Helping Himself; Or, Grant Thornton's AmbitionAlger, Horatio, Jr.
History
Helping Himself; Or, Grant Thornton's Ambition
Alger, Horatio, Jr.
Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Kidnapping -- Juvenile fiction; New York (N.Y.) -- History -- 19th century -- Juvenile fiction
“I saw that he was, and I believe I should have dropped if you had
not come up and saved me. How brave you were!”
Grant colored with pleasure, though he disclaimed the praise.
“Oh, it was nothing!” he said, modestly. “But we had better start at
once, for he may revive.”
“Oh, let us go then,” exclaimed the girl in terror, and, hardly
knowing what she did, she seized Grant's arm. “See, he is beginning
to stir. Do come quickly!”
Clinging to Grant's arm, the two hastened away, leaving the
inebriate on the ground.
Grant now had leisure to view more closely the girl he had rescued.
She was a very pretty girl, a year or two younger than himself, with
a bright, vivacious manner, and her young rescuer thought her very
attractive.
“Do you live round here?” she asked.
“I live in Colebrook, the village close by. I was walking from
Somerset.”
“I should like to know the name of the one who has done me so great
a service.”
“We will exchange names, if you like,” said Grant, smiling. “My name
is Grant Thornton. I am the son of Rev. John Thornton, who is
minister in Colebrook.”
“So you are a minister's son. I have always heard that minister's
sons are apt to be wild,” said the girl, smiling mischievously.
“I am an exception,” said Grant, demurely.
“I am ready to believe it,” returned his companion. “My name is
Carrie Clifton; my mother is a minister's daughter, so I have a
right to think well of ministers' families.”
“How long have you been boarding in this neighborhood, Miss Carrie?”
“Only a week. I am afraid I shan't dare to stay here any longer.”
“It is not often you would meet with such an adventure as this. I
hope you won't allow it to frighten you away.”
“Do you know that drunken man? Does he live nearby?”
“I think he is a stranger--a tramp. I never saw him before, and I
know almost everybody who lives about here.”
“I am glad he doesn't live here.”
“He will probably push on his way and not come this way again during
the summer.”
“I hope you are right. He might try to revenge himself on you for
tripping him up.”
“I don't think he saw me to recognize me. He was so drunk that he
didn't know what he was about. When he gets over his intoxication he
probably won't remember anything that has happened.”
By this time they had reached the gate of the farmhouse where Carrie
was boarding, and Grant prepared to leave her.
“I think you are safe now,” he said.
“Oh, but I shan't let you go yet,” said the girl. “You must come in
and see mother.”
Grant hesitated, but he felt that he should like to meet the mother
of a young lady who seemed to him so attractive, and he allowed
himself to be led into the yard. Mrs. Clifton was sitting in a
rustic chair under a tree behind the house. There Grant and his
companion found her. Carrie poured forth her story impetuously, and
then drawing Grant forward, indicated him as her rescuer.
Her mother listened with natural alarm, shuddering at the peril from
which her daughter had so happily escaped.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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