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III
ROBINSON'S DEPARTURE
Robinson's father soon noticed that his son was no longer attending
to his work, and one morning sent for him to come to his office. When
Robinson came in his father arose from his chair and looked him long
and earnestly in the face. Then he said, "I am very sorry, Robinson,
that you seem determined to continue your evil ways. If you do not
do better you will grow up to be a beggar or worse." Robinson cast
his eyes down and said, "I do not want to be a merchant, I would rather
sail in a ship around the world." His father answered, "If you do not
know anything you cannot be of use on a ship, and no one will want
you. In a strange land you cannot live without working. If you run
away from your parents you will come to be sorry for it." Robinson
wept, for he saw that his father was right, and he promised to obey.
After two or three weeks, Robinson went to his mother and said,
"Mother, won't you go to father and tell him that if he will only let
me take one voyage and it proves to be unpleasant, I will come back
to the store and work hard?" But the mother cried. With tears in her
eyes, she said: "Robinson, your brothers are both dead. You are the
only child left to us and if you go away, we shall be entirely alone.
How easy it would be to be drowned in the sea, or torn to pieces by
wild animals away there in a foreign country. Both your father and
myself are getting along in years and who will take care of us when
we are sick? Do not cause us the grief we must suffer if you go away
so far amid so many dangers. I cannot bear to have you speak of it
again."
Robinson did not speak of it again, but he did not forget it. He was
nineteen years old. It was one day in August that Robinson stood at
the wharf looking longingly after the departing ships. As he stood
there, someone touched him on the shoulder. It was a ship captain's
son. He pointed to a long ship and said, "My father sails to-day in
that ship for Africa and takes me with him."
"Oh, if I could only go with you!" cried Robinson.
"Do come along," cried his comrade.
"But I have no money," said Robinson.
"That doesn't make any difference," returned the captain's son. "We
will take you anyway."
Robinson, without thinking for a moment, gave his friend his hand and
promised to go with him.
So without saying "Good-bye" to his parents, Robinson went immediately
on board the ship with his friend. This happened on the 10th of
August.
[Illustration: ROBINSON AND THE CAPTAIN'S SON]
[Illustration]
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Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
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