Richard Dare's Venture; Or, Striking Out for Himself

e worse, and I'm afraid before long he won't be able to go to work every

leaned back in his chair and gazed inquiringly across the breakfast-table to wher

am well satisfied with the way you have planted the garden; and no carpenter c

r work-some position where I could bring home my weekly wages. I know it would be a big h

re smil

ked. "We all have enough to eat and d

gone to bed, so that our clothing may be cared for, and I know that she hasn't

o out so little," said his mother. "But

s. I'm not particular,

l here-ever since the hat factory moved away. I guess the stores hav

des my board," replied the boy. "I've got ano

hat is

There ought to be room enou

n astonishment. "Why, you have nev

retty well, and I wouldn't be afraid b

ook her head

gled hard enough, both there and in Brooklyn, but somehow, he didn't seem to make it go, and so we moved here

ame to hand, no matter what it paid,

would have luck," said

to discourag

see me go away and t

influence all the after years. Suppose you

t, mother. I wanted to know if y

, I shall be satisfied, Richar

sing. "But then I could come home once in

nd Richard was satisfied that he had about learned all that Mr. Parsons, the pedagogue, was able or willing to teach, and saw no good reason for his returning in the fall. He would have liked to continue hi

lion, from which he had come away with a bullet in his shoulder, and a strong tendency towards chronic rheumatism. Shortly after he

is doubtful if his ambition had ever risen beyond his present station. By frugality he and his wife had saved enough to buy a half acre of land in t

brain, and he longed to get at some work where energy would be the road to success. His comprehension was rapid, and beneath an o

e any one with push to remain there. The entire population of the district did not number three hundred

y starting a hat factory there, then trying to make his employees buy houses and lots from him on the instal

garden in excellent condition, not only the larger portion devoted to the vegetables and small fruits, but

ter on, as he entered the kitchen with a pail of water which Nancy,

tism hurt him so much he said he might not b

ner," put in Grace

ointed, for he had been calculating on broaching the subje

t," added Grace. "I heard him tell ma he could a

e ever apply, Dick? I read in a Philadelphia paper the other day about a man getting sixteen

ollars!" cried Grace. "O

true, ev

ard. "But it seems that he must have witne

et them?" asked

des are either dead or scattered,

r hunt for

hree letters, but that's a

ving into the bread batter with a vim. "I'd advertise in the pa

anyway," explained Richard. "And he doesn't care

itled to it by law, don't yo

many a day's work on

t to get somet

t it?" asked Grace. "He'll listen to

army, and then I can start a grand search, as you suggested. But I've got a

ceased her bread-making to listen to

of going to Ne

no more astonished had he said Paris or Pekin. "Why, D

g if you go,"

it into my head, Nan,

to take anybod

r fortune?" querie

lost," put i

indignantly. "Didn't he bring us all safe throu

ister. "Hundreds of streets and millions of people! He'd

would do!" broke in Ric

like a gawk, st

ed Grace, freeing her hands fro

untly. "I'm tired of Mossvale, and I'm going to strike out, that is

king. Going to the door, he was confronted by Nicholas Bosw

laimed Richard. "T

le, and his face showed

ds ho seemed hard

e to tell you that-" and here his eyes roved

are you?" he continued, noticing the u

was never sick in my life-'cepting when I was a babby. But I

e me!

the road aways.

do the

losing one eye and bobbing his head, as

nd closing the door he followed

g farmer, as they drew away from the house. "Bu

ked the boy quickly. "

sm ain't so sure of his footing as is

chard, his heart jumping

ed long, limbery ladders as he hadn't

gasped the boy, st

ad an awful fall, and he's pretty bad. I thought I'

re i

u'd better go back, and kinder break the news to the folks.

d to foot, he sped up the road to meet four men, carryi