In connection with Tom Spicer’s continued absence, which had to be explained, Bobby’s trials in the eastern country leaked out, and the consequence was, that he became a lion in Riverdale.  The minister invited him to tea, as well as other prominent persons, for the sake of hearing his story; but Bobby declined the polite invitations from sheer bashfulness.  He had not brass enough to make himself a hero; besides, the remembrance of his journey was any thing but pleasant to him.

On Monday morning he took the early train for Boston, and assumed the duties of his situation in Mr. Bayard’s store.  But as I have carried my hero through the eventful period of his life, I cannot dwell upon his subsequent career.  He applied himself with all the energy of his nature to the discharge of his duties.  Early in the morning and late in the evening he was at his post, Mr. Bigelow was his friend from the first, and gave him all the instruction he required.  His intelligence and quick perception soon enabled him to master the details of the business, and by the time he was fifteen, he was competent to perform any service required of him.

By the advice of Mr. Bayard, he attended an evening school for six months in the year, to acquire a knowledge of book keeping, and to compensate for the opportunities of which he had been necessarily deprived in his earlier youth.  He took Dr. Franklin for his model, and used all his spare time in reading good books, and in obtaining such information and such mental culture as would fit him to be, not only a good merchant, but a good and true man.

Every Saturday night he went home to Riverdale to spend the Sabbath with his mother.  The little black house no longer existed, for it had become the little paradise of which he had dreamed, only that the house seemed whiter, the blinds greener, and the fence more attractive than his fancy had pictured them.  His mother, after a couple of years, at Bobby’s earnest pleadings, ceased to close shoes and take in washing; but she had enough and to spare, for her son’s salary was now six hundred dollars.  His kind employer boarded him for nothing, (much against Bobby’s will, I must say,) so that every month he carried to his mother thirty dollars, which more than paid her expenses.

* * * * *

Eight years have passed by since Bobby—­we beg his pardon; he is now Mr. Robert Bright—­entered the store of Mr. Bayard.  He has passed from the boy to the man.  Over the street door a new sign has taken the place of the old one, and the passer-by reads,—­

  BAYARD & BRIGHT,
  BOOKSELLERS AND PUBLISHERS.

The senior partner resorts to his counting room every morning from the force of habit; but he takes no active part in the business.  Mr. Bright has frequent occasion to ask his advice, though every thing is directly managed by him; and the junior is accounted one of the ablest, but at the same time one of the most honest, business men in the city.  His integrity has never been sacrificed, even to the emergencies of trade.  The man is what the boy was; and we can best sum up the results of his life by saying that he has been true to himself, true to his friends and true to his God.