Helping Himself

Helping Himself

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Title: Helping Himself
Author: Horatio Alger
Release Date: June, 2004 [EBook #5833] [Yes, we are more than one
year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on September 10,
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HELPING HIMSELF
Or
Grant Thornton's Ambition
By HORATIO ALGER, JR.
NEW YORK

HELPING HIMSELF

CHAPTER I
THE MINISTER'S SON

"I wish we were not so terribly poor, Grant," said Mrs. Thornton, in a
discouraged tone.
"Is there anything new that makes you say so, mother?" answered the
boy of fifteen, whom she addressed.
"Nothing new, only the same old trouble. Here is a note from Mr.
Tudor, the storekeeper."
"Let me see it, mother."
Grant took a yellow envelope from his mother's hand, and drew out the
inclosure, a half sheet of coarse letter paper, which contained the
following lines:
"July 7, 1857.
REV. JOHN THORNTON:
DEAR SIR: Inclosed you will find a bill for groceries and other goods

furnished to you in the last six months, amounting to sixty-seven
dollars and thirty-four cents ($67.34). It ought to have been paid before.
How you, a minister of the Gospel, can justify yourself in using goods
which you don't pay for, I can't understand. If I remember rightly, the
Bible says: 'Owe no man anything.' As I suppose you recognize the
Bible as an authority, I expect you to pay up promptly, and oblige,
Yours respectfully, THOMAS TUDOR."
Grant looked vexed and indignant. "I think that is an impudent letter,
mother," he said.
"It is right that the man should have his money, Grant."
"That is true, but he might have asked for it civilly, without taunting
my poor father with his inability to pay. He would pay if he could."
"Heaven knows he would, Grant," said his mother, sighing.
"I would like to give Mr. Tudor a piece of my mind." "I would rather
pay his bill. No, Grant, though he is neither kind nor considerate, we
must admit that his claim is a just one. If I only knew where to turn for
money!"
"Have you shown the bill to father?" asked Grant.
"No; you know how unpractical your father is. It would only annoy and
make him anxious, and he would not know what to do. Your poor
father has no business faculty."
"He is a very learned man," said Grant, proudly.
"Yes, he graduated very high at college, and is widely respected by his
fellow ministers, but he has no aptitude for business."
"You have, mother. If you had been a man, you would have done better
than he. Without your good management we should have been a good
deal worse off than we are. It is the only thing that has kept our heads
above water."
"I am glad you think so, Grant. I have done the best I could, but no
management will pay bills without money."
It was quite true that the minister's wife was a woman of excellent
practical sense, who had known how to make his small salary go very
far. In this respect she differed widely from her learned husband, who
in matters of business was scarcely more than a child. But, as she
intimated with truth, there was something better than management, and
that was ready cash.
"To support a family on six hundred dollars a year is very hard, Grant,

when there are three children," resumed his mother.
"I can't understand why a man like father can't command a better
salary," said Grant. "There's Rev. Mr. Stentor, in Waverley, gets fifteen
hundred dollars salary, and I am sure he can't compare with father in
ability."
"True, Grant, but your father is modest, and not given to blowing his
own trumpet, while