Robert Michael Ballantyne

Charlie to the Rescue Robert Michael Ballantyne

Book ExcerptIslander might have envied but could not have excelled him. It was these qualities that decided the course of his career just after he left school."Charlie," said his mother, as they sat eating their mid-day meal alone one day--the mother being, as we have said, a widow, and Charlie an only child--"what do you think of doing, now that you have left school? for you know my income renders it impossible that I should send you to college.""I don't know what to think, mother. Of course I intend to do something. If you had only influence with some one in power who could enable a fellow to get his foot on the first round of any sort of ladder, something might be done, for you know I'm not exactly useless, though I can't boast of brilliant talents, but--""Your talents are brilliant enough, Charlie," said his mother, interrupting; "besides, you have been sent into this world for a purpose, and you may be sure that you will discover what that purpose is, and receive help to carry it out