His work was
to load and unload, and he never needed to smile except when he liked, and
he never told lies.
"The other clerks gave me the name of Old Salvation; but there was one
person I liked very much. He was clerk in another store. He often went
past the door. He seemed to me not like others--his face was bright and
fresh like a little child's. When he came to the shop I felt I liked him.
One day I saw a book in his pocket, and that made me feel near him. I
asked him if he was fond of reading, and he said, yes, when there was
nothing else to do. The next day he came to me, and asked me if I did not
feel lonely; he never saw me going out with the other fellows; he would
come and see me that evening, he said.
"I was glad, and bought some meat and flour, because the grey mare and I
always ate mealies; it is the cheapest thing; when you boil it hard you
can't eat much of it. I made some cakes, and I folded my great coat on the
box to make it softer for him; and at last he came.
"'You've got a rummy place here,' he said.
"You see there was nothing in it but packing-cases for furniture, and it
was rather empty. While I was putting the food on the box he looked at my
books; he read their names out aloud. 'Elementary Physiology,' 'First
Principles.'
"'Golly!' he said; 'I've got a lot of dry stuff like that at home I got for
Sunday-school prizes; but I only keep them to light my pipe with now; they
come in handy for that.
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