He Goes to Learn a Trade, 53

“All the same,” returned Hector. “When it
dies it grows—and not till then, as you will read in
the New Testament. Isn’t it an honour, I say, to
mend boots for John Turnbull?”

“Oh, yes—for John Turnbull! I know John,”
said Willie, as if it made any difference to his
merit whether Willie knew him or not!

-“ And there,’ Hector went on, “lies a pair of
slippers that want patching. They belong to
William Webster, the weaver, round the corner.
They ’re very much down at heel too. But isn’t
it an honour to patch or set up slippers for a man
who keeps his neighbours in fine linen all the days
of their lives?”

“Ves, yes. I know William. It must be nice
to do anything for William Webster.”

“ Suppose you didn’t know him, would that make
any difference?”

“No,” said Willie, after thinking a little. “ Other
people would know him if I didn’t.”

“Ves, and if nobody knew him, God would
know him; and anybody God has thought worth
making, it’s an honour to do anything for. Believe
me, Willie, to have to keep people’s feet dry and
warm is a very important appointment.”

“Your own shoes aren’t very good, Hector,”
said Willie, who had been casting glances from
time to time at his companion’s feet, which were
shod in a manner that, to say the least of it, would