11/12 My own father commenced life in a printing office. But, as you say, he occupies a high position at present." "Really!" said Fletcher, a little taken aback, for he knew that Vincent's father ranked higher than his own. He knew well enough that his father commenced life as a boy in a country grocery, but in the mutations of fortune had risen to be the proprietor of a large dry-goods store on Washington Street. None of the family cared to look back to the beginning of his career. They overlooked the fact that it was creditable to him to have risen from the ranks, though the rise was only in wealth, for Mr.Fletcher was a purse-proud parvenu, who owed all the consideration he enjoyed to his commercial position. |