What came of Willie’s going to School, 69

so immoderately. A greater contrast than that
between him and the shoemaker could hardly have
been found, except in this, that the carpenter also
looked sickly. He was in perfect health, however,
only oppressed with the cares of his family, and
the sickness of his wife, who was a constant invalid,
with more children her husband thought than she
could well manage, or he well provide for, But if
he had thought less about it he would have got on
better. He worked hard, but little fancied how
many fewer strokes of his plane he made in an hour
just because he was brooding over his difficulties,
and imagining what would be the consequences if
this or that misfortune were to befall him—of which
he himself sought and secured the shadow before-
hand, to darken and hinder the labour which might
prevent its arrival. But he was a good man never-
theless, for his greatest bugbear was debt. If he
could only pay off every penny he owed in the
world, and if only his wife were so far better as to
enjoy life a little, he would, he thought, be perfectly
happy. His wife, however, was tolerably happy,
notwithstanding her weak health, and certainly
enjoyed life a good deal—far more at least than
her husband was able to believe.

Mr Macmichael was very kind and attentive to
Mrs Spelman; though, as the carpenter himself
said, he hadn’t seen the colour of zs money for
years, But the Doctor knew that Spelman was a