am, our teacher, the vision was
escorted to a seat at my left front, and I was bade to continue the
reading lesson if I ever expected to learn anything. As a matter of
truth I did not expect to learn anything more. I thought I must suddenly
have learned all there is to know. The page of the ancient reader over
which I then mumbled is now before me. "A Good Investment" was the title
of the day's lesson, and I had been called upon to render the first
paragraph. With lightness, unrecking the great moment so perilously at
hand, I had begun: "'Will you lend me two thousand dollars to establish
myself in a small retail business?' inquired a young man, not yet out of
his teens of a middle-aged gentleman who was poring over his ledger in
the counting room of one of the largest establishments in Boston."

The iron latch rattled, the door swung fatefully back, our heads were
raised, our eyes bored her through and through.

Then swung a new world for me out of primeval chaos, and for aeons of
centuries I dizzied myself gazing upon the pyrotechnic marvel.

"_Continue, Calvin!_--if you ever expect to learn anything."

The fabric of my vision crumbled. Awake, I glared upon a page where the
words ran crazily about like a disrupted colony of ants. I stammered at
the thing, feeling my cheeks blaze, but no two words would stay still
long enough to be related. I glanced a piteous appeal to authority,
while old Leggett, still standing by, crumpled his shaven upper lip into
a professional sneer that I did not like.

"That will _do_, Calvin. Sit down! Solon Denney, you may go on."

With careless confidence, brushing the long brown lock from his fair
brow, came Solon Denney to his feet. With flawless self-possession he
read, and I, disgraced, cowering in my seat, heard words that burned
little inconsequential brands forever into my memory. Well do I recall
that the middle-aged gentleman regarded the young man with a look of
surprise, and inquired, "What security can you give me?" to which the
latter answered, "Nothing but my note."

"'Which I fear would be below par in the market,' replied the merchant,
smiling.

"'Perhaps so,' said the young man, 'but, Mr. Barton, remember that the
boy is not the man; the time may come when Hiram Strosser's note will be
as readily accepted as that of any other man.'

"'True, very true,' replied Mr. Barton, thoughtfully, 'but you know
business men seldom lend money without adequate security; otherwis