These letters were actually written, and, being very lively and readable, Harry felt quite justified in referring to them in a complimentary way.  Fletcher’s depreciation of him troubled him very little.

“It will make me neither worse nor better,” he reflected.  “The time will come, I hope, when I shall have risen high enough to be wholly indifferent to such ill-natured sneers.”

His brother arrived in due time, and was set to work as Harry himself had been three years before.  He was not as smart as Harry, nor was he ever likely to rise as high; but he worked satisfactorily, and made good progress, so that in six months he was able to relieve Harry of half his labors as compositor.  This, enabled him to give more time to his editorial duties.  Both boarded at Ferguson’s, where they had a comfortable home and good, plain fare.

Meanwhile, Harry was acknowledged by all to have improved the paper, and the most satisfactory evidence of the popular approval of his efforts came in an increased subscription list, and this, of course, made the paper more profitable.  At the end of twelve months, the two partners had paid off the money borrowed from Professor Henderson, and owned the paper without incumbrance.

“A pretty good year’s work, Harry,” said Ferguson, cheerfully.

“Yes,” said Harry; “but we’ll do still better next year.”

CHAPTER XXXVI.

CONCLUSION.

I have thus traced in detail the steps by which Harry Walton ascended from the condition of a poor farmer’s son to the influential position of editor of a weekly newspaper.  I call to mind now, however, that he is no longer a boy, and his future career will be of less interest to my young readers.  Yet I hope they may be interested to hear, though not in detail, by what successive steps he rose still higher in position and influence.

Harry was approaching his twenty-first birthday when he was waited upon by a deputation of citizens from a neighboring town, inviting him to deliver a Fourth of July oration.  He was at first disposed, out of modesty, to decline; but, on consultation with Ferguson, decided to accept and do his best.  He was ambitious to produce a good impression, and his experience in the Debating Society gave him a moderate degree of confidence and self-reliance.  When the time came he fully satisfied public expectation.  I do not say that his oration was a model of eloquence, for that could not have been expected of one whose advantages had been limited, and one for whom I have never claimed extraordinary genius.  But it certainly was well written and well delivered, and very creditable to the young orator.  The favor with which it was received may have had something to do in influencing the people of Centreville to nominate and elect him, to the New Hampshire Legislature a few months later.