First (perhaps partly from habit), he said the prayer of Our Lord pretty firmly, and then he went on to his own special case, with a doubting whether he should mention it.

But as he went on he gathered courage, or received it from above, and was able to say what he wanted.
"Almighty Father of the living and the dead, I have lived long, and shall soon be dead, and my days have been full of trouble.

But I never had such trouble as this here before, and I don't think I ever shall get over it.

I have sinned every day of my life, and not thought of Thee, but of victuals, and money, and stuff; and nobody knows, but myself and Thou, all the little bad things inside of me.

I cared a deal more to be respectable and get on with my business than to be prepared for kingdom come.