56 FARMING IT 



stint. Whenever his friends needed help, they 

 went to Nick. He gave what he had without 

 question, freely, cheerfully, with that true spirit 

 of giving that asks no return. 



So much was he bound up in the fortunes of 

 'Arry, that when the manufacturing company for 

 which they both worked saw fit to dismiss 'Arry 

 on account of some difference of opinion as to his 

 earning capacity, Nick at once gave notice, and 

 retired in huge disgust and amid a storm of pro- 

 fanity that lasted for the entire week. 



"An' sayes th' owd mon t' me," said Nick one 

 day in explanation of the matter, " ' Nick, th'art 

 worket ower weel twenty yeer, wheerfore needst 

 thago?' 



"An' Hi sayes to 'e, * An' ma brither 'Arry 's na 

 gude enowt' work for tha, it's to 'ell tha canst 

 go wi tha owd mill for aw Nick ! ' An' wi' thot 

 Hi stamped hout th' dure. An' th' owd mon wa 

 graidely sore ower it." 



'Arry was killed one day while crossing the 

 railroad track, and with his death came a great 

 change into Nick's life. He was not less kind to 

 his friends, or less thoughtful of the welfare of 

 those to whom he was indebted for a home. But 

 he was not the careless, jolly, cheerful Nick of old. 



My intimate acquaintance with Nick began 

 about this time, in connection with the settlement 

 of 'Arry's estate. Nick, while not deriving any 



