DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 5 



close to it, the half-closed tenantless socket of 

 another eye. Before this apparition my legs gave 

 way, and I was on my knees and, with outstretched 

 hands, prepared to say: " Oh, please, Mr Satan, 

 I won't do it any more " ; but my mouth was so wide 

 open that I could not move it, and I was fast turn- 

 ing into stone when the big, red-lipped mouth 

 opened, and the devil said: "Why, little Phillie, 

 doan't be frightened ; it's only Pavey." I don't 

 know how I got there but I found myself nestling 

 close to Pavey, who was patting me on the head, 

 while my chest was almost bursting by the violent 

 efforts of my lungs to get back their equilibrium. 



I made my first acquaintance with Pavey while 

 hanging to Mary's skirt. Mother's spring-clean 

 was in progress and all the furniture was covered 

 up, for the chimney-sweep was coming. " The 

 girtest and blackest man in all the world, but he 

 wouldn't hurt J ee, cheel," was Mary's opinion of the 

 expected man. So, peeping out from behind a fold 

 of Mary's gown, I was introduced. " This be 

 Phillie, Pavey. He wants to zee 'ee go up the 

 chimbley." 



What a wondrous gift is that which enables a 

 child to so quickly gather from voice and eyes the 

 assurance of protection ! This man had but one 

 eye, remember, but the sparkle of it, coupled with 

 the music of his kindly talk, blotted out his lengthy 

 form and sooty face, and I was soon quite close to 

 him watching all his movements. Mary was not a 

 bit afraid either, although her golden, frizzy head 

 only reached a little above his elbow and, from the 

 way they laughed and talked between his unhurried 

 efforts to gather up the soot, she even liked him. 



