CHAPTER IV.
OSCAR VINCENT.
"Allow me to introduce myself," said the stranger boy. "My name isOscar Vincent, from Boston, at present a student at the PrescottAcademy, at your service."
As he spoke, he doffed his hat and bowed, showing a profusion ofchestnut hair, a broad, open brow, and an attractive face, lighted upby a pleasant smile.
Harry felt drawn to him by a feeling which was not long in ripeninginto friendship.
Imitating the other's frankness, he also took off his hat andreplied,--
"Let me introduce myself, in turn, as Harry Walton, junior apprenticein the office of the 'Centreville Gazette,' sometimes profanelycalled 'printer's devil.'"
"Good!" said Oscar, laughing. "How do you like the business?"
"I think I shall like it, but I have only just started in it. I wentinto the office for the first time to-day."
"I have an uncle who started as you are doing," said Oscar. "He isnow chief editor of a daily paper in Boston."
"Is he?" said Harry, with interest. "Did he find it hard to rise?"
"He is a hard worker. I have heard him say that he used to sit uplate of nights during his apprenticeship, studying and improvinghimself."
"That is what I mean to do," said Harry.
"I don't think he was as lazy as his nephew," said Oscar. "I amafraid if I had been in his place I should have remained in it."
"Are you lazy?" asked Harry, smiling at the other's frankness.
"A little so; that is, I don't improve my opportunities as I might.Father wants to make a lawyer of me so he has put me here, and I ampreparing for Harvard."
"I envy you," said Harry. "There is nothing I should like so much asentering college."
"I daresay I shall like it tolerably well," said Oscar; "but I don't_hanker_ after it, as the boy said after swallowing a dose of castoroil. I'll tell you what I should like better--"
"What?" asked Harry, as the other paused.
"I should like to enter the Naval Academy, and qualify myself for thenaval service. I always liked the sea."
"Doesn't your father approve of your doing this?"
"He wouldn't mind my entering the navy as an officer, but he is notwilling to have me enter the merchant service."
"Then why doesn't he send you to the Naval Academy?"
"Because I can't enter without receiving the appointment from amember of Congress. Our member can only appoint one, and there is novacancy. So, as I can't go where I want to, I am preparing forHarvard."
"Are you studying Latin and Greek?"
"Yes."
"Have you studied them long?"
"About two years. I was looking over my Greek lesson when youplayfully tumbled over me."
"Will you let me look at your book? I never saw a Greek book."
"I sometimes wish I never had," said Oscar; "but that's when I amlazy."
Harry opened the book--a Greek reader--in the middle of an extractfrom Xenophon, and looked with some awe at the unintelligible letters.
"Can you read it? Can you understand what it means?" he asked,looking up from the book.
"So-so."
"You must know a great deal."
Oscar laughed.
"I wonder what Dr. Burton would say if he heard you," he said.
"Who is he?"
"Principal of our Academy. He gave me a blowing up for my ignoranceto-day, because I missed an irregular Greek verb. I'm not exactly adunce, but I don't think I shall ever be a Greek professor."
"If you speak of yourself that way, what will you think of me? Idon't know a word of Latin, of Greek, or any language except my own."
"Because you have had no chance to learn. There's one language Iknow more about than Latin or Greek."
"English?"
"I mean French; I spent a year at a French boarding-school, threeyears since."
"What! Have you been in France?"
"Yes; an uncle of mine--in fact, the editor--was going over, andurged father to send me. I learned considerable French, but not muchelse. I can speak and understand it pretty well."
"How I wish I had had your advantages," said Harry. "How did youlike your French schoolmates?"
"They wouldn't come near me at first. Because I was an American theythought I carried a revolver and a dirk-knife, and was dangerous.That is their idea of American boys. When they found I was tame, andcarried no deadly weapons, they ventured to speak with me, and afterthat we got along pretty well."
"How soon do you expect to go to college?"
"A year from next summer. I suppose I shall be ready by that time.You are going to stay in town, I suppose?"
"Yes, if I keep my place."
"Oh, you'll do that. Then we can see something of each other. Youmust come up to my room, and see me. Come almost any evening."
"I should like to. Do you live in Dr. Barton's family?"
"No, I hope not."
"Why not?"
"Oh, the Doctor has a way of looking after the fellows that room inthe house, and of keeping them at work all the time. That wouldn'tsuit me. I board at Mrs. Greyson's, at the south-east corner of thechurch common. Have you got anything to do this evening?"
"Nothing in particular."
"Then come round and take a look at my den, or sanctum I ought tocall it; as I am talking to a member of the editorial profession."
"Not quite yet," said Harry, smiling.
"Oh, well that'll come in due time. Will you come?"
"Sha'n't I be disturbing you?"
"Not a bit. My Greek lesson is about finished, and that's all I'vegot to do this evening. Come round, and we will sit over the fire,and chat like old friends."
"Thank you, Oscar," said Harry, irresistibly attracted by his brightand lively acquaintance, "I shall enjoy calling. I have made noacquaintances yet, and I feel lonely."
"I have got over that," said Oscar. "I am used to being away fromhome and don't mind it."
The two boys walked together to Oscar's boarding-place. It was alarge house, of considerable pretension for a village, and Oscar'sroom was large and handsomely furnished. But what attracted Harry'sattention was not the furniture, but a collection of over a hundredbooks, ranged on shelves at one end of the room. In his father'shouse it had always been so difficult to obtain the necessaries oflife that books had necessarily been regarded as superfluities, andbeyond a dozen volumes which Harry had read and re-read, he wascompelled to depend on such as he could borrow. Here again hisprivileges were scanty, for most of the neighbors were as poorlysupplied as his father.
"What a fine library you have, Oscar!" he exclaimed.
"I have a few books," said Oscar. "My father filled a couple ofboxes, and sent me. He has a large library."
"This seems a large library to me," said Harry. "My father likesreading, but he is poor, and cannot afford to buy books."
He said that in a matter-of-fact tone, without the least attempt toconceal what many boys would have been tempted to hide. Oscar notedthis, and liked his new friend the better for it.
"Yes," he said, "books cost money, and one hasn't always the money tospare."
"Have you read all these books?"
"Not more than half of them. I like reading better than studying, Iam afraid. I am reading the Waverley novels now. Have you read anyof them?"
"So; I never saw any of them before."
"If you see anything you would like to read, I will lend it to youwith pleasure," said Oscar, noticing the interest with which Harryregarded the books.
"Will you?" said Harry, eagerly. "I can't tell you how much obligedI am. I will take good care of it."
"Oh, I am sure of that. Here, try Ivanhoe. I've just read it, andit's tip-top."
"Thank you; I will take it on your recommendation. What a nice roomyou have!"
"Yes, it's pretty comfortable. Father told me to fix it up to suitme. He said he wouldn't mind the expense if I would only study."
"I should think anybody might study in such a room as this, and withsuch a fine collection of books."
"I'm rather lazy sometimes," said Oscar, "but I shall turn over a newleaf some of these days, and astonish everybody. To-night, as I haveno studying to do, I'll tell you what we'll do. Did you ever popcorn?"
"Sometimes."
"I've got some corn here, and Ma'am Greyson has a popper. Stay herealone a minute, and I'll run down and get it."
Oscar ran down stairs, and speedily returned with a corn-popper.
"Now we'll have a jolly time," said he. "Draw up that arm-chair, andmake yourself at home. If Xenophon, or Virgil, or any of those Greekand Latin chaps call, we'll tell 'em we are transacting importantbusiness and can't be disturbed. What do you say?"
"They won't be apt to call on me," said Harry. I haven't thepleasure of knowing them."
"It isn't always a pleasure, I can assure you, Harry. Pass over thecorn-popper."