The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-01-02
DEAN SWIFT AND THE coBLER.

pin, though half-naked, was singing away like
a lark, and hammcring at tho heel of an old
shoe with all apparent lightness of heart that
astonishc,l the Dean when he contemplated
the merry wrtcll's obvious misery.
| Friend.' said tho Dean, p6using in his walk
at tho stall, aud addressing him, you seom to
be sory poor; but then you seem to be very
merry
Its not mirih SIR replied tho cobber-
I'm singing for the children in tho cellar be-
low"
How is thatT asked the Dean; don't un-
dcrstand YOU
why, sir, said the man, 'whenever the poor
things are hungry, and have nothing to eat.
sing droll songs for them, In order to mako
them forget the hunger
| What family have you?
| Not many, sr-only twelve or thirteen, or
so--but place God, there's a good time comm
Nelly, sir has her gifts-and. between you
and me, is II valuable subject to her Msjesry-
as for myself, God help me, I'm obliged to
keep hammerng away at the leather as well as
| can--just as you soc me, sir, at the heel OF
this old shoe
'And have you no prospect, asked the Dean,
| 'of improving your condition in life:'
If there DO such prospect, SIR replied
tho cobbler, Il have not been able to catch
glimpse of it; but suppose you have hoard
| tho proverb or our trade, sir--once cobbler,
| always cobbIer'
The proverb is bad one, observed the
Dean, and strikes at tho very root of indus
try
1t dosent touch me at all events-for as
far as industry goes I'm pattern to the neigh
borhood; but, unfortunately, the harder work
the poorer get. However wo have one COM
fort, which is, that there's better world be-
fore US, and that we arc preparing ourselves
for it,
How is that? asked the Dean.
'Why. sir, fasting and prayer are the best
! means of working out our salvation. It's true.
| indeed. wo haven't time to pray much. but we
make it up in the fastin'--as for my own part,
since cannot fast and pray, fast and sing
oh, hor thought the Dean, 'this is charac-
ter; must Try him ttlo further. What
did you mean by saying, the harder you work
the poorer you getl
Nothing's palmer, sir; my family's CROWN
up. and the employment goes down; you may
| understand mo without dictionary
well, them said the Dean, suppose friend
were to enable you to lay in a quantity Of
leather, and all the necessary materials for ma
king shoes let me ask, could you make them?
Gould Dane Swift wrlo ballad?-
'Ye people of Ireland, both country and city,
Come listen with patience and hear out M ditty:
At this time I'll choose to be wiser than witty
Which nobody can deny
God bless the Dane. at any ra,e--by putin
down Wood and his halfponce he saved mo
from bankruptcy; should have closed my
me of good borth of it,
what borth? asked the other.
'Why, sir, tho post of Solicitor General that
I had in my eye at the time; but faith he stop
ped my promotion. However, divil may caro-
for that-I can hammer the leather still, if the
work would only come in.
The holfperce coming the nations undoing;
There san end of our plough'ng. your baking and
brewing;
in short. you mustall go TO wreck and to ruin
Which nobody can deny.
The Dean began to feel moro than ampse-
ment in his chat with tho merry cobbler, and
after some further conversation, he said
We'll, now, you comical rogue, do you know
Dean Swiftl
Not by person. sir; that's pleasure that's
before mo yet; but know him well by oarrec-
ther."
what do you know about himr asked the
Doan.
why. that hos a trnc friend TO Ireland and
her people, and an enemy to all oppressors.
Both Nigh men and low men. and thick men and tall
And rich men. and poor men. and free men. and
Will suffer- and this aud that AMI all men,
Which nobody eau deny
Faith he added. 'if no wanted carrecthcr,
and eamo 10 me for one, he would h1vo no
reason to complain of it,
well, now said tho Dean. you seem 10 be
morry. hone-t follow, and think if you
wore assisted to improve your condition, that
tho assistance would not be thrown away upon
you.
sWell, think not replied tho cobblcr. I'm
good deal of thet notion myself. Honesty,
industry. aud good hu,nor runs in our family;
but somehow or othor, poverty insists on being
a relative as well rs the othors, and sticks to
us like wax
Suppose, now said the Dean, that lend
you the sum of ten pounds, TO buy leather,
and commence shoemakiug, will you promise
to pay mc at tho rate Of half-a'crown woekI
Il can OILY givc you my word for it at tho
present tiriio. replied tho cobbler; but you'll
find III keep it,
WELL ,hcn,' said tho Dean, opening his pock-
et-book, hero arc ten pounds for you, which |
givc. trusting you will make good use ofthem.
'You are Dano Swift said the cobblcr. for
no other man would do such an act as this
4 am replied tho Dean, and will further bc
friend you il you deserve IL. Now, good, bye,
and bo industrious"
'Asy. your reverence replied the cobblor =
can't part from you that way, Down to my
cellar you must como. TIL Nelly and the chill
dren sees you, or give up the money. III
the honor of the thing l look to--and, besides.
hnvo duty to discharge. Come, your row.
crcncc, don't be ashamed: it ill bo no longer a
cellar while you're in it, but charming rom;
and for tho same raison, you Must got drawing
room treatment--besidcs. / Have ali ould Gus
tom of the country to fulfill
The Dean. whose curiosity wrs excited to
know more about a man whom he looked upon
as an original. suffered himself to be prevailed
upon, nd descended into tho cellar. After
the cobbler had introduced Nelly and the
Dean to each other. he whispered To tho form |
or, into whose hands no thrust tho ten-pound
note: and in few inmates she returned wih
a bottle Of cidetF
What's ths! exclaimed tho Dean. do
you expect me TO drink with your c
we have an ould and holy custom in this
country, replied tho cobbler. that tho man
that gets tho money always gives tho trate; be-
causk won seo cir pnthin0 proenars uhan lie