C Ihe Ladies c cu. V'VVAN - History and Classics, Department of

The Unrelenting North 83chance to follow the laws of nature, 'tis breakfast 7 sharp and oHto work, oranother man will get your job and then you'd have to move around quick andlively to catch something else, bowing with your hat in your hand and your heelstogether: 'Here's my papers, here's my credentials, please give me ajob.' Regularas clocks you must be outside, and dull as a time-piece too. There's nothing likeyour independence and here in the North no man can deprive you of that."We put the other side of the question to him and reminded him of some of thethings that we had left behind but he did not change his tune."Oh yes, there's hard winters and long nights, and empty stomachs mebbe,and two bad seasons to one good mebbe and an off-shore wind with a leakingschooner. But you may as well keep smiling here. It's not much sunshine you'llget when you're put under."And then, without a pause, the inevitable backwash."And put under we all must be, or at any rate if I'm not buried for love I guessI'll make a pretty fair plague spot for those around. "