On the Tuesday morning after the Saturday that John Pounds had arranged to take his scholars a ramble to Portsdown, I wished to speak to him, and went to his shop; but to my surprise I found the door shut. The little tumble-down window was open, and his cat was sitting at it, keeping watch. But there was no sound of children’s voices, and the old man was not there. Read more…
Stopping one morning at the old cobbler’s open half-door, to have a chat with him, and look on the busy scene of life and improvement and happiness so full of vigour about him, I observed some books beside his left elbow very much worn, and coming to pieces; and I said, “I think, Mr. Pounds, you want some knew books.” “Why so?” he said . Read more…
On my way back to my lodgings in High Street, I had to pass the old cobblers shop. As I drew near, I heard many children’s voices, chattering and laughing all together. The upper part of the door was open, as usual; and his little tumble-down window was open too, Looking in; – there was the good old man in his glory! – in the midst of a host of little girls and boys, crowding about him, with merry laughing looks and voices! Read more…
Passing the next day, at noon; all was still in the little shop; except the birds singing. No little crowd of scholars; his little tumble-down window was open, and the upper-half of the street door was open; but his bench was vacant. The old man was asleep in his old arm-chair; his cat sitting on his knee, comfortably tucked up, seemingly asleep too. Read more…
A few days after I came to reside at Portsmouth, in the spring of 1833, a lady said to me laughingly, “Have you been introduced to the old cobbler yet ?”. Seeing that I was at a loss to know whom she referred to; “O you must go and see the old cobbler;” she said in a somewhat more serious tone; but mingled with pleasantry’ “He’s a remarkable man’ quite a character! And does a great deal of good, in his own quiet, humble way. Read more…