CHAPTER XIX
HERBERT BECOMES A PROFESSOR
When Herbert reached the hotel he went up at once to Mr. Cameron’s room.
“I believe I am a little late,” he said, apologetically; “but I wasdetained at home by a matter of business.”
“You are young to have your time occupied by matters of business,” saidthe young man, smiling.
“Yes, if my father were alive it would not devolve upon me, but mymother generally consults with me.”
“I hope your business was arranged satisfactorily.”
“Yes, but it came near turning out otherwise. I would like to tell youabout it.”
“Do so,” said Mr. Cameron, kindly. “I shall be interested in whateveraffects you.”
Herbert gave an account of Squire Leech’s attempts to get possession oftheir cottage.
“But for that letter of Aunt Nancy’s,” he concluded, “we should havebeen obliged to part with our house.”
“For the paltry sum of twenty-two dollars and a half?”
“It wasn’t paltry to us.”
“No, to be sure. Why didn’t you tell me this morning? I would have lentyou the money.”
“You would?” exclaimed Herbert.
“With pleasure.”
“Thank you, Mr. Cameron,” said our hero; “but I shouldn’t have dared toask such a favor of a stranger.”
“I must tell you that this Squire Leech has probably taken advantage ofyour ignorance of business. I don’t know exactly how the law is in thisState, but I presume that, so far from the squire being authorized totake immediate possession of your place, he would be obliged to givelegal notice of sale, on foreclosure of mortgage, by advertisement insome weekly paper. This would allow of sale at auction to the highestbidder.”
“I didn’t know that; I supposed the squire could order us outimmediately and take possession.”
“Squire Leech certainly knew better than that, but he evidently wantedto frighten your mother into selling to him at a sacrifice.”
“That was mean,” said Herbert, indignantly, “and he a rich man, too.”
“I quite agree with you,” said Mr. Cameron. “If you have any furtherdifficulty with this grasping capitalist, come to me and I will give youthe best advice I can.”
“I will, Mr. Cameron, and thank you for your advice. You have relievedmy mind. I will tell mother what you say. What would you like to have meread first?”
“We will put off the reading for a short time. I want to ask you a fewmore questions about yourself, not out of curiosity, but because I may,if I understand your circumstances, some time have it in my power toserve you.”
“Thank you, sir. I shall be very glad to tell you anything. I was afraidyou would not feel interested.”
“You are my private secretary now and that insures my interest. How longsince did your father die?”
“A little over a year.”
“What was his business?”
“When he was a young man he was employed in a manufactory nearProvidence, but the confinement injured his health and he learned thecarpenter’s trade.”
“I shouldn’t think there would be much for a carpenter to do in a smallvillage like this.”
“My father managed to make a comfortable living but that was all. At thetime he died, he considered that our house was mortgaged for only halfits value, but Squire Leech thinks otherwise.”
“Squire Leech wants to get possession of your place. So that was allyour father was able to leave you?”
“No, not quite all; there was something else which father seemed tothink was worth something, but I am afraid it will never do us anygood.”
“What is that?” asked Mr. Cameron.
“He was at work in his leisure for the last two years of his life on aninvention.”
“An invention! Of what nature?”
“You know I told you he was employed in a cotton manufactory when ayoung man. This made him familiar with spinning and weaving. He thoughthe could make an improvement in some of the machinery used and he workedout his idea in a wooden model.”
“Have you the model?” asked Cameron, with interest.
“Yes, sir, and also a written paper describing the invention. A fewdays before he died father called me to his bedside and told me that hewanted me some day to show his invention to a manufacturer and get hisopinion of it. He said that he hoped some time it would be a source ofprofit to mother and myself.”
“Have you ever done as he advised?” asked Cameron.
“I have never had opportunity. There is no manufacturing town near hereand I cannot afford to travel.”
“I am myself the son of a cotton manufacturer,” said Cameron, “and,though I have never been employed in the business, I have from myboyhood been accustomed to visit my father’s factory. My opinion may beworth something, therefore. If you are willing to show me your father’smodel--”
“I shall be very much obliged to you if you will look at it,” saidHerbert. “I have been afraid that father exaggerated its value and thatit might have defects which would prevent its being adopted anywhere.”
“I will give you my opinion when I have seen it. And now suppose we setto work. Here is a treatise on logic. You may begin and read it veryslowly, pausing at the end of every paragraph till I tell you to go on.”
Herbert began to read as he had been requested. For the first two orthree times he took very little interest in his subject and thoughtit very dry. In fact, it was not all he began to re-read the earlierportions that he could comprehend much of it.
“Now,” said Cameron, after he had read half an hour, “I have somethingelse for you to do. You are not only my reader, but I must make you myteacher, too.”
Herbert laughed, saying: “I think you’ll have to get somebody that knowsmore than I, then; I wouldn’t venture to teach a college student.”
“I mean that you shall hear my lessons. I want you to imagine yourself acollege professor and ask me questions on what you have just read.”
“Do you think I can?”
“You may bungle a little at first, but you’ll improve. If you do well,when I get through with you I will try to get you a professor’s chair atsome college.”
“I should like that, if professors get well paid.”
“They generally get more than five dollars a week; but that is all thatI can afford to pay at present.”
“I’m only an apprentice,” said Herbert smiling, “and am quitesatisfied.”
Herbert began to question Cameron on what he had been reading. Hedid not find it altogether easy, partly from want of practice, partlybecause the subject was one he knew nothing about. But whenever blunderswere made Cameron laughed good-naturedly and the young professor joinedin the merriment.
“We’ll take political economy next,” said the student. “You won’t findthat so dry as logic.”
Though political economy is generally studied in the junior or senioryear at college, its principles, if familiarly illustrated, are notbeyond the comprehension of a boy of fifteen. He found himself readingwith interest, and when he came to act the role of professor heacquitted himself more creditably than with logic.
“I think,” said Cameron, “I shall recommend you for the chair ofpolitical economy.”
“I like it much better,” said Herbert.
“So do I. Still, logic is important in its way. Tomorrow I must try youon Latin.”
“I am afraid it won’t be much use,” said our hero. “I have studied it alittle two winters when we had a college student keeping our winterschool.”
“If you know as much as that you will answer my purpose better thanI anticipated. Now we’ll take a walk. You shall show me the houses ofWrayburn.”
“The houses of Wrayburn are four in number,” said Herbert; “the twochurches, the town hall, and Squire Leech’s house.”
“There’s another walk which I prefer; I mean to Prospect Pond. Supposewe walk over to it.”
�
��I shall be glad to,” said Herbert.
“You are a very accommodating professor. You let me off from study whenI feel lazy.”
Herbert Carter's Legacy; Or, the Inventor's Son Page 19
