hing, make haste; you are driving off
all my other customers."

"Good! it shall be as you say," cried the old woman, grimly. "I will
take these six heads of cabbage. But look here--I have to lean on my
crutch and cannot carry any thing; let your little son carry my
purchases home; I will reward him."

The child was unwilling to go, and began to cry, as he was afraid of
the ugly old woman; but his mother bade him go, as she considered it a
sin to burden a weak old woman with so heavy a load. Half crying, he
obeyed her; gathered the cabbages together in a towel, and followed the
old woman from the market.

She went so slowly that it was three quarters of an hour before she
reached a remote part of the city, and finally stopped before a
tumble-down house. Then she drew a rusty old hook from her pocket, and
inserted it skillfully into a small hole in the door, which sprung open
with a bang. But how surprised was little Jacob as he entered! The
interior of the house was splendidly fitted up; the ceilings and walls
were of marble; the furniture of the finest ebony, inlaid with gold and
mother-of-pearl; while the floor was of glass, and so smooth that the
boy slipped and fell several times. The old woman then drew a silver
whistle from her pocket and whistled a tune that resounded shrilly
through the house. In response to this, some Guinea-pigs came down the
stairs; but, as seemed strange to Jacob, they walked upright on two
legs, wore nutshells in place of shoes, and had on clothes and even
hats of the latest fashion.

"Where are my slippers, you rabble?" demanded the old woman, striking
at them with her crutch as they sprang squeaking into the air. "How
long must I stand here waiting?"

The pigs rushed quickly up the stairs, and soon returned, bringing a
pair of cocoanut shells lined with leather, which the old woman put on.
Now all her limping and stumbling disappeared. She threw her staff
away, and glided with great rapidity over the glass floor, pulling
little Jacob along by the hand. At last she stopped in a room
containing all kinds of furniture, that bore some resemblance to a
kitchen, although the tables were mahogany, and the divans were covered
with rich tapestry, suitable for a room of state.

"Take a seat," said the old woman pleasantly, placing Jacob in a corner
of the divan and moving the table before him, so that he could not well
get out of his seat. "Sit down; you have had a heavy load to carry.
Human