of a poor New Hampshire farmer, who
found great difficulty is wresting from his few sterile acres a
living for his family. Nearly a year before, he had lost his only
cow by a prevalent disease, and being without money, was compelled to
buy another of Squire Green, a rich but mean neighbor, on a six
months' note, on very unfavorable terms. As it required great
economy to make both ends meet, there seemed no possible chance of
his being able to meet the note at maturity. Beside, Mr. Walton was
to forfeit ten dollars if he did not have the principal and interest
ready for Squire Green. The hard-hearted creditor was mean enough
to take advantage of his poor neighbor's necessities, and there was
not the slightest chance of his receding from his unreasonable
demand. Under these circumstances Harry, the oldest boy, asked his
father's permission to go out into the world and earn his own living.
He hoped not only to do this, but to save something toward paying his
father's note. His ambition had been kindled by reading the life of
Benjamin Franklin, which had been awarded to him as a school prize.
He did not expect to emulate Franklin, but he thought that by
imitating him he might attain an honorable position in the community.

Harry's request was not at first favorably received. To send a boy
out into the world to earn his own living is a hazardous experiment,
and fathers are less sanguine than their sons. Their experience
suggests difficulties and obstacles of which the inexperienced youth
knows and possesses nothing. But in the present case Mr. Walton
reflected that the little farming town in which he lived offered
small inducements for a boy to remain there, unless he was content to
be a farmer, and this required capital. His farm was too small for
himself, and of course he could not give Harry a part when be came of
age. On the whole, therefore, Harry's plan of becoming a mechanic
seemed not so bad a one after all. So permission was accorded, and
our hero, with his little bundle of clothes, left the paternal roof,
and went out in quest of employment.

After some adventures Harry obtained employment in a shoe-shop as
pegger. A few weeks sufficed to make him a good workman, and he was
then able to earn three dollars a week and board. Out of this sum be
hoped to save enough to pay the note held by Squire Green against his
father, but there were two unforeseen obstacles. He had the
misfortune to lose his pocket-book, which was picked up by an
unprincipled young man, by name Luke Harrison, also a shoemaker, who
was always in pecuniary difficulties, though he earned much higher
wages than Harry. Luke was unable to resist the temptation, and
appropriated the money to his own use. This Harry ascertained after
a while, but thus far had succeeded in obtaining the restitution of
but a small portion of his hard-earned savings. The second obstacle
was a sudden depression in the shoe trade which threw him out of
work. More than most occupations the shoe business is liable to
these sudden fluctuations and suspensions, and the most industrious
and ambitious workman is often compelled to spend in his enforced
weeks of idleness all that he had been able to save when employed,
and thus at the end of the year finds himself, through no fault of
his own, no better off than at the beginning. Finding himself out of
work, our hero visited other shoe establishments in the hope of
employment. But his search was in vain. Chance in this emergency
made him acquainted with Professor Henderson, a well-known magician
and conjurer, whose custom it was to travel, through the fall and
winter, from town to town, giving public exhibitions of his skill.
He was in want of an assistant, to sell tickets and help him
generally, and he offered the position to our hero, at a salary of
five dollars a week. It is needless to say that the position was
gladly accepted. It was not the business that Harry preferred, but
he reasoned justly that it was honorable, and was far better than
remaining idle. He found Professor Henderson as he called himself, a
considerate and agreeable employer, and as may be inferred from the
conversation with which this chapter begins, his services were very
satisfactory. At the close of the six months, he had the
satisfaction of paying the note which his father had given, and so of
disappointing the selfish schemes of the grasping creditor.

This was not all. He met with an adventure while travelling for the
Professor, in which a highwayman who undertook to rob him, came off
second best, and he was thus enabled to add fifty dollars to his
savings. His financial condition at the opening of the present story
has already been set forth.

Though I have necessarily omitted many interesting details, to be
found in "Bound to Rise," I have given the reader all the information
required to enable him to understand the narrative of Harry's
subsequent fortunes.




CHAPTER 11.

THE PRINTING OFFICE.

Jotham Anderson, editor and publisher of the "Centreville Gazette,"
was sitting at his desk penning an editorial paragraph, when the
office door opened, and Harry Walton entered.

"Good-morning, Mr. Anderson," said our hero, removing his hat.

"Good-morning, my friend. I believe you have the advantage of me,"
replied the editor.

Our hero was taken aback. It didn't occur to him that the engagement
was a far less important event to the publisher than to himself. He
began to be afraid that the place had not been kept open for him.

"My name is Harry Walton," he explained. "I was travelling with
Prof. Henderson last winter, and called here to get some bills
printed."

"Oh yes, I remember you now. I agreed to take you into the office,"
said the editor, to Harry's great relief.

"Yes, air."

"You haven't changed your mind, then?--You still want to be a
printer?"

"Yes, sir."

"You have left the Professor, I suppose."

"I left him yesterday."

"What did he pay you?"

"Five dollars a week. He offered me six, if I would stay with him."

"Of course you know that I can't pay you any such wages at present."

"Yes, sir. You agreed to give me my board the first month, and two
dollars a week for six months afterward."

"That is all you will be worth to me at first. It is a good deal
less than you would earn with Professor Henderson."

"I know that, sir; but I am willing to come for that."

"Good. I see you are in earnest about printing, and that is a good
sign. I wanted you to understand just what you had to expect, so
that you need not be disappointed."

"I sha'n't be disappointed, sir," said Harry confidently. "I have
made up my mind to be a printer, and if you didn't receive me into
your office, I would try to get in somewhere else."

"Then no more need be said. When do you want to begin?"

"I am ready any time."

"Where is your trunk?"

"At the tavern."

"You can have it brought over to my house whenever you please. The
hotel-keeper will send it over for you. He is our expressman. Come
into the house now, and I will introduce you to my wife."

The editor's home was just across the street from his printing
office. Followed by Harry he crossed the street, opened the front
door, and led the way into the sitting-room, where a pleasant-looking
lady of middle age was seated.

"My dear," he said, "I bring you a new boarder."

She looked at Harry inquiringly.

"This young man," her husband explained, "is going into the office to
learn printing. I have taken a contract to make a second Benjamin
Franklin of him."

"Then you'll do more for him than you have been able to do for
yourself," said Mrs. Anderson, smiling.

"You are inclined to be severe, Mrs. Anderson, but I fear you are
correct. However, I can be like a guide-post, which points the way
which it does not travel. Can you show Harry Walton--for that is his
name--where you propose to put him?"

"I am afraid I must give you a room in the attic," said Mrs.
Anderson. "Our house is small, and all the chambers on the second
floor are occupied."

"I am not at all particular," said Harry. "I have not been
accustomed to elegant accommodations."

"If you will follow me upstairs, I will show you your room."

Pausing on the third landing, Mrs. Anderson found the door of a small
but comfortable bed-room. There was no carpet on the floor, but it
was painted yellow, and scrupulously clean. A bed, two chairs, a
bureau and wash-stand completed the list of furniture.

"I shall like this room very well," said our hero.

"There is a closet," said the lady, pointing to a door in the corner.
"It is large enough to contain your trunk, if you choose to put it in
there. I hope you don't smoke."

"Oh, no, indeed," said Harry, laughing. "I haven't got so far along
as that."

"Mr. Anderson's last apprentice--he is a journeyman now--was a
smoker. He not only scented up the room, but as he was very careless
about lights, I was continually alarmed lest he should set the house
on fire. Finally, I got so nervous that I asked him to board
somewhere else."

"Is he working for Mr. Anderson now?"

"Yes; you probably saw him in the office."

"I saw two young men at the case."

"The one I speak of is the youngest. His name is John Clapp."

"There is no danger of my smoking. I don't think it would do me any
good. Besides, it is expensive, and I can't afford it."

"I see we think alike," said Mrs. Anderson, smiling. "I am sure we
will get along well together."

"I shall try not to give you any trouble," said our hero, and his
tone, which was evidently sincere, impressed Mrs. Anderson still more
favorably.

"You won't find me very hard to suit, I hope. I suppose you will be
here to supper?"

"If it will he quite convenient. My trunk is at the tavern, and I
could stay there till morning, if you wished."

"Oh, no, come at once. Take possession of the room now, if you like,
and leave an order to have your trunk brought here."

"Thank you. What is your hour for supper?"

"Half-past five."

"Thank you. I will go over and speak to Mr. Anderson a minute."

The editor looked up as Harry reappeared.

"Well, have you settled arrangements with Mrs. Anderson?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, I believe so."

"I hope you like your room."

"It is very comfortable. It won't take me long to feel at home
there."

"Did she ask you whether you smoked?"

"Yes, sir."

"I thought she would. That's where Clapp and she fell out."

Harry's attention was drawn to a thin, sallow young man of about
twenty, who stood at a case on the opposite side of the room.

"Mrs. Anderson was afraid I would set the house on fire," said the
young man thus referred to.

"Yes, she felt nervous about it. However, it is not surprising. An
uncle of hers lost his house in that way. I suppose you don't smoke,
Walton?"

"No, sir."

"Clapp smokes for his health. You see how stout and robust he is,"
said the editor, a little satirically.

"It doesn't do me any harm," said Clapp, a little testily.

"Oh, well, I don't interfere with you, though I think you would be
better off if you should give up the habit. Ferguson don't smoke."

This was the other compositor, a man of thirty, whose case was not
far distant from Clapp's.

"I can't afford it," said Ferguson; "nor could Clapp, if he had a
wife and two young children to support."

"Smoking doesn't cost much," said the younger journeyman.

"So you think; but did you ever reckon it up?"

"No."

"Don't you keep any accounts?"

"No; I spend when I need to, and I can always tell how much I have
left. What's the use of keeping accounts?"

"You can tell how you stand."

"I can tell that without taking so much trouble."

"You see we must all agree to disagree," said Mr. Anderson. "I am
afraid Clapp isn't going to be a second Benjamin Franklin."

"Who is?" asked Clapp.

"Our young friend here," said the editor.

"Oh, is he?" queried the other with a sneer. "It'll be a great honor
I'm sure, to have him in the office."

"Come, no chaffing, Clapp," said Mr. Anderson.

Harry hastened to disclaim the charge, for Clapp's sneer affected him
disagreeably.

"I admire Franklin," he said, "but there isn't much danger of my
turning out a second edition of him."

"Professional already, I see, Walton," said the editor.

"When shall I go to work, Mr. Anderson?"

"Whenever you are ready."

"I am ready now."

"You are prompt."

"You won't be in such a hurry to go to work a week hence," said Clapp.

"I think I shall," said Harry. "I am anxious to learn as fast as
possible."

"Oh, I forgot. You want to become a second Franklin."

"I sha'n't like him," thought our hero. "He seems to try to make
himself disagreeable."

"Mr. Ferguson will give you some instruction, and set you to work,"
said his employer.

Harry was glad that it was from the older journeyman that he was to
receive his first lesson, and not from the younger.




CHAPTER III.

HARRY STUMBLES UPON AN ACQUAINTANCE.

After supper Harry went round to the tavern to see about his trunk.
A group of young men were in the bar-room, some of whom looked up as
he entered. Among these was Luke Harrison, who was surprised and by
no means pleased to see his creditor. Harry recognized him at the
same instant, and said, "How are you, Luke?"

"Is that you, Walton?" said Luke. "What brings you to Centreville?
Professor Henderson isn't here, is he?"

"No; I have left him."

"Oh, you're out of a job, are you?" asked Luke, in a tone of
satisfaction, for we are apt to dislike those whom we have injured,
and for this reason he felt by no means friendly.

"No, I'm not," said Harry, quietly. "I've found work in Centreville."

"Gone back to pegging, have you? Whose shop are you in?"

"I am in a different business."

"You don't say! What is it?" asked Luke, with some curiosity.

"I'm in the office of the 'Centreville Gazette.' I'm going to learn
the printing business."

"You are? Why, I've got a friend in the office,--John Clapp. He
never told me about your being there."

"He didn't know I was coming. I only went to work this afternoon."

"So you are the printer's devil?" said Luke, with a slight sneer.

"I believe so," answered our hero, quietly.

"Do you get good pay?"

"Not much at first. However, I can get along with what money I have,
_and what is due me_."

Luke Harrison understood the last allusion, and turned away abruptly.
He had no wish to pay up the money which he owed Harry, and for this
reason was sorry to see him in the village. He feared, if the
conversation were continued, Harry would be asking for the money, and
this would be disagreeable.

At this moment John Clapp entered the bar-room. He nodded slightly
to Harry, but walked up to Luke, and greeted him cordially. There
were many points of resemblance between them, and this drew them into
habits of intimacy.

"Will you have something to drink, Harrison?" said Clapp.

"I don't mind if I do," answered Luke, with alacrity.

They walked up to the bar, and they were soon pledging each other in
a fiery fluid which was not very likely to benefit either of them.
Meanwhile Harry gave directions about his trunk, and left the room.

"So you've got a new 'devil' in your office," said Luke, after
draining his glass.

"Yes. He came this afternoon. How did you hear?"

"He told me."

"Do you know him?" asked Clapp, in some surprise.

"Yes. I know him as well as I want to."

"What sort of a fellow is he?"

"Oh, he's a sneak--one of your pious chaps, that 'wants to be an
angel, and with the angels stand.'"

"Then he's made a mistake in turning 'devil,'" said Clapp.

"Good for you!" said Luke, laughing. "You're unusually brilliant
to-night, Clapp."

"So he's a saint, is he?"

"He set up for one; but I don't like his style myself. He's as mean
as dirt. Why I knew him several months, and he never offered to
treat in all that time. He's as much afraid of spending a cent as if
it were a dollar."

"He won't have many dollars to spend just at present. He's working
for his board."

"Oh, he's got money saved up," said Luke. "Fellows like him hang on
to a cent when they get it. I once asked him to lend me a few
dollars, just for a day or two, but he wouldn't do it. I hate such
mean fellows."

"So do I. Will you have a cigar?"

"I'll treat this time," said Luke, who thought it polite to take his
turn in treating once to his companion's four or five times.

"Thank you. From what you say, I am sorry Anderson has taken the
fellow into the office."

"You needn't have much to say to him."

"I shan't trouble myself much about him. I didn't like his looks
when I first set eyes on him. I suppose old Mother Anderson will
like him. She couldn't abide my smoking, and he won't trouble her
that way."

"So; he's too mean to buy the cigars."

"He said he couldn't afford it."

"That's what it comes to. By the way, Clapp, when shall we take
another ride?"

"I can get away nest Monday afternoon, at three."

"All right. I'll manage to get off at the same time. We'll go to
Whiston and take supper at the hotel. It does a fellow good to get
off now and then. It won't cost more than five dollars apiece
altogether."

"We'll get the carriage charged. The fact is, I'm little low on
funds."

"So am I, but it won't matter. Griffin will wait for his pay."

While Harry's character waa being so unfavorably discussed, he was
taking a walk by himself, observing with interest the main features
of his new home. He had been here before with Professor Henderson,
but had been too much occupied at that time to get a very clear idea
of Centreville, nor had it then the interest for him which it had
acquired since. He went upon a hill overlooking the village, and
obtained an excellent view from its summit. It was a pleasant,
well-built village of perhaps three thousand inhabitants, with
outlying farms and farm-houses. Along the principal streets the
dwellings and stores were closely built, so as to make it seem quite
city-like. It was the shire town of the county, and being the
largest place in the neighborhood, country people for miles around
traded at its stores. Farmers' wives came to Centreville to make
purchases, just as ladies living within a radius of thirty miles
visit New York and Boston, for a similar purpose. Altogether,
therefore, Centreville was quite a lively place, and a town of
considerable local importance. The fact that it had a weekly paper
of its own, contributed to bring it into notice. Nor was that all.
Situated on a little hillock was a building with a belfry, which
might have been taken for a church but for a play-ground near by,
which indicated that it had a different character. It was in fact
the Prescott Academy, so called from the name of its founder, who had
endowed it with a fund of ten thousand dollars, besides erecting the
building at his own expense on land bought for the purpose. This
academy also had a local reputation, and its benefits were not
confined to the children of Centreville. There were about twenty
pupils from other towns who boarded with the Principal or elsewhere
in the town, and made up the whole number of students in
attendance--about eighty on an average.

Standing on the eminence referred to, Harry's attention was drawn to
the Academy, and he could not help forming the wish that he, too,
might share in its advantages.

"There is so much to learn, and I know so little," he thought.

But he did not brood over the poverty which prevented him from
gratifying his desire. He knew it would do no good, and he also
reflected that knowledge may be acquired in a printing office as well
as within the walls of an academy or college.

"As soon as I get well settled," he said to himself, "I mean to get
some books and study a little every day. That is the way Franklin
did. I never can be an editor, that's certain, without knowing more
than I do now. Before I am qualified to teach others, I must know
something myself."

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