If it succeeds we
will make other arrangements. I am an old man, and a very lonely
one. I shall be glad to have such a companion."
Frank joyfully embraced the offer, and ran all the way home to tell
his friend, the porter, of the engagement.
"I am very glad," the man said; "heartily glad. I shall miss you
sorely. I do not know what I should have done without you when I
first lost poor Jane and the kids. But now I can go back to my old
ways again."
"Perhaps," Frank suggested, "you might arrange to have a room also
in the house. It would not be a very long walk, not above twenty or
five and twenty minutes, and I should be so glad to have you with
me."
The man sat silent for a time. "No," he said at last, "I thank you
all the same. I should like it too, but I don't think it would be
best in the end. Here all my mates live near, and I shall get on
in time. The Christmas holiday season will soon be coming on and
we shall be up working late. If you were always going to stop at
the place you are going to, it would be different; but you will
rise, never fear. I shall be seeing you in gentleman's clothes
again some of these days. I've heard you say you were longing to
get your books and to be studying again, and you'll soon fall into
your own ways; but if you will let me, I'll come over sometimes and
have a cup of tea and a chat with you.
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