f grandfather's, you
couldn't tell arter he'd done which side were the back and which side
were the edge. But he's a rare good hand at it now."

And, to tell the truth, Deborah greatly prized a new pair of scissors, a
present from Jacob, with the keenest of edges, the result of his first
thoroughly successful grinding; indeed, it was pretty clear that the
young knife-grinder was by no means an object of indifference to her.
The public proclaiming of his vocation in the open streets was the most
trying thing to Jacob. The very prospect of it almost made him give up.
Deborah was very merry at his expense, and told him, that "if he were
ashamed, she wouldn't mind walking in front of the cart, the first day,
and doing all the shouting for him." This difficulty, however, was got
over by the old man himself going with Jacob on his first few journeys,
and introducing him to his customers; after which he was able to take to
his new calling without much trouble. But it was quite plain that Old
Crow himself was too much injured by his fall to be able to resume the
knife-grinding for many months to come, even if indeed, he were ever
able to take to it again. But this did not distress him, for he had
learned to trace God's hand, as the hand of a loving Father, in
everything. Though old and grey-headed, he was hearty and cheerful, for
his old age was like a healthy winter, "kindly, though frosty;" for "he
never did apply hot and rebellious liquors to his blood." Spite of his
accident, these were happy days for him, for he had found in Jacob Poole
one thoroughly like-minded. Oh, the blessings of a home, however
humble, where Christ is loved, and the drink finds no entrance; for in
such a home there are seen no forced spirits, no unnatural excitements!
It was a touching sight when the quaint old man, having finished his
tea, would bring his rocking-chair nearer to the fire, and bidding Jacob
draw up closer on the other side, would tell of God's goodness to him in
times past, and of his hopes of a better and brighter home on the other
side of the dark river. Deborah would often make a third, and her
mother would join them too at times, and then Jacob would tell of the
wonders of the deep, and of the distant colony where he had sojourned.
Then the old man would lay aside the tall cap which he wore even in the
house, displaying his scattered white hairs, and would open his big
Bible with a smile,--

"I always smile when I open