A Commentary Author:John Galsworthy 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: I The Lost Dog It was the first October frost. Outside a half-built house, before a board on which was written, "Jolly Bros., Builders," I saw a man, whose... more » eyes seemed saying: "In the winter building will stop; if I am homeless and workless now, what shall I be in two months' time?" Turning to me he said: "Can you give me a job, sir? I don't mind what I do." His face was in mourning for a shave, his clothes were very ragged, and he was so thin that there seemed hardly any man behind those ragged clothes. He smelt, not indeed of whiskey, but as though bereaved of it; and his blue and watery eyes were like those of a lost dog. We looked at each other, and this conversation passed between our eyes: "What are you? Where did you work last? How did you get into this condition? Are you married? How many children? Why don't you apply to the proper authorities? I have money, and you have none; it is my right to ask these questions." "I am a lost dog." "But I have no work for you; if you are really hungry I can give you sixpence; I can also refer you to a Society who will examine your affairs, but if they find you a man for whom life has been too much, they will tell me so, and warn me not to help you. Is that what you want?" "I am a lost dog." "I dare say; but what can I do? I can't make work! I know nothing about you, I dare n't recommend you to my friends. No man gets into the condition you are in without the aid of his own folly. You say you fell ill; yes, but you all say that. Why couldn't you look ahead and save some money? You see now that you ought to have? And yet you come to me! I have a great many calls—societies, old people, and the sick;the rates are very high—you know that —partly on your account!" "I am a lost dog." "Ah! but I am told daily by...« less