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Herbert Carter's Legacy, a novel by Horatio Alger |
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Chapter 24. James Is Snubbed |
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_ CHAPTER XXIV. JAMES IS SNUBBED In accordance with the invitation, Cameron walked to supper with Squire Leech. His social position as the son of a rich manufacturer insured him a cordial welcome and great attention from the whole family. "You must find our village very dull, Mr. Cameron," said his host. "Oh, no, sir; I think I shall enjoy it very well." "We have very little good society, I am sorry to say." "That's so, father," broke in James. "I wish you would move to the city." "That may come some day," said his father, thinking of Mr. Temple and his operations. "How do you occupy your time, Mr. Cameron?" asked Mrs. Leech. "I walk about in the forenoon. In the afternoon I am occupied with my professor," answered the young man. "Your professor!" repeated the lady, in surprise. "Is one of your college professors staying here?" "No; they are too busy to leave New Haven. I refer to my young reader, Herbert Carter." "Herbert Carter!" repeated James, scornfully. "Yes," said Cameron, ignoring the scorn; "he reads my lessons to me and then questions me upon them. That is why I call him my professor." "I should hardly think you would find him competent," said the squire. "He don't know much," said James, contemptuously. "On the contrary, I find him very intelligent. He reads clearly and distinctly, and I congratulate myself on obtaining so satisfactory an assistant." Squire Leech shrugged his shoulders and had too much wisdom to continue detracting from Herbert's merits, seeing that his guest seemed determined to think well of him. Not so James. "He is from a low family," he said, spitefully. "Low?" interrogated Cameron, significantly. "His mother is very poor." "That's a very different thing," observed Cameron. "Mrs. Carter is a very respectable person," said the squire, condescendingly. "Indeed, I have offered to relieve her by taking her house at a high valuation; but, under a mistaken idea of her own interest, she refuses to sell." "But you'll get it finally, father," asked James. "I shall probably have to take it in the end, as I have a mortgage on it for nearly its value." Cameron looked down upon his plate and said nothing. "My son will be happy to accompany you about the neighborhood, Mr. Cameron," said Squire Leech. "I can go round with you 'most any time," said James. "Thank you both. You are very kind," said Cameron, politely, but without expressing any pleasure. "I think I may send James to Yale," observed his host, "I have a high idea of your college, Mr. Cameron." "Thank you. I think your son could hardly fail of deriving benefit from a residence at Yale." "James is my only child and I intend him to enjoy the greatest educational advantages. I should like to have him become a professional man." "I should like to be a lawyer; that's a very gentlemanly profession," said James. "You might rise to be a judge," said Cameron, with a smile. "Very likely," said James, in a matter-of-course way, that amused the young man exceedingly. "What an odious young cub!" he said to himself, as he wended his way back to the hotel at ten o'clock. "I never met such a combination of pride and self-conceit." James thought Cameron had taken a fancy to him. "He must get awfully tired of that low-bred Herbert Carter," he said to himself. "I guess I'll go round tomorrow morning and take a walk with him." He met Cameron on the steps of the hotel. "I thought I'd come and walk with you," he said. "Very well," said Cameron. "Do you know the way to Mr. Crane's?" "The carpenter's?" "Yes." "There's nothing to see there," said James. "I beg your pardon. I want to see Herbert at his work." "Oh, well, I'll show you the way," said James. Herbert was hard at work when the two came up. "How are you, professor?" asked Cameron. "Very well, Mr. Cameron. How are you, James?" "I'm well enough," answered James, who always found it hard to be decently civil to our hero. "Don't you get tired working?" "I haven't worked long enough this morning for that. I dare say I shall be tired before noon." "Then your other work will begin," said Cameron. "That kind of work will be a rest to me, it's so different." "If you had an extra hoe I would help you a little. It would be as good as exercise in the gymnasium." "Perhaps I could borrow two and so employ both of you," remarked Herbert, with a glance at James, who was sprucely dressed and wore a flower in his buttonhole. "None for me, thank you," said James, with a look of disgust. "I don't intend to become a laborer." "You'll have to labor if you study law," said Cameron. "That's genteel; besides I don't call it labor. Shall we go on, Mr. Cameron?" "Not just yet. I want to watch Herbert a little longer." So he lingered, much to the dissatisfaction of James. "Won't you go out rowing?" he asked, when they were walking away. "I have no objection," said Cameron; and they spent an hour on the pond. "Do you think I can get into the crew if I go to Yale?" asked James, complacently. "I should say not, unless you improve in rowing." "Don't I row well?" "There is considerable room for improvement. However, you have time enough for that." They were cruising near the shore when a boy of ten came down to the bank and called out to them. "James," he said, "will you let me go across in the boat with you?" "Why should I?" demanded James, not very amicably, for the boy belonged to what he termed the lower classes. "Do let me," urged the boy. "I left mother very sick and went for the doctor. She was all alone and I want to get back as soon as I can." By the road the boy would have to walk about a mile and a quarter, while he could be rowed across the pond in six or seven minutes. "I can't take anybody and everybody in my boat," said James, disagreeably. "Go ahead and walk." "How can you refuse the boy, when he wants to get home to his sick mother?" said Cameron, indignantly. "Jump in, my boy, and we'll take you over." "I don't know about that," said James, sullenly. "Look here!" said Cameron, shortly. "Refuse this boy and I shall get out of the boat immediately and refuse hereafter to be seen in your company." James was disagreeably surprised. "Jump in, my boy," said Cameron, kindly. "Thank you, sir," said the boy, gratefully. James was not a little mortified at the snubbing he had received, but he did not venture to expostulate. Cameron was fond of boating, but did not care to be indebted to James for the loan of his boat. "I'll have a boat sent on to me," he secretly determined, "and when I leave Wrayburn I'll give it to Herbert." _ |
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