nd instead of prating
for ever, '_Ain't I fine?_' I'll teach it to cry, '_Ain't I clever?_'"

"And then you'll give it to me!" exclaimed Matty. "There's nothing that
I adore like Parade; often and often I've wished to have it. I'm quite
astonished that Nelly should prefer that dull, spiritless creature,
Content."

"I've done more yet to put Folly into good humour," said Dick, who,
though he heartily despised his sister's companion, yet liked to amuse
himself sometimes with her airs; "I've invited her to come this evening
and see my grand display of fireworks."

"Fireworks! oh, that will be charming!" exclaimed Matty, clapping her
hands.

"And I've desired her to bring Pride with her; nothing goes off well
without him."

Nelly, who had a disagreeable recollection of her late interview with
Pride, looked very grave on hearing of the invitation given to him by
her brother.

"Where did you get the fireworks?" asked Matty, who, in her pleasure at
the idea of seeing something new, had quite forgotten her loss.

"Where but from Mr. Chemistry? I knew that it was all nonsense in old
Learning to say that his goods were not yet for me. Pride and I were
laughing half the evening at the sage's old-fashioned notions. I suppose
that he thinks that no one can see the world till forced to look at it
through spectacles, like himself. 'You need an introduction, indeed!'
cried Pride; 'just step up boldly like a man. Mr. Chemistry, with his
gases, his retorts, his acids, and his alkalies, will be glad enough to
see the colour of your money without making uncivil observations.' Said
I, 'Mr. Pride, your advice is good, and I'll act upon it directly.' So
off starts I, brave as a lion; plank Patience still lay across brook
Bother, but I kicked it right into the stream."

"Oh, why did you do so?" exclaimed Nelly.

"Patience may do well enough for you," replied Dick, "but you see a chap
like me doesn't want it. Well, to go on with my story. I found Mr.
Chemistry hard at work beside an electric machine, and I stopped some
moments to watch the crackling sparks drawn from the whirling glass
wheel. At last the old fellow looked up, and saw me with my purse in my
hand. 'You're a young student,' says he. 'An old head on young
shoulders,' says I, looking as solemn and wise as Mr. Learning himself
could do. 'You'll need to undergo a short examination,' says he, 'upon
the first principles of my science.' Those words rather took me aback,
for I