The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-05-31

His rancor increased with his penu
fry, and it was not long before h
persuaded himself that all his depri
vations were the work of Ryan.
4 Morgan did not want for men
whose thoughts conceded will
his own. and a threatening letter.
anonymous, Of course; your threat
ening letter fellows are always COW
ards-was sent to Ryan, warning
him not go near the works. Ryar
treated it with contempt, and went
ION as usual. Four days later hs
was struck from behind on
his road home and fell insensibic
Mr.. Collins himself discovered hin
there and he had him taken to hi.
own home and an eminent surgeon
sent for. YyaI sssa a0isiso9
Hewas pronounced by the surgeon
10 be severely hurt, but not danger,
ously so, and the next day he was
removed to his home.-His master
who entered it then for the first
time, was astonished at its neatness
and comfort; but he was still more
astonished when. on asking Mrs,
Ryan if she wanted money, she an.
swered quietly s
mo. thank you, sir ; we have
nearly sixty pounds in the saving
bank. It's a bad job for Robert,
but we can, with Gods blessing pull
through" .B as baa
''Ay, sir" said Ryan, turning his
pale face. toward his master. 1--WE
shall, 1 believe, prll through ; but
we thank you ali the same.'i
/ As Mr.. Collins walked home that
night be tried to think of some plan
by which he could benefit Ryan
without breaking in upon his indie
pendence. Pecuniary help was no,
what he wanted, but surely there
were other ways to put him up the
ladder of life. The problem puzzled
him all the evening, but he hit upon
the solution before going to rest. o
On the morrow he visited Ryan
again and found him much better,
sitting by the FIRE, with his child
upon bis knee. After few remarks
about the injured mans health, Mr..
Collins said. "Would you like to be
better educated, Ryan?'
Il shoul,l like it very much, sir.
have tried to improve myself, but
| am very SLOW"
"Self teaching is very slow work /"
returned Mr.. Collins you want
somebody to help you. Now my
son is a smart young fellow, and
would give YOU q few lessons with
pleasure. What do you say to his
coming here an hour or SO every day
while the works are closed? / shall
not let you work while things are in
the present loose condition; but
when We 60 on again you can, still
have your lessons in the evening .
Ryan was highly pleased with the
offer, and so was Mrs. Ryan, and
even the little one laughed and
crowed as if it understood all about
it; and it was settled that the lessons
should begin in two days from that
time. sssl
MI. Collins. Jr., found that he had
rather an apt pupil than otherwise,
and the way Ryan got through the
rudiments Of reading. writing and
arithmetic was equally astonishing
to both teacher and pupil; and when
Mrs. Ryan, with her own eyes," as
she remarked to a neighbor, saw
Robert work ont q rule of three sum,
she thought she must be dreaming !"
and as for his writing, she declared
that it might be q little large, but
it was almost AZ good az print"
Ryan himself was so amazed at his
progress that he could think Of little
else, and a piece Of chalk in his hand
was all he required to be setto work
upon the nearest board, working out
all sorts of arithmetical questions.
II The fact was that Robert had, to
use q homely phrase, "a turn for
figures" and his latent talent was
now being developed-the founda-
ton Of his future fortune was being
laid. All THU, Of course, took up
time, and all that time the strike.
had been going on with the inevita-
BILE consequences-men demoralized,
homes ruined, wives and families
made miserable, and the public
houses the only gamers. Gl'fsd -.
e So several weeks passed, and then
stern necessity took many of the
men away.-Morgan was the last to
go-and then the works Of Collins'&
Co. we're opened again. ooi9mfl -aII
{ RYAN went to work, but not as a
sumner - Mr.. Collins put him into
the office 70 work out "quantities'-
that is, to calculate the quantity Of
material required for certain work
so Is to enable the firm to send inI
estimates for contracts. He did lit
tie things at first, hut he proved to
be so correct that he was soon In
trusted with more important mat
ters. Ryan's heart was in his work
and he did his duty like the good,
honest fellow he surely was.
Ryan il a wonderful fellow, Hsaid
Mr.. Collins TO his partner, about q
year after his first entering the office.
Il seldom look over his figures now,