Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE DREAM They say you can judge of a man by the company he keeps, and no doubt 'tis a very good test; but I say you can judge of a man by his view of Providence, for no two people take quite the same view, and according as a man is humble or vain, wise or foolish, so he'll look at Providence. And some, of course, you'll find modest and religious, and all they should be when they name the subject; others will be doubtful, and they're the godless sort; and others, patronising, and they're the witless sort; and others again be always snapping and snarling at Providence, and always got a new grievance against it and never a good word for the thing. Then some fawn on it, like a dog on its master, and take everything Providence sends — good or bad — lying down as you say. And others just speak of Providence as they find it; and if all goes well, they are glad and say kind words about it, and if all goes wrong, then they keep quiet and wait for better times. But that sort don't pretend nothing, and if Providence treats 'em shameful, as it often will the very best, without a reason that eye of man can see, then they just bend to the blow; but they won't kiss the hand that smites 'em, and they won't go about saying it's all right, when they know it's all wrong. That sort don't help parson at the time of Harvest Thanksgiving, if there's no harvest; because to say thank you for nothing seemsa bit unmanly, in their opinion. Others again whisper the name as if it was all ears; and when they're having a bit of luck, or things be going extra Titty with them, they keep close as the grave about it and hate even their fellow-man should know, for fear Providence gets wind of their good fortune and swoops down upon 'em and upsets the applecart, as it so often will. Such people don't trust Prov...