JOE’S LUCK
OR
ALWAYS WIDE AWAKE
BY
HORATIO ALGER, JR.
AUTHOR OF
“TONY THE TRAMP,” “SLOW AND SURE,” “THE CASH BOY,”
“MAKING HIS WAY,” “JACK’S WARD,” “DO AND DARE,”
“FACING THE WORLD,” “STRONG AND STEADY,”
“STRIVE AND SUCCEED,” ETC.
NEW YORK
THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY
1913
JOE’S LUCK
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCES JOE
“Come here, you Joe, and be quick about it!”
The boy addressed, a stout boy of fifteen, with an honest,sun-browned face, looked calmly at the speaker.
“What’s wanted?” he asked.
“Brush me off, and don’t be all day about it!” said Oscar Nortonimpatiently.
Joe’s blue eyes flashed indignantly at the tone of the other.
“You can brush yourself off,” he answered independently.
“What do you mean by your impudence?” demanded Oscar angrily. “Haveyou turned lazy all at once?”
“No,” said Joe firmly, “but I don’t choose to be ordered round byyou.”
“What’s up, I wonder? Ain’t you our servant?”
“I am not your servant, though your father is my employer.”
“Then you are bound to obey me—his son.”
“I don’t see it.”
“Then you’d better, if you know what’s best for yourself. Are yougoing to brush me off?”
“No.”
“Look out! I can get my father to turn you off.”
“You may try if you want to.”
Oscar, much incensed, went to his father to report Joe’sinsubordination. While he is absent, a few words of explanation willenlighten the reader as to Joe’s history and present position.
Joe Mason was alone in the world. A year previous he had lost hisfather, his only remaining parent, and when the father’s affairs weresettled and funeral expenses paid there was found to be just fivedollars left, which was expended for clothing for Joe.
In this emergency Major Norton, a farmer and capitalist, offered toprovide Joe with board and clothes and three months’ schooling in theyear in return for his services. As nothing else offered, Joeaccepted, but would not bind himself for any length of time. He wasfree to go whenever he pleased.
Now there were two disagreeable things in Joe’s new place. The firstwas the parsimony of Major Norton, who was noted for his stingydisposition, and the second was the overbearing manners of Oscar, wholost no opportunity to humiliate Joe and tyrannize over him so far asJoe’s independent spirit would allow. It happened, therefore, thatJoe was compelled to work hard, while the promised clothing was ofthe cheapest and shabbiest description. He was compelled to go toschool in patched shoes and a ragged suit, which hurt his pride as hecompared himself with Oscar, who was carefully and even handsomelydressed. Parsimonious as his father was, he was anxious that hisonly boy should appear to advantage.
On the very day on which our story begins Oscar had insulted Joe in away which excited our hero’s bitter indignation.
This is the way it happened:
Joe, who was a general favorite on account of his good looks andgentlemanly manners, and in spite of his shabby attire, was walkinghome with Annie Raymond, the daughter of the village physician, whenOscar came up.