SIMPLE SIMON

THE THOUSANDTH MAN

ONE man in a thousand, Solomon says,

Will stick more close than a brother. And it's worth while seeking him half If you find him before the other. Nine hundred and ninety-nine depend On what the world sees in you,

your days

But the Thousandth Man will stand your friend With the whole round world agin you.

'Tis neither promise nor prayer nor show
Will settle the finding for 'ee.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine of 'em go
By your looks or your acts or your glory.
But if he finds you and you find him,

The rest of the world don't matter;

For the Thousandth Man will sink or swim
With you in any water.

You can use his purse with no more talk
Than he uses yours for his spendings;
And laugh and meet in your daily walk
As though there had been no lendings.

Nine hundred and ninety-nine of 'em call
For silver and gold in their dealings;
But the Thousandth Man he's worth 'em all,
Because you can show him your feelings!

His wrong's your wrong, and his right's your right,

In season or out of season.

Stand up and back it in all men's sight-
With that for your only reason!
Nine hundred and ninety-nine can't bide
The shame or mocking or laughter,

But the Thousandth Man will stand by your side
To the gallows-foot-and after!

CAT

SIMPLE SIMON

ATTIWOW came down the steep lane with his five-horse timber-tug. He stopped by the wood-lump at the back gate to take off the brakes. His real name was Brabon, but the first time the children met him, years and years ago, he told them he was "carting wood," and it sounded so exactly like "cattiwow," that they never called him anything else.

"Hi!" Una shouted from the top of the woodlump, where they had been watching the lane. "What are you doing? Why weren't we told?"

"They've just sent for me," Cattiwow answered. "There's a middlin' big log sticked in the dirt at Rabbit Shaw, and"—he flicked his whip back along the line "so they've sent for us all."

Dan and Una threw themselves off the woodlump almost under black Sailor's nose. Cattiwow never let them ride the big beam that makes the body of the timber-tug, but they nung on behind while their teeth thuttered.

The wood road beyond the brook climbs at once