But he was getting used to it all; he could sit squarely on his chair at the table instead of on the edge, spread his napkin over his lap as the others did, and eat his pie with a silver fork under the light of the sparkling gas.
"Mother," said little Alice Minturn, "why does father have Edward board here, and sit at the table with us ?" "Because, Alice, your father wants to help him in every way; your uncle Minturn thinks he is an unusually good, smart boy." "I think so too," said Alice, and was satisfied.
And Tip Lewis was Tip no longer; no one knew him by that name; every one there said "Edward," save the store clerks, and they called him "Ed." He had a queer feeling sometimes that he was somebody else, and that Tip Lewis, whom he used to know so well, would be very much astonished if he could see him now.
He went into Sabbath school, and became a member of Mr.Minturn's Bible class; but teachers were scarce, and before he had been there three weeks Mr.Minturn sent him to take charge of a class of very little boys, who called him "Mr.Lewis," and made him feel strange and tall.

He began to realize that he was almost sixteen years old, and growing very fast.
He was leading a very busy life now-a-days; at work all day, in and for the store, and in the evening doing all he could with his books.

Those books and his love for them were a great safeguard to him, kept him away from many a temptation to go astray; and yet it was hard work to accomplish much in the little time he had, and with no helper.

Sometimes he sighed wearily, and felt as though the road was full of stones.
"I pity you, old fellow," one of the younger clerks said to him one evening, as they were leaving the store.
"I don't know for what," was the good-natured answer.
"Why, Mr.Minturn's pink of a perfect and wonderful and altogether amazing son Ray has just got home from the University; saw him pass the store not an hour ago, leaning back in the carriage like a prince." "What's he ?" asked Edward.
"He's a prig; that's what he is." "What's a prig ?" "Ho! you're a greeney, if you don't know what a prig is.

Wait till he snubs you and lords it over you awhile; then I guess you'll know.