Produced by David Edwards and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from scans of public domain material produced by Microsoft for their Live Search Books site.) Transcriber's Note: The advertisement that was located at the beginning of the book has been moved to the end of this e-text. _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._ DESK AND DEBIT; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK. By OLIVER OPTIC, AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC. WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS. BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM. 1871. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 10 Spring Lane. TO THE MEMORY OF MY GOOD-NATURED AND VERSATILE YOUNG FRIEND _EDWIN A. FARWELL_, WHO, SINCE THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN, HAS PASSED AWAY FROM THE SCENES OF EARTH, LOVED AND RESPECTED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM, THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES. 1. _Field and Forest_; OR, THE FORTUNES OF A FARMER. 2. _Plane and Plank_; OR, THE MISHAPS OF A MECHANIC. 3. _Desk and Debit_; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK. _IN PREPARATION_: 4. _Cringle and Cross-Tree_; OR, THE SEA SWASHES OF A SAILOR. 5. _Bivouac and Battle_; OR, THE STRUGGLES OF A SOLDIER. 6. _Sea and Shore_; OR, THE TRAMPS OF A TRAVELLER. PREFACE. "DESK AND DEBIT" is the third of "THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES," in which Phil Farringford appears as a clerk. The principal events of the story are located in Chicago and on Lake Michigan--the latter, perhaps, because the author finds it quite impossible to write a story without a boat, which also involves the necessity of a broad sheet of water, or a long river. In this, as in its predecessors, evil-minded characters are introduced, to show the contrast between vice and virtue; but the hero, in whom the sympathies of the reader are supposed to be centred, is still faithful to his Christian duties, still reads his Bible, and "prays without ceasing." Young and old are injured only by the precept and example of those whom they love, respect, or admire; and the writer has no fear that his readers will love, respect, or admire Charles Whippleton or Ben Waterford, or that they will fail to condemn their errors and their vices. The author hopes and expects that his young friends, while they follow Phil in his exciting experience in the counting-room, and in the "Marian" on Lake Michigan, will love and respect his virtues as well as his courage and resolution. HARRISON SQUARE, BOSTON, June 7, 1870. CONTENTS. PAGE