was
the son who sang the "Death of Nelson" under such contrarious
circumstances. He was by trade a shearer of ship plates; but he could
touch the organ, and led two choirs, and played the flute and piccolo in
a professional string band. His repertory of songs was, besides,
inexhaustible, and ranged impartially from the very best to the very
worst within his reach. Nor did he seem to make the least distinction
between these extremes, but would cheerfully follow up "Tom Bowling"
with "Around her splendid form."

The father, an old, cheery, small piece of manhood, could do everything
connected with tinwork from one end of the process to the other, use
almost every carpenter's tool, and make picture frames to boot. "I sat
down with silver plate every Sunday," said he, "and pictures on the
wall. I have made enough money to be rolling in my carriage. But, sir,"
looking at me unsteadily with his bright rheumy eyes, "I was troubled
with a drunken wife." He took a hostile view of matrimony in
consequence. "It's an old saying," he remarked: "God made 'em, and the
devil he mixed 'em."

I think he was justified by his experience. It was a dreary story. He
would bring home three pounds on Saturday, and on Monday all the clothes
would be in pawn. Sick of the useless struggle, he gave up a paying
contract, and contented himself with small and ill-paid jobs. "A bad job
was as good as a good job for me," he said; "it all went the same way."
Once the wife showed signs of amendment; she kept steady for weeks on
end; it was again worth while to labour and to do one's best. The
husband found a good situation some distance from home, and, to make a
little upon every hand, started the wife in a cook-shop; the children
were here and there, busy as mice; savings began to grow together in the
bank, and the golden age of hope had returned again to that unhappy
family. But one week my old acquaintance, getting earlier through with
his work, came home on the Friday instead of the Saturday, and there was
his wife to receive him, reeling drunk. He "took and gave her a pair o'
black eyes," for which I pardon him, nailed up the cook-shop door, gave
up his situation, and resigned himself to a life of poverty, with the
workhouse at the end. As the children came to their full age they fled
the house, and established themselves in other countries; some did well,
some not so well; but the father remained at home alone with his drunken
wife, all his sound