8 
THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER. 
No, no, Charley, that can’t be,” was the an¬ 
swer; ‘*with such a mind and such perseve¬ 
rance as yours, you deserve all you have gained. 
Keep on, old fellow, as you have begun, and you 
will occupy no middle ground, whatever course 
you may pursue. You have a grand future be¬ 
fore you. By the by, have you mapped out a 
course of life for yourself, as you said you 
should before your Junior year closed? What 
is it to be—law, politics, money, or playing gen¬ 
tleman ?” 
This question seemed to cause a deep shadow 
to cloud the brow of young Davidson, and it 
was some moments before he responded; when 
he did, it was in tones that indicated the serious¬ 
ness of his statements: 
“ Perhaps I should say that I have, Lew, for I 
have come to the settled conviction that there is 
not enough depending on my poor existence to 
make it worthy of much serious reflection.” 
*‘Why, Charley Davidson,” said his friend, 
‘^you astonish me! You are the last man of 
my acquaintance whom I should have expected 
to find in a fit of the doleful dumps. Few young 
fellows have such a chance to make their way 
in the world. You have wealth enough to re- 
