74 OLD PLYMOUTH TRAILS 



been a Nantucket institution; at these one bids 

 for his first choice of cuts and having bid high- 

 est is allowed such portions and such amounts 

 of the "critter" as he pleases. 



Billy Clark made much money, as money was 

 reckoned in his day on the island but he had no 

 faculty for keeping it or even keeping account 

 of it. For thirty years his returns for his news- 

 papers sold were made from time to time to the 

 Boston office in, seemingly, such sums as struck 

 his fancy as being appropriate. These were 

 more than adequate for by and by the office sent 

 down word, "Tell Billy Clark for heaven's sake 

 to quit sending us money. He is too far ahead 

 of us." 



As might have been expected Nantucket's town 

 crier died poor and would have been in want had 

 not a subscription paper been started for him by 

 the local paper. This, made up in large part by 

 summer visitors and off-islanders, amounted to 

 several hundred dollars, and at the end there 

 were forty dollars left with which to buy him a 

 tombstone. I have not seen this tombstone. It 

 ought to have a horn neatly graven, but I sup- 

 pose it has not. The town misses him, needs 



