SE£®-Tff$£ AH® HARVEST. 
3 
at work was he, and Jamie was beginning 
to become impatient. In a few moments, 
however, he wheeled his chair around and, 
with his old-time smile and gentle clasp, 
accorded his nephew a most hearty welcome. 
‘ Why, Jamie,” he exclaimed: “I had 
almost forgotten my promise. Glad to see 
you so prompt, you’re just in time; one of 
my clerks quit yesterday, and you may 
enter upon your duties as clerk without 
beginning at foot as office boy, as it was 
your father’s desire that I should give you 
a good start. Do you think you can fill the 
position ? It will come to you after a while. 
When can you commence at your post, 
to-morrow morning?” 
“Yes, Uncle, to-morrow morning, if con¬ 
venient to you. Thanks, for the kind offer. 
I think I can soon learn all about it; at any 
rate, I can give it a trial and do my best,” 
said Jamie. 
“Very well, remember, to-morrow morn¬ 
ing prompt. Until then, I suppose you 
would like to rest and see the city. Here, 
Fred, come here!” he cried to a boy, who 
was passing the door, “You can show this 
young gentleman aruund the city the rest 
of the day, and show him to your boarding- 
place to night, as he would probably like to 
room with you. He is going to commence 
work for me to-morrow and I hope you 
will be his friend, as he is my nephew. ” 
“Yes, sir, said Fred, as he picked up his 
hat and beckoning Jamie to follow, passed 
out through the store upon the busy street. 
Fred Dare, for this was the young lad’s 
name, was a fine-looking lad of about 
Jamie’s age and height, and completely 
won his confidence from the first. His 
father’s death, about a year before, had 
left him an orphan, adrift in the world with 
no means of support except that which he 
oould obtain for himself. Luck, however, 
as if to aid him in his purpose, threw him in 
with Jamie’s uncle. One day as Mr. Jones’s 
little daughter, about five years old, 
was crossing the street, a fire engine, with 
horses, came tearing down the street at a 
terrific rate, and she was directly in their 
path; Fred saw this, and without a mo¬ 
ment’s reflection, dashed in front of the 
horses, seized the girl and passed to the 
other side of the streeU where the loving 
parents, who had witnessed the brave deed, 
were waiting and received with gladness 
their little daughter. Money, Fred would 
not take, when tendered to him as a reward 
for his great service, he was too proud for 
that. But upon learning the situation of 
things with the lad, Mr. Jones was able to 
give him all the reward he desired, an 
honest employment; and now we find him 
performing whatever work is set before 
him Jamie already felt that in this lad he 
had a most sincere friend, one vrho would 
stand by him in case of an emergency, and 
lend him a helping hand. For a true friend 
to a country boy in the city, totally un¬ 
acquainted with the ways and customs, was 
most desirable of all things. That night, 
after the long walks of the day, Jamie found 
true comfort in the plainly but neatly fur¬ 
nished rooms of his newly found friend, 
and awoke on the morrow much refreshed 
by his rest. 
The usual hour for the commencement of 
work at the store, found the boys on hand. 
Then it was that Jamie experienced his 
first embarassment. What if he should 
prove incompetent! What if he made many 
bad mistakes at the beginning! Would his 
uncle overlook them! These thoughts went 
whirling through his mind, but he was not 
to be easily discouraged; he felt that if he 
once got a fair start, all would be well. 
And this was the case; he soon became an 
adept at the post assigned him. Weeks 
passed, during which time he was Fred’s 
bosom friend and shared his rooms. All 
went smoothly at the store and everything 
indicated a prosperous business. 
One morning, however, Jamie in a pri¬ 
vate interview with his uncle, learned that 
large thefts had been going on in the store 
for some time; jewelry had been disappear¬ 
ing in large quantities and although he had 
strong suspicions as to who the guilty party 
was, yet he could not gain sufficient evi¬ 
dence. All was a mystery. The night 
watchman had been questioned and knew 
no persons had entered the store at night, 
as he went his rounds so often they could 
get no chance to work. All this flashed 
through Jamie’s mind: what if the night 
watchman were implicated in the burglary. 
True, he had been in Mr. Jones’s employ 
