Our young friend left the store where he had worked hard and faithfully, and where he was gaining an insight into a business, the knowledge of which, he hoped, would some day enable him to become an active and prosperous merchant. But now, alas! he had been discharged and sent away in disgrace.
Fred started for home with a more sorrowful heart than he had ever known before. His last chance of success seemed, for a time, to be gone. The villagers would now lose all faith in him, he would have no friends, and even his father and mother might doubt his honesty. It would be useless for him to try for a situation in another store, when it became known why he was discharged from John Rexford's.
It was not surprising that young Worthington was so cast down, while the shock was fresh upon him, for there seemed now to be no way by which he could build himself up. But in this country there is always a chance for an honest, ambitious, and determined boy to succeed by careful thought, patient endurance, and hard work. Sometimes, to be sure, one can see very little ahead to encourage him to push on and hope to come out victorious. This is the very point at which many fail. They cannot stand up "under fire," but fall back when by sufficient will force they might win a decisive victory in the battle of life.
When Fred reached home, wearing a most dejected look, Mrs. Worthington exclaimed:
"Why, my son, what brings you home so early? I hope you are not ill!"
"No, I'm well enough, mother, but I'm tired of trying to amount to anything."
"What has happened now?" exclaimed the mother, with an alarmed expression on her face.
"I have been discharged by Mr. Rexford, on suspicion of having stolen money from the store."
"Stolen money!" uttered both parents simultaneously, as they grew pale at the terrible thought.
"Yes, that is what I am charged with, though I know nothing about the missing money. That is what makes it so hard to bear."