Out for Business; or, Robert Frost's Strange CareerAlger, Horatio, Jr.
History
Out for Business; or, Robert Frost's Strange Career
Alger, Horatio, Jr.
Chicago (Ill.) -- History -- 19th century -- Juvenile fiction; Self-reliance -- Juvenile fiction; Stepfathers -- Juvenile fiction
Without delay our hero started for Granville, arriving there late in
the evening. His mother met him at the front door, and it was plain to
see that she had been weeping.
"Oh, Robert!" she cried, and embraced him. It was several minutes
before she could say more.
"Mr. Talbot is very sick then?" asked the boy.
"Yes, very sick, and the doctor is afraid he will never get well,"
answered Mrs. Talbot.
James Talbot was suffering from a sudden stroke of paralysis, which had
affected his stomach and his left side. He was almost unconscious, and
remained in that state for several days. During that time Mrs. Talbot
was at his bedside constantly, and Robert did all he could for both.
At the end of two weeks the physician pronounced James Talbot out of
danger. The paralysis was gradually leaving him, and he could now take
a little nourishment.
His sickness seemed to have changed him wonderfully, and his harshness
appeared to be a thing of the past.
"I have had my eyes opened," he said to his wife and Robert. "I have
done wrong in the past, but from now on you will find me a different
man."
These words pleased Mrs. Talbot greatly and removed a heavy load from
her heart. Robert, however, said but little on the subject.
"I hope he does turn over a new leaf," he thought. "But I want to test
him for a while before I trust him."
"Your step-father will be all right now, Robert," said his mother,
hopefully.
"I sincerely trust so," he answered gravely. "For your sake even more
than for my own."
* * * * *
Here we will bring to a close the story of Robert Frost's adventures
while "Out for Business." He had succeeded in taking several forward
steps in life, and had brought to grief the enemies who had tried to
drag him down and overcome him.
As soon as Mr. Talbot was on the mend our hero returned to Chicago and
called upon Mr. Gray. The cut-rate ticket broker had already opened
both his Chicago and his New York offices, and he at once agreed to
give the boy his position back, with two dollars per week added to
his salary. The next day found Robert again working beside Livingston
Palmer.
"Right glad to see you!" cried Palmer. And he shook hands cordially. "I
reckon we have both had adventures enough for the present."
"I know I have," answered Robert. "I hope in the future I am left alone
to buckle down to business."
For the time being all went well. But there were still many adventures
in store for Robert, which will be related in a companion volume to
this, entitled: "Falling in with Fortune; or, The Experiences of a
Young Secretary." In this book we will meet all of our old friends and
some new ones, and also learn something more about James Talbot and his
schemes for getting possession of the Frost fortune.
And now, kind reader, good-by, in the hope that some day we will meet
again.
The Famous Rover Boys Series
By ARTHUR W. WINFIELD
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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