lookingwoman，butsun-burnt，andmeanlydressed，andtworaggedchildren，aboyandgirl，aboutfourorfiveyearsold。Themansatwithhiseyesfixeduponthetable，supportinghischinwithbothhishands；thewoman，whowasnexthim，satquitestill，savethatoccasionallysheturnedaglanceuponherhusbandwitheyesthatappearedtohavebeenlatelycrying。Thechildrenhadnoneofthevivacitysogeneralattheirage。AmoredisconsolatefamilyI
hadneverseen；amug，which，whenfilled，mightcontainhalfapint，stoodemptybeforethem；averydisconsolatepartyindeed。
’House!’saidI；’House!’andthen，asnobodyappeared，IcriedagainasloudasIcould，’House!doyouhearme，House!’
’What’syourpleasure，youngman？’saidanelderlywoman，whonowmadeherappearancefromasideapartment。
’Totasteyourale，’saidI。
’Howmuch？’saidthewoman，stretchingoutherhandtowardstheemptymuguponthetable。
’Thelargestmeasure-fullinyourhouse，’saidI，puttingbackherhandgently。’Thisisnottheseasonforhalf-pintmugs。’
’Asyouwill，youngman，’saidthelandlady；andpresentlybroughtinanearthenpitcherwhichmightcontainaboutthreepints，andwhichfoamedandfrothedwithal。
’Willthispayforit？’saidI，puttingdownsixpence。
’Ihavetoreturnyouapenny，’saidthelandlady，puttingherhandintoherpocket。
’Iwantnochange，’saidI，flourishingmyhandwithanair。
’Asyouplease，younggentleman，’saidthelandlady，andthen，makingakindofcurtsey，sheagainretiredtothesideapartment。
’Hereisyourhealth，sir，’saidItothegrimy-lookingman，asI
raisedthepitchertomylips。
Thetinker，forsuchIsupposedhimtobe，withoutalteringhisposture，raisedhiseyes，lookedatmeforamoment，gaveaslightnod，andthenoncemorefixedhiseyesuponthetable。Itookadraughtoftheale，whichIfoundexcellent；’Won’tyoudrink？’
saidI，holdingthepitchertothetinker。
Themanagainlifteduphiseyes，lookedatme，andthenatthepitcher，andthenatmeagain。Ithoughtatonetimethathewasabouttoshakehisheadinsignofrefusal；butno，helookedoncemoreatthepitcher，andthetemptationwastoostrong。Slowlyremovinghisheadfromhisarms，hetookthepitcher，sighed，nodded，anddrankatolerablequantity，andthensetthepitcherdownbeforemeuponthetable。
’Youhadbettermendyourdraught，’saidItothetinker；’itisasadheartthatneverrejoices。’
’That’strue，’saidthetinker，andagainraisingthepitchertohislips，hemendedhisdraughtasIhadbiddenhim，drinkingalargerquantitythanbefore。
’Passittoyourwife，’saidI。
Thepoorwomantookthepitcherfromtheman’shand；before，however，raisingittoherlips，shelookedatthechildren。Truemother’sheart，thoughtItomyself，andtakingthehalf-pintmug，Imadeherfillit，andthenheldittothechildren，causingeachtotakeadraught。Thewomanwipedhereyeswiththecornerofhergown，beforesheraisedthepitcheranddranktomyhealth。
Inaboutfiveminutesnoneofthefamilylookedhalfsodisconsolateasbefore，andthetinkerandIwereindeepdiscourse。
Oh，genialandgladdeningisthepowerofgoodale，thetrueandproperdrinkofEnglishmen。HeisnotdeservingofthenameofEnglishmanwhospeakethagainstale，thatisgoodale，likethatwhichhasjustmademerrytheheartsofthispoorfamily；andyettherearebeings，callingthemselvesEnglishmen，whosaythatitisasintodrinkacupofale，andwho，oncomingtothispassagewillbetemptedtoflingdownthebookandexclaim，’Themanisevidentlyabadman，forbehold，byhisownconfession，heisnotonlyfondofalehimself，butisinthehabitoftemptingotherpeoplewithit。’Alas!alas!whatanumberofsillyindividualsthereareinthisworld；Iwonderwhattheywouldhavehadmedointhisinstance-giventheafflictedfamilyacupofcoldwater？goto!Theycouldhavefoundwaterintheroad，fortherewasapellucidspringonlyafewyardsdistantfromthehouse，astheywerewellaware-buttheywantednotwater；whatshouldIhavegiventhem？meatandbread？goto!Theywerenothungry；therewasstifledsobbingintheirbosoms，andthefirstmouthfulofstrongmeatwouldhavechokedthem。WhatshouldIhavegiventhem？
Money!whatrighthadItoinsultthembyofferingthemmoney？
Advice!words，words，words；friends，thereisatimeforeverything；thereisatimeforacupofcoldwater；thereisatimeforstrongmeatandbread；thereisatimeforadvice，andthereisatimeforale；andIhavegenerallyfoundthatthetimeforadviceisafteracupofale。Idonotsaymanycups；thetonguethenspeakethmoresmoothly，andtheearlistenethmorebenignantly；butwhydoIattempttoreasonwithyou？doInotknowyouforconceitedcreatures，withoneidea-andthatafoolishone；-acrotchet，forthesakeofwhichyewouldsacrificeanything，religionifrequired-country？There，flingdownmybook，Idonotwishyetowalkanyfartherinmycompany，unlessyoucastyournonsenseaway，whichyewillneverdo，foritisthebreathofyournostrils；flingdownmybook，itwasnotwrittentosupportacrotchet，forknowonething，mygoodpeople，Ihaveinvariablybeenanenemytohumbug。
’Well，’saidthetinker，afterwehaddiscoursedsometime，’littlethought，whenIfirstsawyou，thatyouwereofmyowntrade。’
MYSELF。NoramI，atleastnotexactly。Thereisnotmuchdifference，’tistrue，betweenatinkerandasmith。
TINKER。Youareawhitesmiththen？
MYSELF。NotI，I’dscorntobeanythingsomean；no，friend，black’sthecolour；Iamabrotherofthehorse-shoe。Successtothehammerandtongs。
TINKER。Well，Ishouldn’thavethoughtyouhadbeenablacksmithbyyourhands。
MYSELF。Ihaveseenthem，however，asblackasyours。Thetruthis，Ihavenotworkedformanyaday。
TINKER。Wheredidyouservefirst？
MYSELF。InIreland。
TINKER。That’sagoodwayoff，isn’tit？
MYSELF。Notveryfar；overthosemountainstotheleft，andtherunofsaltwaterthatliesbehindthem，there’sIreland。
TINKER。It’safinethingtobeascholar。
MYSELF。Nothalfsofineastobeatinker。
TINKER。Howyoutalk!
MYSELF。Nothingbutthetruth；whatcanbebetterthantobeone’sownmaster？Nowatinkerishisownmaster，ascholarisnot。Letussupposethebestofscholars，aschoolmasterforexample，forI
supposeyouwilladmitthatnoonecanbehigherinscholarshipthanaschoolmaster；doyoucallhisapleasantlife？Idon’t；weshouldcallhimaschool-slave，ratherthanaschoolmaster。Onlyconceivehiminblessedweatherlikethis，inhiscloseschool，teachingchildrentowriteincopy-books，’Evilcommunicationcorruptsgoodmanners，’or’Youcannottouchpitchwithoutdefilement，’ortospelloutofAbedariums，ortoreadoutofJackSmith，orSandfordandMerton。Onlyconceivehim，Isay，drudginginsuchguisefrommorningtillnight，withoutanyrationalenjoymentbuttobeatthechildren。Wouldyoucomparesuchadog’slifeasthatwithyourown-thehappiestunderheaven-trueEdenlife，astheGermanswouldsay，-pitchingyourtentunderthepleasanthedgerows，listeningtothesongofthefeatheredtribes，collectingalltheleakykettlesintheneighbourhood，solderingandjoining，earningyourhonestbreadbythewholesomesweatofyourbrow-makingtenholes-hey，what’sthis？what’sthemancryingfor？
Suddenlythetinkerhadcoveredhisfacewithhishands，andbeguntosobandmoanlikeamaninthedeepestdistress；thebreastofhiswifewasheavedwithemotion；eventhechildrenwereagitated，theyoungestbegantoroar。
MYSELF。What’sthematterwithyou；whatareyouallcryingabout？
TINKERuncoveringhisface。Lord，whytohearyoutalk；isn’tthatenoughtomakeanybodycry-eventhepoorbabes？Yes，yousaidright，’tislifeinthegardenofEden-thetinker’s；IseesonowthatI’mabouttogiveitup。
MYSELF。Giveitup!youmustnotthinkofsuchathing。
TINKER。No，Ican’tbeartothinkofit，andyetImust；what’stobedone？Howhardtobefrightenedtodeath，tobedrivenofftheroads。
MYSELF。Whohasdrivenyouofftheroads？
TINKER。Who!theFlamingTinman。
MYSELF。Whoishe？
TINKER。ThebiggestrogueinEngland，andthecruellest，orhewouldn’thaveservedmeashehasdone-I’lltellyouallaboutit。Iwasbornupontheroads，andsowasmyfatherbeforeme，andmymothertoo；andIworkedwiththemaslongastheylived，asadutifulchild，forIhavenothingtoreproachmyselfwithontheiraccount；andwhenmyfatherdiedItookupthebusiness，andwenthisbeat，andsupportedmymotherforthelittletimeshelived；
andwhenshediedImarriedthisyoungwoman，whowasnotbornupontheroads，butwasasmalltradesmansdaughter，atGloster。Shehadakindnessforme，and，notwithstandingherfriendswereagainstthematch，shemarriedthepoortinker，andcametolivewithhimupontheroads。Well，youngman，forsixorsevenyearsI