It is no wonder that the father was proud of George, now chemist of the
vast steel works, for he was manly and respected by all the employees.
When a boy, George worked nights, Saturdays, and during his vacations in
the mills, and the men came to know and love his genial ways and fair
methods, and thus he gained a good knowledge of steel-making.
His father was urgent that his son should not miss a single day in his
schooling. At length he graduated at the high school with the esteem of
his teachers and his class. During the twelve years spent in public
schools he had acquired a fine discipline of mind, a love of the
sciences, and enough of Latin and Greek to aid him in determining the
derivation and exact meaning of words. Co-education too had refined his
nature, and enabled him to estimate correctly his own abilities, but best
of all he had come to know at the high school the second daughter of
Reuben Harris, Gertrude, who graduated in his own class. During the
senior year he had frequently walked and talked with her, and came to
know somewhat of her plans.
Gertrude's parents, especially Mrs. Harris, were anxious that both their
daughters should go to private schools, and Lucille was easily persuaded
to attend a young ladies' seminary, where aesthetic accomplishments were
emphasized and considered essentials and a passport into good society.
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