N.

Now that Hal had sent in his essay he felt weary, for the excitement of
composition and of haste had ceased; and he tormented himself, too, by
recalling sentence after sentence which he wished he could remodel. Also
memory brought back his past failures; he had not succeeded as chemist
or carpenter and all the boys knew it. What would they say when his name
would be posted on the bulletin, down town, as a Rejected Essayist?
Presently too, it was announced that the bestowal of the Old South
Prizes must be deferred as an unexpectedly large number of essays had
been presented! Hal whistled, shrugged his shoulders, refused to endure
the suspense, cast aside his interest in the matter, and resolved to
settle down into an office-boy.

He cleaned the office more vigorously than ever, and as he began a
catalogue of his employer's library, there arose the faint glimpse of a
new hope, in the thought that his present pursuit might eventuate in his
being a lawyer. But with it there came a hot flush of shame as he
remembered his many visions of the future; and to get rid of them he
would run to the bank on an errand with such fury that his haste
suggested a panic. But in spite of all his changes of intention he was
growing manly; making character, developing mental fibre and muscle; his
mother trusted him with her hopes and fears, and his father talked to
him with a respect that was very consoling to his wounded spirit. Also
the boys ceased to come for him in the evening; if they met him on the
street, they called him "a dig" and asked him what new hobby made him so
serious.

Some months had thus passed, when one day, Hal, who had almost forgotten
his history in his law, thought Mr. Bryce's whistle for him had a
peculiar sound. "Get your hat," said the lawyer, "and follow me. I want
you to go to the Court House."

Hal's active imagination instantly saw himself seated there as Judge.
Yes, law was his vocation. But when there, he was almost pushed into a
corner, while Mr. Bryce pointed him out to the clerk of the court. This
rather frightened Hal, but he felt reassured at the command to stay
where he was until the clerk should bid him go for Mr. Bryce, for the
latter could not afford to spend the morning in court waiting for his
case to come up.

It was a new world to Hal and his astonishment and interest was
increased as he recognized an old playmate in the one who was being
examined. An officer had removed the boy's jacket