large/9551/sirgibbie_1705_librivox_64kb_mp3/sirgibbie_07_macdonald_64kb_31
large/9551/sirgibbie_1705_librivox_64kb_mp3/sirgibbie_07_macdonald_64kb
English
9551
Drunken father as he was, I know of nothing that can or ought to make up for such a loss, except that which can restore it  the bosom of the Father of fathers. DRUNKEN FATHER AS HE WAS I KNOW OF NOTHING THAT CAN OR OUGHT TO MAKE UP FOR SUCH A LOSS EXCEPT THAT WHICH CAN RESTORE IT THE BOSOM OF THE FATHER OF FATHERS
 the birds of whose air have neither storehouse nor barn, but are just such thoughtless cherubs--thoughtless for themselves, that is--as wee Sir Gibbie. It would be useless to attempt convincing the mere economist that this great city was a little better, a little happier, a little merrier, for the presence in it of the child, because he would not, even if convinced of the fact, recognize the gain; but I venture the assertion to him, that the conduct of not one of its inhabitants was the worse for the example of Gibbie’s apparent idleness; and that not one of the poor women who now and then presented the small baronet with a penny, or a bit of bread, or a scrap of meat, or a pair of old trousers--shoes nobody gave him, and he neither desired nor needed any--ever felt the poorer for the gift, or complained that she should be so taxed. Positively or negatively, then, everybody was good to him, and Gibbie felt it; but what could make up for the loss of his Paradise, the bosom of a father? ONE WHO HAS NO PLACE IN IT THE BIRDS OF WHOSE AIR HAVE NEITHER STORE HOUSE NOR BARN BUT ARE JUST SUCH THOUGHTLESS CHERUBS THOUGHTLESS FOR THEMSELVES THAT IS AS WE SIR GIBBEY IT WOULD BE USELESS TO ATTEMPT CONVINCING THE MERE ECONOMISTS THAT THIS GREAT CITY WAS A LITTLE BETTER A LITTLE HAPPIER A LITTLE MERRIER FOR THE PRESENCE IN IT OF THE CHILD BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT EVEN IF CONVINCED OF THE FACT RECOGNIZE THE GAME BUT I VENTURED THE ASSERTION TO HIM THAT THE CONDUCT OF NOT ONE OF ITS INHABITANTS WAS THE WORSE FOR THE EXAMPLE OF GIBBEY'S APPARENT IDLENESS AND THAT NOT ONE OF THE POOR WOMEN WHO NOW AND THEN PRESENTED THE SMALL BARONET WITH A PENNY OR A BIT OF BREAD OR A SCRAP OF MEAD OR A PAIR OF OLD TROUSERS SHOES NOBODY GAVE HIM AND HE NEITHER DESIRED NOR NEEDED ANY EVER FELT THE POORER FOR THE GIFT OR COMPLAINED THAT SHE SHOULD BE SO TAXED POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY THEN EVERYBODY WAS GOOD TO HIM AND GIBBEY FELT IT BUT WHAT COULD MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS OF HIS PARADISE THE BOSOM OF A FATHER
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