rue nasal twang
that characterises the lower class of New Englanders, and inquired "if
she had any notion of a bargain."

She replied that "she believed she had no occasion for anything"--her
customary answer to all such questions.

But Israel, who looked into futurity, and entertained views towards his
own housekeeping, stepped forward to the tin-cart, and began to take
down and examine various mugs, pans, kettles, and coffee-pots--the
latter particularly, as he had a passion for coffee, which he secretly
determined to indulge both morning and evening, as soon as he was
settled in his domicile.

"Mother," said Amy, "I do wish thee would buy a new coffee-pot, for ours
has been leaking all summer, and I have to stop it every morning with
rye-meal. Thee knows we can give the old one to Israel."

"To be sure," replied Mrs Warner, "it will do well enough for young
beginners. But I cannot say I feel quite free to buy a new coffee-pot
at this time. I must consider about it."

"And there's the cullender," said Orphy, "it has such a big crack at the
bottom, that when I am smashing the squashes for dinner, not only the
water, but the squashes themselves drip through. Better give it to
Israel, and get a new one for ourselves. What's this?" she continued,
taking up a tin water-dipper.

"That is for dipping warter out of the bucket," replied the tinman.

"Oh, yes," cried Amy, "I've seen such a one at Rachel Johnson's. What a
clever thing it is, with a good long handle, so that there's no danger
of splashing the water on our clothes. Do buy it, mother. Thee knows
that Israel can have the big calabash: I patched it myself, yesterday,
where it was broken, and bound the edge with new tape, and it's now as
good as ever."

"I don't know," said the farmer, "that we want anything but a new
lantern; for ours had the socket burnt out long before these moonlight
nights, and it's dangerous work taking a candle into the stable."

The tinman knowing that our plain old farmers, though extremely liberal
of everything that is produced on their plantations, are, frequently,
very tenacious of coin, and much averse to parting with actual money,
recommended his wares more on account of their cheapness than their
goodness; and, in fact, the price of most of the articles was two or
three cents lower than they could be purchased for at the stores.

Old Micajah thought there was no actual necessity for anything except
the lantern; but h