The National tribune., 1882-02-18
Fred's Castle.

Matthew White Jr., in Golden Days.
IEANTED-FoR THE ONLY son OF A GENTLE
MN as a and od an at 81 s s
mentaEy education Apply with reference to F: g.
Entire charge will be taken of the boy.
eyes, mother, that's the very thing for me-"
cried Fred banning, enthusiastically, when he
read aloud the above advertisement from morn
ing paper.
$50 you still dislike the idea of going out on
your Uncle Stephens farm 2" returned Mrs. Dan
ming, with halfsigh.
@But think position like this would be so
much pleasanter, pleaded Fred and who knows
what may come of it? This Mr.. Fanworth is
probably very rich, and if he takes a fancy to
me he can get me into some nice business when
his son grows up. Besides, the work won't be so
hard as"
!" But I thought you wanted to 60 to work so
badly, Fred?" interrupted his mother quietly;
and for a moment the boy was silent while his
face flushed, then he said:
$50 l do; but if 1 can accomplish the same
end in a more convenient way, and that without
being under obligations to relation, don't see
why should hesitate, do you?"
And Fred looked up in his mothers face with
yery like him when he was little boy and wore
velvet suits, and had everything he asked for,
that Mrs banning was forced to bend down and
kiss him, and say he should choose for himself.
'Three cheers for you, mother See if our
fortune won't be made over again now, if can
only get the place" and with hasty goodbye,
the impulsive lad snatched up his cap and was
off with a dash for the City Hotel.
Mrs banning meantime resumed her never
ended needlework, resolving to say nothing to
her husband about the matter until Fred's return.
The Dannings, as my readers have probably
already gathered, were once well-tO-do people,
but some four years previous to the opening Of
our story the husband and father was smitten
with the disease which had kept him an invalid
confined to his room ever since
Fortunately, the city house in which the family
lived was their own and Mrs. banning had some
little money coming to her every year from the
investment of legacy, besides which, and the
slender sum she and her daughter Lucy earned
by fine sewing, they had nothing.
Therefore it was that Fred, now that he had
attained the age of fifteen, and had received a
fair amount of education at the public schools,
resolved to be burden to his family no longer;
so, having possessed himself Of two letters OF
recommendation-on from his teacher, the other
from his pastor-he resolved, as we have seen
to Ego to work"
On reaching the hotel, Fred found, to his dis
may, that there were number Of applicants fol
the position there before him. but as they all
presented decidedly miserable and unhealthy
appearance, he was not much astOnished to find
that, after having been conducted, one by one
into the august presence of Mr.. Fanworth
they speedily left it again, with anything but
cheerful expression of countenance
IT was therefore with a confident step and
lighter heart that our friend took his turn in thu
ranks for his own clothes although plain-wer'
always neat, and he spent, perhaps, more time
than was actually necessary in keeping every
thing about himself in the same tidy state.
Mr. Fanworth proved to be tall, youngisl
man, smoothly shaver, and with chin tina
Fred thought must be twice as long as his fore
head was high.
give come to" the lad began, when the gen
tleman interrupted him with:
sob, yes, know! You needn't say it all ove1
1 suppose you can read, write and fgure-eh!
"Oh, yes, sir"
"And are a pretty bright sort OF lad-eh?
ewing him keenly from head to foot.
"Thatis not exactly for me to say, sir, reptile
Fred, nothing daunted at Mr. Fanworth's risin
infections, as perhaps he would have been ha