He said once to the clergyman, to whom he had been lamenting the trouble he had with it, and who had sought to comfort him by saying that it was caused by the weakness of his health-- "No, sir--excuse me; nobody knows how much I am indebted to my crooked back.

If it weren't for that I might have a bad temper and never know it.

But that drives it out of its hole, and when I see the ugly head of it I know it's there, and try once more to starve it to death.

But oh dear! it's such a creature to burrow! When I think I've built it in all round, out comes its head again at a place where I never looked to see it, and it's all to do over again!" You will understand by this already that the shoemaker thought after his own fashion, which is the way everybody who can think does think.

What he thought about his trade and some other things we shall see by and by.
When Willie entered his room, he greeted him with a very friendly nod; for not only was he fond of children, but he had a special favour for Willie, chiefly because he considered himself greatly indebted to him for something he had said to Mrs Wilson, and which had given him a good deal to think about.