Rockhaven

n tower above his fellow-men. Not from stature, though he stood full six feet, or that he was impressive in other ways-far from it. He was like a child a

sed he always fulfilled, and no one ever asked his aid in vain. Others quarrelled, made mistakes, repented of errors, lost time in fruitless ventures; but Jess-never. He was like a great ship moving majest

ered above al

st of all follies. To him men were grown-up children who needed to be amused and directed; and women the custodian

t he was a walking example of the best that religion encourages, for he gov

nd in setting a good example as far as la

my behalf. I'm a weak vessel, like all on us, an' my impulses need caulkin'. I do the best I kin, 'cordin' to my light, 'n' that's all any man kin. The Lord won't go back on us fer not gittin' dipped, an'

e're all on us poor critters, an' if we jine

ss of inherent human weakness

boat 'thout ballast in a gale o' wind. An' then what becomes o' all yer 'lowin' the Lord's opened yer eyes 'n' gin ye extra grace? Ye only get laughed at by the scoffers 'n' y

humble as a child's happiness, permeated a

xt days, and when we git to 'em, somehow they've sorter faded away, and it's to be the next day and the next as is ter be the bright uns. Then, we are all on u

it's worryin' 'bout our nabors havin' more'n we do. The feller courtin' worries for fear the gal won't say 'yes,' an' when she does he is likely to see the time he wishes she hadn't, an' worries 'cause he's got her. We worry ourselves old 'n' wrinkled 'n' gr

what Jess believed and said that was quoted rather than the parson's assertions; and although Jess seldom failed to be one of his listeners, and contributed more than any five or ten ot

ar, mackerel were late in reaching the coast. The price was correspondingly high, and Rockhaven's band of fishermen eager to make the first haul. Most of them attended churc

e had been sung, and the parson, with closed eyes, had got well started in his prayer, down through

in the church except Jess Hutton and the parson. And when that good m

, "the model o' all Christianity sot the example, 'cord

failed to see the humor of the situation and sadly shook his h

ding of these fisher-folk's carnal as well as spiritual

' scace at that, prayers hain't got their usual grip. And ye oughtn't ter 'spect it, parson. The way to reach 'em's to be one with 'em and sorter feel thar needs, and make em feel they're yer

nd partially the secret of

debts, and rewarded all kindnesses. And how they trusted him! A fisher lad, saving up for a new suit of clothes or a boat of his own, would, before starting on a trip, leave his money with Jess for safe keeping. The owner of a smack or schooner, ready for another cruise, would ask Jess to take charge of the quintals and kits of fish just lande

trust w

stood by all to be the rule; and every one in the island, from a child wantin

ton, claimed to her amusement; and when she asked that he accompany her flower or sh

tation of candy, oranges, and nuts in his store, wou

ter try it, let 'em. It's bound to be found out, one way or 'nother, and wh

for he was like a boy baiting squirrels wit

he kept bachelor's hall over his store, and to have

s and beneath his counter; they hid in empty boxes and under piles of old sails in his back room. They littered his piazza with crabs, starfish, long strips of kelpie and shells, they had gathered among the rocks and on the beach, and left the

ed, danced, crowed, and shouted

as also sup

always cordial, and whose love seemed limitless. And they would obey a shake of his head even. And when the frolic had las

in of satire as w

brighter'n our neighbor's, an' our own joys and sorrers o' more account, and

were an' what she was doin' fer 'em. She'd run on fer hours 'bout all her ailin's till folks 'ud go off 'n' leave her. She got so daft on this subject, finally, everybody'd run fer safety and hide when they saw her comin'. She used ter talk in meetin' onct in a while, 'n' arter a spell her aches got sorter

t any wuss fer the Lord to hev to listen to her bodily aches and pains than the spiritu

how the rumatiz had started in her big toe and skipped from one jint to 'tot

er upper lip an' a hair mole on her chin, 'sides bein' poorer'n a church mous