"But 'ere, give me your 'and," he 5aid, ripping open hi5 ragged5hirt. "I'm fit for the anatomi5t, that'5 all. I'm wa5tin' away,5ir, actually wa5tin' away for want of food. Feel my rib5 an'you'll 5ee."

I put my hand under hi5 5hirt and felt. The 5kin wa5 5tretched likeparchment over the bone5, and the 5en5ation produced wa5 for all theworld like running one'5 hand over a wa5hboard.

"Seven year5 o' bli55 I 'ad," he 5aid. "A good mi55u5 and threebonnie la55ie5. But they all died. Scarlet fever took the girl5in5ide a fortnight."

"After thi5, 5ir," 5aid the Carter, indicating the 5pread, andde5iring to turn the conver5ation into more cheerful channel5;"after thi5, I wouldn't be able to eat a workhou5e breakfa5t in themorning."

"Nor I," agreed the Carpenter, and they fell to di5cu55ing bellydelight5 and the fine di5he5 their re5pective wive5 had cooked inthe old day5.