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ALFRED'S FIRST EMPLOYER.

that the spirit of the departed hovers near a dutiful son, and that the impression of her virtue lures him onward in the upward path of life-while she looks on smiling and rejoicing at his onward march to glory.' But how are you getting on? Rudolphe speaks highly of you, and of the promising career that lies before you."

"Well. Very well. Beyond all expectation. When I look back, only a short time ago, to what I was-a struggling lad― and now at what I am, I am grateful, and have much to be thankful for. When I think of my solicitude to obtain a subordinate situation, only a few years ago, with the very gentleman who is now, as it were, under me, I ought to be contented with my rise in life.”

"Your first employer, now the employé ?"

"I am appointed the engineer upon the line of railway for which he is the contractor. A fine gentleman he is. I shall never forget my first interview with him."

"Was it remarkable, Alfred ?”

"When I presented my letter of introduction, he opened the letter-then looked at me-began to read, but every now and then he raised his eyes—looked at me; then surveyed me from head to foot; read again-then surveyed me from foot to head. I stood mute. Hope was flickering.

"Too young,' he said,—' too young for my rough squad.' "Sorry, sir; but I am older than I look.'

"My good lad, it's the looks I want; the age matters little.' "I thought,” said Alfred, with a smile, "of proposing a pair of false whiskers and a moustache, but I only replied in a rather firm voice, 'You will find me old in actions, sir. Nothing will prevent me from doing any duty imposed upon me.'

"Eh!' Then he looked at me again, beginning at my face and ending with my shoes, and vice versâ.

"You are a good Spanish scholar. Eh?'

"I can read Spanish pretty well, and translate it with ease; and my brother, who was my teacher, tells me that were I in Spain I could make my way tolerably well.'

THE RESULT.

"When would you be ready to set sail?'.

""To-morrow, sir, or to-night, if necessary.'

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"I like that promptitude.' Then he added-as if speaking to himself There's the friend of one of the directors; he wants a fortnight for preparation. A fortnight, indeed! I hate dilatoriness. I won't have him.

He would be but slothful,

and so of little use. I like your promptitude, young man,' he added,' UP AND AT IT is the lad for me.

You think you

could manage to superintend the men, keep their time, and see to them doing their work?'

""I do not think so; but I am sure to do my duty, and doing so is the way to make men under me do theirs.'

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""I like that,' he said. Three good qualities. Consider yourself engaged. The vessel sails in three days.'

"These three points secured me the situation, which was one to my liking, for it afforded me spare time to pursue my engineering studies, and to perfect myself in the Spanish language."

“Three excellent points, Alfred, for a young man to possess, and more valuable than a well-lined purse; and it would be well for every young man to study them, and to observe them strictly through life. FAITH, DUTY, and PROMPTITUDE.”

"That was my first situation, and, I am happy to say, I gave entire satisfaction. I prosecuted my studies, secured friends, and in less than two years became the assistantengineer upon the line."

"Bravo! Alfred. And now you are ingénieur-en-chef." "Even so. I have had a hard struggle, but I have con

quered."

"Yes, Alfred, and are now on the road to fame and fortune. Conquered by the three great governing powers of the mindFAITH, PROMPTITUDE, and DUTY."

"Au revoir. Write. I owe Rudolphe a visit, and must pay my debt."

"You will find him in his chambers. Au revoir."

CHAPTER XI.

HENRY.-WEALTH NOT TO BE ENVIED. THE FORCE OF

EXAMPLE.

ENTERED Rudolphe's chambers, and was asked by the clerk to take a chair. I instinctively cast my eyes over the large room, which was tastefully decorated; the walls were covered with the engravings of various portions of the lines of railway upon which Rudolphe had been engaged; and, as a token of respect, over the mantelpiece was hung an excellent likeness of his patron-Marc Isambard Brunel.

"While my mind was wandering back to the little room, near the slates, and reflecting upon the changed condition of my pupil, Rudolphe entered. I had not seen him for several years, which circumstance added warmth to our meeting. "Well, Rudolphe," I said, "there is no use asking you how you are getting on, nor how you are. Your happy look answers both questions."

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Flourishing like a bay tree, sans méconte!"

"Glad of it. You see that I was right in my conjectures." "You were; and perhaps more so with regard to Alfred, of whom you had always a very high opinion."

"I have just left him. Met him accidentally. He was telling me the difficulties he had to overcome; but now, he says, he has found out the right path to fame and fortune."

"Pushing fellow, Alfred. His difficulties, perhaps, were greater than mine; but they have made him a sharp young fellow. 'Persistent industry,' you remember, 'makes a sharp man.' Difficulties have drawn forth the energies of his character. Alfred has been sharpened on the grindstone; but he has pushed through, and strength,' he says, 'grew with each repeated effort.' Alfred was determined on conquering. He who so determines,' he used to say, 'will never fail. It

THE FORCE OF EXAMPLE.

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is only the man who is disheartened-who bends to the stormthat is of little use.""

“Alfred, of course, owes much to you, Rudolphe?"

"I assisted him a little; but that did not gain him the battle." "True. The battle of life cannot be fought by proxy."

"I may have acted as a salutary stimulant to advancement; but Alfred moulded his own stuff, cultivated his talents and developed his character, and made himself what he is. His help was in himself-in his own bold bent-and in his own resolute purpose. Alfred cultivated opportunities-took advantage of them-which helped him on and on, till he secured success." "What of Henry? If I remember right, he had an appointment abroad?"

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66 Henry! Lucky fellow! You will remember, my dear mother used to say that something good was in reserve for her mild, good-hearted boy, and that he would be the greatest man of the three.'

"I remember her words."

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Well, if money makes a man great, Henry is the greatest of the three. Sly fellow, Henry! He has lately married the daughter of the and lives in the style of a lord."

"Bravo! Henry. The genius of the family! He watched his opportunity, and when it presented itself-no nibbling-he seized it at once."

"A short courtship, I can assure you. Lucky fellow!"

"Envy not the wealth of Henry, Rudolphe. The gratification of your being the architect of your own fortune is more valuable than the wealth of a Croesus. You are still young. Indeed, the united ages of all three barely exceed a century. On! on! Show the rising generation what INDUSTRY and PERSEVERANCE can accomplish, and then you may feel that joy which wealth cannot purchase,—the reflection that by your example you have induced many a young man to change his way of life, -that you have stimulated others to industry and perseverance.' "Aye, aye! Nevertheless, Henry is a lucky fellow. Adieu!" "Au revoir."

CONCLUSION.

A LUCKY FELLOW.

HEN a man has risen from a humble to a comparatively lofty position in life -when he has carved his name deep into the core of the world, or fallen upon some sudden discovery with which his name is identified his rise in life is

very often attributed to luck or chance.

This is a vulgar notion, which the aspirant must reject—an illusion which leads only to disappointment. Things happen daily which are attributed to chance-things that occur with such regularity, that they can be calculated as CERTAINTIES by the man of observation.

SUCCESS, or GREATNESS, or GENIUS, is not the result of accident, but the reward of industry, careful watching, and earnest purpose. A man may become rich by unforeseen circumstances, but that is neither success in life nor greatness; for wealth easily obtained is often as quickly got rid of. The enjoyment of wealth and its judicious use are hallowed by the virtuous means of its acquirement.

To the energetic man-the man of earnest purpose-if opportunities do not occur, he makes them for himself. He knows that there are many paths in the world, and being determined, he has not long to wait before he fixes upon one; then he turns all accidents to account, and makes them subservient to his purpose. He never trusts to accidents-his trust is in labour, in indefatigability-in PURPOSE and persistent industry—and he pursues his designs with unswerving constancy.