He was one of the kind sports call a spider,

All wiry arms and legs that spread out wavy

From a humped body nigh as big as a biscuit.

But work!—that man could work, especially

If by so doing he could get more work

Out of his hired help. I’m not denying

He was hard on himself: I couldn’t find

That he kept any hours—not for himself.

Day-light and lantern-light were one to him:

I’ve heard him pounding in the barn all night.