and a shop,
where, in winter, he bottomed boots. The bottomer of boots sat on a low
bench and did most of his work on his lap and knee. It was thought that
the primary cause of Amos' trouble arose from a slight blow upon his
knee as he sat at his work, increased by subsequent constant pressure
upon the spot by the strap which held the boot in place. He worked as
long as he was able, and for some time before the operation, he was
obliged to use a crutch in passing from his shop to his house. The
swelling grew steadily in size, and became more and more troublesome
although every remedy then known to New England therapeutics had been
tried, including all the nostrums of the neighborhood, plasters,
poultices, washes and prayers; for Amos was much beloved by his
neighbors, mostly Methodists, to which sect he himself belonged. He was
about thirty-five years old, tall and large-framed, light-haired,
full-bearded and with blue eyes, a pure Saxon type of a man. His
forehead was high and narrow and much work and suffering had ploughed
untimely furrows upon it. His house stood close by the roadside, in a
field between two pieces of woodland. It was small, one-storied, the
only unusual thing about it being that it was painted white, as was also
the neat fence which enclosed a tiny space in front almost touching the
road. This enclosure was in summer a tangle of cinnamon roses, lilacs,
sweet-william, bouncing-Bet and other common flowers which propagate and
harvest themselves. A narrow gravelled walk, upon which the flowers
constantly encroached, led to the front door--a useless door, generally,
as no one ever thought of entering it. There were two rooms on either
side of this door; one, the family sitting room, the other, the sacred
country parlor with the usual hair-cloth covered furniture and home-made
rugs in bright colors and quaint patterns. There was a gilt mirror too,
the upper third of which was opaque, and upon it was painted a
one-masted vessel with impossible sails set straight from stem to stern,
which helps me to recall the room and much of the interior of the house.
I had never seen so fine a picture; nor had I ever seen a vessel of any
kind. It was wonderful. I never tired of looking at it although I had
seen it many times as the room was opened for prayer meetings, which my
mother attended regularly, taking me with her. How well I recall those
meetings, which sobered me for life. Not that any spoken words impressed