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