But even now, when a score of years, save one, had made their score and gone, Mrs.Cheeseman only guessed and doubted as to the purchase of her ship.

James Cheeseman knew the value of his own counsel, and so kept it; and was patted on both shoulders by the world, while he patted his own butter.
He wore an apron of the purest white, with shoulder-straps of linen tape, and upon his counter he had a desk, with a carved oak rail in front of it and returned at either end.

The joy of his life was here to stand, with goodly shirt sleeves shining, his bright cheeks also shining in the sun, unless it were hot enough to hurt his goods.

He was not a great man, but a good one--in the opinion of all who owed him nothing, and even in his own estimate, though he owed so much to himself.

It was enough to make any one who possessed a shilling hungry to see him so clean, so ready, and ruddy among the many good things which his looks and manner, as well as his words, commended.