Tom''s mother was a hard-working woman， and had taken in
washing for years. But for her the family would often have lacked
for food. His father was a lazy， intemperate man， who had no pride
of manhood， and cared only for himself. In this respect Tom was
like him， though the son had not as yet become intemperate.
"I don''t think there is any chance of my giving up the place，"
answered Grant. "If I do， I will mention your name."
"That''s a good fellow."
Grant did not volunteer to recommend Tom， for he could not have
done so with a clear conscience. This omission， however， Tom did
not notice.
"Well， Tom， I must be going. Good-by， and good luck."
Grant went home with a cheerful face， and announced his good
luck to his mother.
"I am glad you are going to your employer''s house，" she said. "I
wish you could remain there permanently."
"So do I， mother; but I hope at any rate to get a comfortable
boarding place. Tom Calder wants to room with me."
"I hope you won''t think ofit，" said Mrs. Thornton，
alarmed.
"Not for a moment. I wish Tom well， but I shouldn''t like to be
too intimate with him. And now， mother， I think I ought to write to
Uncle Godfrey， and tell him what I have decided upon."
"That will be proper， Grant." Grant wrote the following letter，
and mailed it at once：
"DEAR UNCLE GODFREY：
I am afraid you won''t like what I have to tell you， but I think
it is my duty to the family to give up the college course you so
kindly offered me， in view of father''s small salary and narrow
means. I have been offered a place in the office of a stock broker
in New York， and have accepted it. I enter upon my duties next
Monday morning. I hope to come near paying my own way， and before
very long to help father. I know you will be disappointed， Uncle
Godfrey， and I hope you won''t think I don''t appreciate your kind
offer， but I think it would be selfish in me to accept it. Please
do forgive me， and believe me to be Your affectionate nephew， GRANT
THORNTON."
In twenty-four hours an answer came to this letter. It ran thus：
"NEPHEW GRANT：
I would not have believed you would act so foolishly and
ungratefully. It is not often that such an offer as mine is made to
a boy. I did think you were sensible enough to understand the
advantages of a professional education. I hoped you would do credit
to the name of Thornton， and keep up the family reputation as a man
oflearning and a gentleman. But you have a foolish fancy for going
into a broker''s office， and I suppose you must be gratified. But
you needn''t think I will renew my offer. I wash my hands of you
from this time forth， and leave you to your own foolish
course.
……
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