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LXXXI.-MOSES AT THE FAIR.

The Vicar of Wakefield and his family, having formed the acquaintance of some people of fashion, resolve to sell their colt, and buy a horse, so that they may be able to make more of a figure in public. Moses is the Vicar's oldest son.

AS

S the fair happened on the following day, I had intentions of going myself; but my wife persuaded me that I had got a cold, and nothing could prevail upon her to permit me from home. "No, my dear," said she, "our son Moses is a discreet boy, and can buy and sell to very good advantage. You know all our great bargains are of his purchasing. He always stands out and higgles, and actually tires them till he gets a bargain."

2. As I had some opinion of my son's prudence, I was willing enough to send him to sell the colt and buy a horse; and the next morning I perceived his sisters mighty busy in fitting out Moses for the fairtrimming his hair, brushing his buckles, and cocking his hat with pins. The business of the toilet being over, we had at last the satisfaction of seeing him mounted upon the colt, with a deal box before him to bring home groceries in.

His

3. He had on a coat made of that cloth they called thunder and lightning, which, though grown too short, was much too good to be thrown away. waistcoat was of gosling green, and his sisters had tied his hair with a broad black ribbon. We all followed him several paces from the door, bawling after him, "Good luck, good luck!" till we could see him no longer. * * *

4. "Never mind our son," cried my wife, as I was wondering what could keep him so late at the fair;

"depend upon it he knows what he is about. I'll warrant we'll never see him sell his hen of a rainy day. I have seen him buy such bargains as would amaze one. I'll tell you a good story about that, that will make you split your sides with laughing. But, as I live, yonder comes Moses, without a horse, and the box at his back."

5. As she spoke, Moses came slowly on foot, and sweating under the deal box, which he had strapped round his shoulders like a peddler. "Welcome, welcome, Moses! Well, my boy, what have you brought us from the fair?" "I have brought you myself," cried Moses, with a sly look, and resting the box.on the dresser. "Ay, Moses," cried my wife, "that we know; but where is the horse?" "I have sold him," cried Moses, "for three pounds five shillings and two-pence." "Well done, my good boy," returned she; "I knew you would touch them off. Between ourselves, three pounds five shillings and two-pence is no bad day's work. Come, let us have

it, then."

6. "I have brought back no money," cried Moses again; "I have laid it all out in a bargain, and here it is," pulling out a bundle from his breast. "Here they are a gross of green spectacles, with silver rims and shagreen cases." "A gross of green spectacles!" repeated my wife, in a faint voice. "And you have parted with the colt, and brought us back nothing but a gross of paltry green spectacles!"

7. "Dear mother," cried the boy, "why won't you listen to reason? I had them a dead bargain, or I should not have bought them. The silver rims alone will sell for double the money." "A fig for the silver rims!" cried my wife, in a passion. "I dare

say they won't sell for above half the money at the rate of broken silver-five shillings an ounce."

8. "You need be under no uneasiness," cried I, "about selling the rims, for they are not worth sixpence; for I perceive they are only copper varnished over." "What!" cried my wife, "not silver? the rims not silver?" 66 No," cried I, "no more silver than your saucepan." "And so," returned she, "we have parted with the colt, and have only got a gross of green spectacles, with copper rims and shagreen cases! A murrain take such trumpery! The blockhead has been imposed upon, and should have known his company better!"

9. "There, my dear," cried I, "you are wrong. He should not have known them at all." "Marry! hang the idiot!" returned she, "to bring me such stuff; if I had them I would throw them in the fire." "There again you are wrong, my dear," cried I, "for though they be copper, we will keep them by us; as copper spectacles, you know, are better than nothing."

10. By this time the unfortunate Moses was undeceived. He now saw that he had indeed been imposed upon by a prowling sharper, who, observing his figure, had marked him for an easy prey. I, therefore, asked the circumstances of his deception. He sold the horse, it seems, and walked the fair in search of another. A reverend-looking man brought him to a tent under pretense of having one to sell.

11. "Here," continued Moses, "we met another man, very well dressed, who desired to borrow twenty pounds upon these, saying he wanted money, and would dispose of them for a third of their value. The first gentleman, who pretended to be my friend,

whispered me to buy them, and cautioned me not to let so good an offer pass. I sent for Mr. Flamborough, and they talked him up as finely as they did me; and so at last we were persuaded to buy the two gross between us."

12. Our family had now made several attempts to be fine. I endeavored to take advantage of every disappointment to improve their good sense in proportion as they were frustrated in ambition. "You see, my children," cried I, "how little is to be got by attempts to impose upon the world, in coping with our betters. Such as are poor and will associate with none but the rich, are hated by those they avoid and despised by those they follow.

Adapted from Goldsmith.

EXERCISES IN INFLECTION.

1. "No, my dear," said she; " our son Moses is a discreet boy.” 2. Trimming his hair, brushing his buckles, and cocking his hat with pins.

3. I have seen him buy such bargains as would amaze one.

4. The silver rims alone will sell for double the money.

LXXXII. PICTURES OF MEMORY.

A

MONG the beautiful pictures

That hang on Memory's wall,

Is one of a dim old forest,

That seemeth the best of all:
Not for its gnarled oaks olden,

Dark with the mistletoe;

Not for the violets golden

That sprinkle the vale below;

2. Not for the milk-white lilies

That lean from the fragrant hedge, Coquetting all day with the sunbeams, And stealing their golden edge; Not for the vines on the upland Where the bright red berries rest, Nor the pinks, nor the pale, sweet cowslip,

It seemeth to me the best.

3. I once had a little brother,

With eyes that were dark and deep-
In the lap of that old dim forest
He lieth in peace asleep:

Light as the down of the thistle,
Free as the winds that blow,
We roved there the beautiful summers,
The summers of long ago;

But his feet on the hills grew weary,
And, one of the autumn eves,

I made for my little brother
A bed of the yellow leaves.

4. Sweetly his pale arms folded

My neck in a meek embrace,
As the light of immortal beauty
Silently covered his face:
And when the arrows of sunset

Lodged in the tree-top bright,
He fell, in his saint-like beauty,
Asleep by the gates of light.
Therefore, of all the pictures
That hang on Memory's wall,
The one of the dim old forest
Seemeth the best of all.

Alice Cary.

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