"I'll try to. I shall not forget this lesson in a hurry."
"But at the same time don't be too suspicious of everybody with whom you may chance to come in contact."
"I'll remember what you say, sir."
"Now about finding you a situation. I wish I had an opening here for you. I'd make a business chap of you."
"I should like to work for you, Mr. Joyce."
"Unfortunately, there is no room at present—that is, there is nothing
I can offer you."
"I'll take anything you'll give me," exclaimed Richard earnestly.
"Yes; but you can't do _any_thing. You can't drive a truck—here in the city—and you don't know a thing about packing hides. Besides, such work would be altogether too heavy for you, and it never pays the wages that lighter but more intelligent labor receives."
"I suppose you are right, sir."
"I am. I don't want to gloss things over for you. It's the worst thing in the world for a young fellow just starting out to have a rosy view of the business world, which is composed of steady work and hard knocks, about equally mixed. You've got too much brains to work altogether with your hands; and one must find out what he is best suited to. How would you like to get into the book and stationery line?"