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The prompt business-man, whose mind had learned to ith the rapidity of his machinery, looked at the troubled, half-desperate face a ht! I'll give you work Coood intentions But remember, no nonsense"

Here at last was a chance; here at last was regular employment It was one step forward Would he be able to hold it? This seemed doubtful on the s He was set to work in a large rooirls He was both scolded and laughed at for the inevitable aardness of a new beginner, and soon his na the noon recess a rude fellow flung the epithet of "jail-bird" at him, and, of course, it stuck like a burr Never in all his life had he made such an effort at self-control as that which kept his hands off this burly tormentor

He both puzzled and annoyed his co to their class, and his bearing and manner made them unpleasantly conscious of his superiority; and yet all believed themselves soto them that he should be there at all Thus he was predestined to dislike and ill-treatment But that he could act as if he were deaf and blind to all that they could do or say was more than they could understand With knit brows and firmly-closed lips he bent his whole mind to the mastery of the mechanical duties required of hiht to his hu-place

Mr Growther watched him curiously as he reacted into lassitude and despondency after the strain and tension of the day

"It's harder to stand than 'tis to git along with ive it up, then, and try so else"

"No, it's my only chance"

"There's plenty other things to do"

"Not for e that a 'jail-bird,' as they call me, contaminates the foul air that they breathe I ive up this foothold of ht have been President if you had shown such grit before you got down"

"That's not pleasant to think of now"

"I ht 'a known that; but it's my mean way of comfortin' people A-a-h"