mbs over their fingers; and when they are tired of
that, twirl their fingers over their thumbs. I'm nobody, and so I goes
and sets side-ways on an ottarman, like a gall on a side-saddle, and
look at what's afore me. And fust I always look at the galls.

"Now, this I will say, they are amazin' fine critters are the women
kind here, when they are taken proper care of. The English may stump the
univarse a'most for trainin' hosses and galls. They give 'em both plenty
of walkin' exercise, feed 'em regular, shoe 'em well, trim 'em neat, and
keep a beautiful skin on 'em. They keep, 'em in good health, and don't
house 'em too much. They are clippers, that's a fact. There is few
things in natur, equal to a hoss and a gall, that's well trained and in
good condition. I could stand all day and look at 'em, and I call myself
a considerable of a judge. It's singular how much they are alike too,
the moment the trainin' is over or neglected, neither of 'em is fit to
be seen; they grow out of shape, and look coarse.

"They are considerable knowin' in this kind o' ware too, are the
English; they vamp 'em up so well, it's hard to tell their age, and I
ain't sure they don't make 'em live longer, than where the art ain't
so well pract_ised_. The mark o' mouth is kept up in a hoss here by the
file, and a hay-cutter saves his teeth, and helps his digestion. Well,
a dentist does the same good turn for a woman; it makes her pass for
several years younger; and helps her looks, mends her voice, and makes
her as smart as a three year old.

"What's that? It's music. Well, that's artificial too, it's scientific
they say, it's done by rule. Jist look at that gall to the piany: first
comes a little Garman thunder. Good airth and seas, what a crash! it
seems as if she'd bang the instrument all to a thousand pieces. I guess
she's vexed at somebody and is a peggin' it into the piany out of spite.
Now comes the singin'; see what faces she makes, how she stretches her
mouth open, like a barn door, and turns up the white of her eyes, like
a duck in thunder. She is in a musical ecstasy is that gall, she feels
good all over, her soul is a goin' out along with that ere music. Oh,
it's divine, and she is an angel, ain't she? Yes, I guess she is, and
when I'm an angel, I will fall in love with her; but as I'm a man, at
least what's left of me, I'd jist as soon fall in love with one that
was a leetle, jist a leetle more of a woman, and a leetle, jist a leetle
l