Part 15 (1/2)
As the fair happened on the following day, I had intentions of going ot 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 theain”
As I had soh to intrust hi I perceived his sistershis hair, brushi+ng his buckles, and cocking his hat with pins
The business of the toilet being over, we had at last the satisfaction of seeing hi horoceries in He had on a coat , which, though grown too short, wasgreen, and his sisters had tied his hair with a broad black ribbon We all followed hi after hier
As night ca at the fair
”Never mind our son,” cried my wife, ”depend upon it, he knohat he is about I'll warrant we'll never see him sell his hen of a rainy day
I have seen hiood story about that, that willBut, as I live, yonder comes Moses, without a horse, and the box at his back”
As she spoke, Moses ca under the deal box, which he had strapped round his shoulders like a pedlar
”Welcoht us froht youthe box on the dresser
”Ah, Moses,” cried my wife, ”that we know, but where is the horse?”
”I have sold his, and twopence”
”Well done, ood boy,” returned she, ”I knew you would touch thes, and twopence is no bad day's work Coht back no ain, and here it is,” pulling out a bundle froreen spectacles, with silver rireen spectacles!” repeated my wife, in a faint voice ”And you have parted with the colt and brought us back nothing but a gross of green paltry spectacles!”
”Dear mother,” cried the boy, ”on't you listen to reason? I had theht them The silver ri for the silver rims!” cried my wife, in a passion ”I dare swear they won't sell for above half the s an ounce”
”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!”
”No,” cried I, ”no more silver than your sauce-pan”
”And so,” returned she, ”we have parted with the colt, and have only got a gross of green spectacles, with copper rireen cases! A murrain take such trumpery! The blockhead has been imposed upon, and should have known his co; he should not have known the the idiot,” returned she, ”to bring me such stuff; if I had theain you are wrong, h they be copper, ill keep them by us, as copper spectacles, you know, are better than nothing”
By this time the unfortunate Moses was undeceived He no that he had been iure, 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-lookingone to sell