He was mistaken. He little knew the man. His interview with my

uncle was a short one. The parties were already acquainted, though

not intimately. They knew each other as persons of standing in the

same community, and this made the opening of Mr. Edgerton's business

easy. I state the tenor of the interview as it came to my knowledge

afterward.

"Mr. Clifford," he said, "you have a nephew--a young gentleman,

who has been recently admitted to the bar--Mr. Edward Clifford."

The reply, with a look of wonder was necessarily affirmative.

"I have had much pleasure," continued the other, "in knowing him

for some time. He is an intimate of my eldest son, and from what

has met my eyes, sir, I should say, you are fortunate in having a

nephew of so much promise."

"Why, yes, sir, I believe he is a clever youth enough," was the

costive answer.

"He is more than that, sir. I regard him, indeed, as a most

astonishing young man. The very manner in which he has pursued his

studies while engaged in the harassing labors of a large wholesale

business house of this city--alone establishes this fact."

The cheeks of my uncle reddened. The last sentence of Mr. Edgerton

was unfortunate for his object. It conveyed a tacit reproof, which

the niggardly conscience of Mr. Clifford readily appropriated and,

perhaps, anticipated. He dreaded lest Mr. Edgerton knew all.

"You are probably aware, Mr. Edgcrton," he replied with equal

hesitancy and haste--"you have heard that Edward Clifford is an

orphan--that he has nothing, and it was therefore necessary that

he should learn to employ himself; though it was against my wish,

sir, that he went into a mercantile house."

There was something suppressed in this--a mean evasion--for he could

not easily have told Mr. Edgcrton, without a blush, that, instead

of the mercantile establishment, he would have made me a bricklayer's

hodman. But this, it seems, Edgerton had found out for himself. His

reply, however, was calculated to soothe the jealous apprehensions

of Mr. Clifford. He had an object in view, which he thought too

important to risk for the small pleasure of a passing sarcasm.

"Perhaps, it has happened for the best, Mr. Clifford. You were

right in requiring the young man to do for himself. Were I worth

millions, sir, I should still prefer that my son should learn that

lesson--that he should work out his own deliverance with the sweat

of his own brow."

"I agree with you, sir, perfectly," replied the other, with increased

complacency. "A boy learns to value his money as he should, only

when he has earned it for himself."

"Ah! it is not for this object simply," replied Mr. Edgerton,

"that I would have him acquire habits of industry; it is for the

moral results which such habits produce--the firmness, character,

consistency--the strength and independence--temperance, justice--all

of which arise, and almost only, from obedience to this law. But

it is clear that one can not do everything by himself, and this

young man, though he has gone on in a manner that might shame the

best of us, is still not so thoroughly independent as he fancies

himself. It will be some time before he will be able to realize

anything from his profession, and he will need some small assistance

in the meantime."




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