NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 5: Quality

Mr Gessler was a shoemaker who made shoes only on orders and lived with his elder brother in their shop in London. The shop had no signs except the board with the name of Gessler Brothers. He used to be engrossed in the boot, making art most of the time, he also admired every piece of material he used, and boots made by him were of superior quality and lasted long.

Once when the author complained to Mr Gessler about the shoes, he promised that he would repair the shoe, and if he couldn't, he would return the money. The author was absent-minded and was wearing the boots he had bought in an emergency from a large shop. Mr Gessler carefully looked at the shoes and said these were not from his shop. He said that he was losing his business due to big firms. The author had never seen Mr Gessler talking this long. The author ordered many pairs of boots instantly. After a while, the author got to know that the elder brother had passed away. He again ordered many pairs of shoes and soon after that left for abroad.

After returning, the author went to the boot shop, and this time, Mr Gessler looked more aged. When only a year had passed in reality, from his face, it appeared as though more than a decade had passed. The author, as usual, placed the order, and the boots were better than ever. The author immediately signed a check and posted it, but one fine day when the author passed from the street, he thought of meeting Mr Gessler, he found that the nameplate was missing from the shop instead of Mr Gessler an English man was inside the shop.

The Englishman informed that Mr Gessler had passed away and that he had taken the shop. The man said that he had died of starvation and used to work day and night and made splendid boots, in-fact the best in London with the finest leather, and yet he lost to competition. He hardly had any money, he used to skip meals, and all the money went into rent and leather.