the point. As the American gentleman said who left his bill unpaid,
'Take my breadstuffs and I'll give you a cheque at sight on the
Pennsylvanian Bank.'"

"It's very true," said Mrs Trotman. "Who's there?"

"Nothing in my way?" said a woman with a basket of black cherries with a
pair of tin scales thrown upon their top.

"Ah! Mrs Carey," said Chaffing Jack, "is that you?"

"My mortal self, Mr Trotman, tho' I be sure I feel more like a ghost
than flesh and blood."

"You may well say that Mrs Carey; you and I have known Mowbray as long I
should think as any in this quarter--"

"And never see such times as these Mr Trotman, nor the like of such. But
I always thought it would come to this; everything turned topsy-turvy
as it were, the children getting all the wages, and decent folk turned
adrift to pick up a living as they could. It's something of a judgment
in my mind, Mr Trotman."

"It's the trade leaving the county, widow, and no mistake."

"And how shall we bring it back again?" said the widow; "the police
ought to interfere."

"We must have cheap bread," said Mr Trotman.

"So they tell me," said the widow; "but whether bread be cheap or dear
don't much signify, if we have nothing to buy it with. You don't want
anything in my way, neighbour? It's not very tempting I fear," said the
good widow, in a rather mournful tone: "but a little fresh fruit cools
the mouth in this sultry time, and at any rate it takes me into the
world. It seems like business, tho' very hard to turn a penny by; but
one's neighbours are very kind, and a little chat about the dreadful
times always puts me in spirits."

"Well, we will take a pound for the sake of trade, widow," said Mrs
Trotman.

"And here's a glass of gin and water, widow," said Mr Trotman, "and when
Mowbray rallies you shall come and pay for it."

"Thank you both very kindly," said the widow, "a good neighbour as our
minister says, is the pool of Bethesda; and as you say, Mowbray will
rally."

"I never said so," exclaimed Chaffing Jack interrupting her. "Don't go
about for to say that I said Mowbray would rally. My words have some
weight in this quarter widow; Mowbray rally! Why should it rally?
Where's the elements?"

"Where indeed?" said Devilsdust as he entered the Cat and Fiddle with
Dandy Mick, "there is not the spirit of a louse in Mowbray."

"That's a true bill," said Mick.

"Is there another white-livered town in the whole realm where the
operatives ar