epers put their heads together, and resolve to draw their
prosperous enemy into a fight that will ruin him and enable them to
smash his windows. Accordingly, they throw stones and dirt at him, but
he, intently interested in his store, notices them not. His noisy
apprentices and loungers around see and point out the insult, and urge
him to avenge himself. But no; he has no time to pay attention to petty
annoyances; he is too busy getting up a huge candlestick for the Fair,
and so, to smooth matters over, he sends his two enemies an invitation
to view the magnificent candlestick that is to throw so much light on
the world.

"He is either too stupid or too sharp for us," sighs the Baker; "we
can't do anything in that way. Suppose we set up an opposition store,
with one of your sons for Proprietor, and see what effect that will
have."--"Good, it shall be done," says the Butcher.

Soon an empty store adjoining is hired, and being put in order, when the
hitherto blind Proprietor wakes up to the fact that there is a coalition
against him, and that he had better be stirring or he will lose his
trade. Accordingly he writes a remonstrance to his friend the Butcher,
telling him "he wishes no rival in the trade. He has always had a
monopoly, and he intends to keep it." His apprentices back him up in his
assertions, and declare they are ready to die for him and their
candlesticks. The advent of the messenger is noticed with inward
rejoicing by the twain, but, when he presents his remonstrance, he is
immediately kicked out of doors.

That is the last feather, the one straw too much, and the excitable
little Candlestick-maker at once challenges his opponents to deadly
combat.

The Poet, with a sublime contempt for the mysterious and wonderful
intricacies of war, significantly calls this rush to arms a "jumping
into a rotten potato."

Alas! it proves a rotten potato to the poor Candlestick-maker. Out
sallies the Butcher with his cleaver, and his boys with their knives,
and by his side the Baker with his rolling-pin, followed by his crowd of
friends armed with toasting-forks and cutting-irons, presenting a
formidable front to the astonished JOHNNY and his handful of
apprentices.

But there is no back-door to creep out through now; so at it they go,
Valor against Might, but Might is the stronger, and Valor gets knocked
on the head and has to fall back. This exasperates the heroic defenders
of the shop, who exclaim, "If you can't