LIGHT FREIGHTS
by W. W. JACOBS
1901
Contents
ILLUSTRATIONS
AN ODD FREAK
Speaking o’ money,” said the night-watchman thoughtfully, as he selected anempty soapbox on the wharf for a seat, “the whole world would be different ifwe all ’ad more of it. It would be a brighter and a ’appier place foreverybody.”
He broke off to open a small brass tobacco-box and place a little quid oftobacco tenderly into a pouch in his left cheek, critically observing at thesame time the efforts of a somewhat large steamer to get alongside the nextwharf without blocking up more than three parts of the river. He watched it asthough the entire operation depended upon his attention, and, the steamer fast,he turned his eyes back again and resumed his theme.
“Of course it’s the being short that sharpens people,” he admittedthoughtfully; “the sharpest man I ever knew never ’ad a ha’penny in ’is pocket,and the ways ’e had o’ getting other chaps to pay for ’is beer would ha’ made’is fortin at the law if ’e’d only ’ad the eddication. Playful little chap ’ewas. I’ve seen men wot didn’t know ’im stand ’im a pot o’ beer and then foller’im up the road to se