Chapter V. The Prize Winner

by Horatio Alger

　　"Are you going to the examination to-day, mother?" asked Harry, atbreakfast."I should like to go," said Mrs. Walton, "but I don't see how Ican. To-day's my bakin' day, and somehow my work has got behindhandduring the week.""I think Harry'll get the prize," said Tom, a boy of ten, notheretofore mentioned. He also attended the school, but was not aspromising as his oldest brother."What prize?" asked Mrs. Walton, looking up with interest."The master offered a prize, at the beginning of the term, to thescholar that was most faithful to his studies.""What is the prize?""A book.""Do you think you will get it, Harry?" asked his mother."I don't know," said Harry, modestly. "I think I have some chanceof getting it.""When will it be given?""Toward the close of the afternoon.""Maybe I can get time to come in then; I'll try.""I wish you would come, mother," said Harry earnestly. "Only don'tbe disappointed if I don't get it. I've been trying, but thereare some other good scholars.""You're the best, Harry," said Tom."I don't know about that. I shan't count my chickens before theyare hatched. Only if I am to get the prize I should like to havemother there.""I know you're a good scholar, and have improved your time," saidMrs. Walton. "I wish your father was rich enough to send you tocollege.""I should like that very much," said Harry, his eyes sparkling atmerely the suggestion."But it isn't much use hoping," continued his mother, with a sigh."It doesn't seem clear whether we can get a decent living, muchless send our boy to college. The cow is a great loss to us."Just then Mr. Walton came in from the barn."How do you like the new cow, father?" asked Harry."She isn't equal to our old one. She doesn't give as much milkwithin two quarts, if this morning's milking is a fair sample.""You paid enough for her," said Mrs. Walton."I paid too much for her," answered her husband, "but it was thebest I could do. I had to buy on credit, and Squire Green knew Imust pay his price, or go without.""Forty-three dollars is a great deal of money to pay for a cow.""Not for some cows. Some are worth more; but this one isn't.""What do you think she is really worth?""Thirty-three dollars is the most I would give if I had the cashto pay.""I think it's mean in Squire Green to take such advantage of you,"said Harry."You mustn't say so, Harry, for it won't do for me to get the squire'sill will. I am owing him money. I've agreed to pay for the cow insix months.""Can you do it?""I don't see how; but the money's on interest, and it maybe thesquire'll let it stay. I forgot to say, though, that last eveningwhen I went to get the cow he made me agree to forfeit ten dollarsif I was not ready with the money and interest in six months. I amafraid he will insist on that if I can't keep my agreement.""It will be better for you to pay, and have done with it.""Of course. I shall try to do it, if I have to borrow the money.I suppose I shall have to do that."Meantime Harry was busy thinking." Wouldn't it be possible for meto earn money enough to pay for the cow in six months? I wish Icould do it, and relieve father."He began to think over all the possible ways of earning money, butthere was nothing in particular to do in the town except to workfor the farmers, and there was very little money to earn ill thatway. Money is a scarce commodity with farmers everywhere. Mostof their income is in the shape of farm produce, and used in thefamily. Only a small surplus is converted into money, and a dollar,therefore, seems more to them than to a mechanic, whose substantialincome is perhaps less. This is the reason, probably, why farmersare generally loath to spend money. Harry knew that if he shouldhire out to a farmer for the six months the utmost he could expectwould be a dollar a week, and it was not certain he could earnthat. Besides, he would probably be worth as much to his fatheras anyone, and his labor in neither case provide money to pay forthe cow. Obviously that would not answer. He must think of someother way, but at present none seemed open. He sensibly deferredthinking till after the examination."Are you going to the school examination, father?" asked our hero."I can't spare time, Harry. I should like to, for I want to knowhow far you have progressed. 'Live and learn,' my boy. That's a goodmotto, though Squire Green thinks that 'Live and earn' is a better.""That's the rule he acts on," said Mrs. Walton. "He isn't troubledwith learning.""No, he isn't as good a scholar probably as Tom, here.""Isn't he?" said Tom, rather complacently."Don't feel too much flattered, Tom," said his mother."You don't know enough to hurt you.""He never will," said his sister, Jane, laughing."I don't want to know enough to hurt me," returned Tom, goodhumoredly. He was rather used to such compliments, and didn't mindthem."No," said Mr. Walton; "I am afraid I can't spare time to come tothe examination. Are you going, mother?"It is quite common in the country for husbands to address wives inthis manner."I shall try to go in the last of the afternoon," said Mrs. Walton."If you will come, mother," said Harry, "we'll all help youafterwards, so you won't lose anything by it.""I think I will contrive to come."The examination took place in the afternoon. Mr. Burbank preferredto have it so, for two reasons. It allowed time to submit the pupilsto a previous private examination in the morning, thus insuringa better appearance in the afternoon. Besides, in the secondplace, the parents were more likely to be at liberty to attend inthe afternoon, and he naturally liked to have as many visitors aspossible. He was really a good teacher, though his qualificationswere limited; but as far as his knowledge went, he was quitesuccessful in imparting it to others.In the afternoon there was quite a fair attendance of parents andfriends of the scholars, though some did not come in till late,like Mrs. Walton. It is not my intention to speak of the examinationin detail. My readers know too little of the scholars to make thatinteresting. Ephraim Higgins made some amusing mistakes, but thatdidn't excite any surprise, for his scholarship was correctlyestimated in the village. Tom Walton did passably well, but wasnot likely to make his parents proud of his performances. Harry,however, eclipsed himself. His ambition had been stirred by theoffer of a prize, and he was resolved to deserve it. His recitationswere prompt and correct, and his answers were given with confidence.But perhaps he did himself most credit in declamation. He hadalways been very fond of that, and though he had never receivedand scientific instruction in it, he possessed a natural graceand a deep feeling of earnestness which made success easy. He hadselected an extract from Webster--the reply to the Hayne--and thiswas the showpiece of the afternoon. The rest of the declamationwas crude enough, but Harry's impressed even the most ignorant ofhis listeners as superior for a boy of his age. When he uttered hislast sentence, and made a parting bow, there was subdued applause,and brought a flush of gratification to the cheek of our younghero."This is the last exercise," said the teacher "except one. At thecommencement of the term, I offered a prize to the scholar thatwould do the best from that time till the close of the school. Iwill now award the prize. Harry Walton, come forward."Harry rose form his seat, his cheeks flushed again with gratification,and advanced to where the teacher was standing."Harry," said Mr. Burbank, "I have no hesitation in giving you theprize. You have excelled all the other scholars, and it is fairlyyours. The book is not of much value, but I think you will find itinteresting and instructive. It is the life of the great Americanphilosopher and statesman, Benjamin Franklin. I hope you will readand profit by it, and try like him to make your life a credit toyourself and a blessing to mankind.""Thank you, sir," said Harry, bowing low. "I will try to do so."There was a speech by the chairman of the school committee, inwhich allusion was made to Harry and the prize, and the exerciseswere over. Harry received the congratulations of his schoolmatesand others with modest satisfaction, but he was most pleased by theevident pride and pleasure which his mother exhibited, when she,too, was congratulated on his success. His worldly prospects werevery uncertain, but he head achieved the success for which he hadbeen laboring, and he was happy.