ect of a saintly
resignation.

Never shall I forget his appearance during this clarifying period--his
occasional faint and fleeting attempts at wit--his usually hopeless and
world-weary air. The wonder to me was that he did not then enter upon a
celestial state of existence, being eminently fitted to go, as far as the
attenuation of his mortal frame was concerned. It was at this time that I
wrote home that I had never had such an appetite before in my life as now
in Wallencamp (which, in one sense, I felt to be perfectly true); that
the food was of a most remarkable variety (which I also felt to be true);
but that it was rather difficult to procure oranges and the like.
Whereupon, I received from home a large box, containing all manner of
pleasant fruits, and thus poor old Grandpa Keeler and I were enabled to
take a new lease of life.

I found that it was considered indispensable to the proper discharge of
my duties in Wallencamp that I should make frequent calls on the parents
of my flock, throughout the entire community. If I failed in any measure
in this respect, they reproached me with being "unsociable," and said;
"Seems to me you ain't very neighborly, teacher."

I had called myself a student of human nature. It seemed to me, now,
that in those dingy Wallencamp houses, I stood for the first time, awed
and delighted before the real article. Sometimes the men sent out great
volumes of smoke from their pipes, in the low rooms, that were not
delightful; but as far as they knew, they exerted themselves to the
utmost, men and women both, to make their homes pleasant and attractive
to me.

Godfrey Cradlebow's place was as small and poor as any. There was one
room that served as kitchen, dining-room, and parlor, with a
corresponding medley of furniture. A very finely chased gold watch hung
against the loose brown boards of the wall--a reminder of Godfrey
Cradlebow's youth. But what distinguished this house from all the others,
was the profusion of books it contained. There were books on the tables,
books under the tables, books piled up in the corner of the room.

Godfrey Cradlebow himself was confined in-doors much of the time with the
rheumatism. He made nets for the fishermen. I used to like to watch his
fingers moving deftly while he talked.

Things having gone wrong with him, and he having suffered much acute
physical pain, besides--(that was evident from the manner in which his
stalwart frame had been bent wi