Part 5 (1/2)
”Well,” he said, ceasing his work as though the subject were one of extreme importance to hi nearly everything he has away, if any one else needs it He'd give the coat off his back if you asked hi everything to his wife and theht than ot a family myself--but, then, so's he, now, for that ht always”
He looked away as if he expected so none, he went on ”I always liked him personally very much He ain't around here now any more--lives up in Norwich, I think He's a h, as truthful as kin be He ain't never done nothin'
for me, I not bein' a takin' kind, but that's neither here nor there”
He paused, in doubt apparently, as to what else to say
”You say he's so good,” I said ”Tellpreeood”
”Well, now, I can't say as I kin, exactly, offhand,” he replied, ”there bein' so s one way and another He give to everybody around here that asked hiood ave evidence of a genial ive away a lot of pork that he'd put up for the winter to some colored people back here--two or three barrels, maybe
His wife didn't object, exactly, but o on about it She was livin' with hiainst hiive it to them, eh?”
”Well, I should say not She didn't set with his views, exactly--never did He took the pork, though--it was right in the coldest weather we had that winter--and hauled it back about seven miles here to where they lived, and handed it all out hiht 'a' got along without it They do now, soood that way It's his one fault, if you ht so speak of it”
I smiled as the evidence accu to find food and shelter under his roof, an orphan child carried seven miles on foot from the bedside of a dead mother and cared for all winter, three children, besides two of his own, being raised out of a sense of affection and care for the fatherless
One day in the local post office I was idling a half hour with the postain inquired:
”Do you know Charlie Potter?”
”I should think I did Charlie Potter and I sailed together for soether?”
”We were on the sareat port for ether”
”Hoas that?”
”Oh, ent on rocks”
”Any lives lost?”
”No, but there ca We helped each other in the boat
I reet in until all the rest were safe”
A sudden resolution came to me
”Do you knohere he is now?”
”Yes, he's up in Norwich, preaching or doingthe poor people, and so on Neverout of it for hiuess”
”Do you kno he es to live?”
”No, I don't, exactly He believes in trusting to Providence for what he needs He works though, too, at one job and another He's a carpenter for one thing Got an idea the Lord will send 'im whatever he needs”
”Well, and does He?”