Part 4 (2/2)
up everything and goin' without yourself ht, but I don't believe it A man's first duty is to his wife and children, that's what I say”
”That's the way it looks to ive up everything and go without things?” I asked the boat-maker
”Purty bla the coeneral he added, ”Look at the time he worked over there on Fisher's Island, at the Ellersbie far the ice there You remember that, Henry, don't you?”
Mr Main nodded
”What about it?”
”What about it! Why, he give his rubber boots away, like a darned fool, to old drunken Jimmy Harper, and him loafin' around half the year drunk, and worked around on the ice without any shoes hiht 'a'
took cold and died”
”Why did he do it?” I queried, very -hearted,” put in the little old man who sold cunners ”He believes in the Lord and the Bible Stands right square on it, only he don't belong to no church like He's got the biggest heart I ever saw in a livin' being”
”Course the other fellow didn't have any shoes for to wear,” put in the boat-maker explanatorily, ”but he never would work, anyhow”
They lapsed into silence while the latter returned to his ht came this from the helper in the corner:
”Yes, and look at the way Bailey used to sponge on hiht and drink it all up, and then Sunday o cryin' around Potter Dinged if I'd 'a' helped hiht off his breakfast table and give it to hiht Not when he's got four or five orphans of his own to care for”
”His own children?” I interrupted, trying to get the thing straight
”No, sir; just children he picked up around, here and there”
Here is a curious character, sure enough, I thought--one orth looking into
Another lull, and then as I was leaving the rooive the matter a little quiet attention, I reiving, you haven't anything against Charlie Potter, have you?”
”Not a thing,” he replied, in apparent astonishment ”Charlie Potter's one of the best ood man”
I smiled at the inconsistency and went my way
A day or two later the loft of the sail-maker, instead of the shed of the boat-builder, happened to beof this theme, now uppermost in my mind, I said to him:
”Do you know a man around here by the naht say that I do He lived here for over fifteen years”
”What sort of aa moment to look at me, and then said:
”How d'ye ious-like?”
”What is it he has done,” I said, ”that makes hiood man Just what do you mean by that?”