Jane had been idle, and she knew it, but sooner than let her
mistress speak to her, she gave warning, and lost as good a service as a
maid could wish for. Old Griggs was wrong, and could not deny it, and
yet because the parson's sermon fitted him rather close he took the
sulks, and vowed he would never hear the good man again. It was his own
loss, but he wouldn't listen to reason, but was as willful as a pig.
IT IS HARD FOR AN EMPTY SACK TO STAND UPRIGHT.
Sam may try a fine while before he will make one of his empty sacks
stand upright. If he were not half daft he would have left off that job
before he began it, and not have been an Irishman either. He will come
to his wit's end before he sets the sack on its end. The old proverb,
printed at the top, was made by a man who had burned his fingers with
debtors, and it just means that when folks have no money and are over
head and ears in debt, as often as not they leave off being upright, and
tumble over one way or another. He that has but four and spends five
will soon need no purse, but he will most likely begin to use his wits
to keep himself afloat, and take to all sorts of dodges to manage it.
Nine times out of ten they begin by making promises to pay on a certain
day when it is certain they have nothing to pay with. They are as bold
at fixing the time as if they had my lord's income; the day comes round
as sure as Christmas, and then they haven't a penny-piece in the world,
and so they make all sorts of excuses and begin to promise again.
Pages:
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424