She Blows! And Sparm at That!by William John Hopkins
AND SPARM AT THAT!
WILLIAM JOHN HOPKINS
Author of “The Clammer,” “Old Harbor,”“Burbury Stoke,” etc.
CLIFFORD W.ASHLEY
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
CAMBRIDGE · MASSACHUSETTS
PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
NOTE
I wish to acknowledge my indebtednessto Mr. Clifford W. Ashley for his kindness in reading theproof of this book and in making various corrections andsuggestions.
W. J. H.
CHAPTER I
I am nearing the evening of life. Manypeople think of me, I know, as a man who has attained toas much as one can reasonably hope for in this life—ifthey think of me at all. It is not so much, after all.The things I have aimed for and missed seem, at times,much more important than those I have had. But I put thisthought by. Youth expects a good deal; and when one isyoung—and for a long time after; indeed, until a man isold—he finds hope at the bottom of the cup, enough of it todrown the taste of the bitter draught he has taken. I haveevolved the theory that a man is old only when, the cupdrained, there is no hope left in it. Thank God, I have notyet reached that