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- start_line
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- text
- looking for the previous command to tip the box over yet more, when,
glancing into my uncle’s face, I started aghast. It seemed pinched,
shrivelled into mouldy whiteness, like a mildewed grape. I dropped the
box, and sprang toward him just in time to prevent his fall.
Leaving the woeful box where we had dropped it, Yorpy and I helped the
old man into the skiff, and silently pulled from Quash Isle.
How swiftly the current now swept us down! How hardly before had we
striven to stem it! I thought of my poor uncle’s saying, not an hour
gone by, about the universal drift of the mass of humanity toward utter
oblivion.
‘Boy!’ said my uncle at last, lifting his head.
I looked at him earnestly, and was gladdened to see that the terrible
blight of his face had almost departed.
‘Boy, there’s not much left in an old world for an old man to invent.’
I said nothing.
‘Boy, take my advice, and never try to invent anything but--happiness.’
I said nothing.
‘Boy, about ship, and pull back for the box.’
‘Dear uncle!’
‘It will make a good wood-box, boy. And faithful old Yorpy can sell the
old iron for tobacco-money.’
‘Dear massa! dear old massa! dat be very fust time in de ten long ’ear
yoo hab mention kindly old Yorpy. I tank yoo, dear old massa; I tank yoo
so kindly. Yoo is yourself agin in de ten long ’ear.’
‘Ay, long ears enough,’ sighed my uncle; ‘Esopian ears. But it’s all
over now. Boy, I’m glad I’ve failed. I say, boy, failure has made a good
old man of me. It was horrible at first, but I’m glad I’ve failed.
Praise be to God for the failure!’
His face kindled with a strange, rapt earnestness. I have never
forgotten that look. If the event made my uncle a good old man, as he
called it, it made me a wise young one. Example did for me the work of
experience.
When some years had gone by, and my dear old uncle began to fail, and,
after peaceful days of autumnal content, was gathered gently to his
fathers--faithful old Yorpy closing his eyes--as I took my last look at
his venerable face, the pale resigned lips seemed to move. I seemed to
hear again his deep, fervent cry--‘Praise be to God for the failure!’
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