« AT DADDY PEARN'S AGE 109 



'Makes me feel sick, It does,' Granfie Coombe 

 complained. 



'Poor things ! Poor things, to be sure,' 

 lamented Uncle Henry Oborne. 'Ah ! 'tisn't 

 like 't used 't be, not up to Ware nother.' 



But Daddy Pearn, before resting his chin on his 

 stick, chuckled as If with amusement. 'Dan'l BIs- 

 coe,' he said, 'went away to sea an' was drownded 

 off the Cape of Good Hope, which I reckon was 

 the best that could happen. That was seventy 

 year ago, near about. When I looks back. . . .* 



Daddy Pearn laughed outright. 



He Is so very, very old that human joy and 

 pain have perhaps become a little distant to him. 



