ellow's so poor
that the mice all ran away from him."

"Florian can dress and undress himself five times over and not take all
the fine clothes out of his chest," said a third.

"And he speaks French 'most all the time."

"And he has a watch, with a chain, and all the tools of his trade hung
to it in silver for charms."

"And he's got a black mustache you can hardly help kissing."

A dispute interrupted this torrent of items.

"What're you pushing me so for?" said Corpse Kitty to Kilian's Annie:
"I'm not a rich chap."

"Hold your jaw, you!--you've been to the House of Correction twice
already, and the third time's written on your forehead now."

"I'll mark your forehead," screeched Kitty, striking at Annie with her
bucket; but she parried the blow, and struck another. A fierce struggle
ensued: the buckets were dropped, and the combatants "clinched" hand to
hand. After looking on passively a while, the others interfered, Soges
particularly dealing official blows to the right and left with great
vigor and impartiality. Like two fighting-cocks torn asunder, the
hostile parties looked daggers at each other as they picked up their
buckets. Annie brushed her hair out of her face, crying bitterly, and
complaining that nobody was safe, nor ever would be, until Corpse Kitty
was in the House of Correction for life.

Crescence's turn having come at last, she carried the heavy bucket home
on her head and a still heavier load in her heart. Tears were rolling
down her cheeks; but she pretended that they were drops from the
bucket, and always wiped the lower rim of it with her apron. There was
confusion in her heart now, and she foresaw still greater troubles in
the future.

Having returned home, she went through with her work, but without
singing another note.

Lest our readers should be at a loss to divine what a titled personage
like a geometer should be doing in the village, it is proper to remind
them that the general survey of the country took place about this time.
Every nook and corner of the land was mapped, labelled, and numbered;
and in the course of the operation a new element was infused into the
life of the people. A race of "city fellows," belonging neither to the
order of parsons nor to that of schoolmasters, made their way into the
village: they were generally young, smart, and fond of enjoyment; and
the importance they soon acquired among the female portion of the
community has already become apparent.