Strive and Succeed; or, The Progress of Walter Conrad

Walter Conrad’s story begins with a sudden loss that shatters his comfortable school life. When his father dies, the boy learns that the family’s fortune has vanished in a failed mining venture, leaving him to fend for himself. He travels to a distant relative’s store, hoping for a place to stay, but quickly discovers he is merely a guest in a household that expected him to inherit wealth. Undeterred, Walter accepts a modest clerkship, learning the value of hard work even as he faces the resentment of a jealous coworker.

Soon the restless youth trades the shop for a position as a traveling book agent, criss‑crossing Ohio’s towns with a satchel of literature. Along the way he encounters a perilous episode that tests his courage and forces him to confront the realities of adult responsibility. Through these early trials, Walter’s determination to “strive and succeed” shines, offering young listeners a vivid portrait of perseverance, integrity, and the quiet heroism of everyday effort.