. Filer being exceedingly
short sighted, was obliged to go so close to the remnant of Toby's
dinner before he could make out what it was, that Toby's heart leaped up
into his mouth. But Mr. Filer didn't eat it.

"This is a description of animal food, Alderman," said Filer, making
little punches in it with a pencil-case, "commonly known to the laboring
population of this country by the name of tripe."

The Alderman laughed, and winked; for he was a merry fellow. Alderman
Cute. Oh, and a sly fellow too! A knowing fellow. Up to everything. Not
to be imposed upon. Deep in the people's hearts! He knew them, Cute did.
I believe you!

"But who eats tripe?" said Mr. Filer, looking round. "Tripe is without
an exception the least economical, and the most wasteful article of
consumption that the markets of this country can by possibility produce.
The loss upon a pound of tripe has been found to be, in the boiling,
seven-eighths of a fifth more than the loss upon a pound of any other
animal substance whatever. Tripe is more expensive, properly understood,
than the hot-house pine-apple. Taking into account the number of animals
slaughtered yearly within the bills of mortality alone; and forming a
low estimate of the quantity of tripe which the carcases of these
animals, reasonably well butchered, would yield--I find that the waste
on that amount of tripe, if boiled, would victual a garrison of five
hundred men for five months of thirty-one days each, and a February
over. The Waste, the Waste!"

Trotty stood aghast, and his legs shook under him. He seemed to have
starved a garrison of five hundred men with his own hand.

"Who eats tripe?" said Mr. Filer, warmly. "Who eats tripe?"

Trotty made a miserable bow.

"You do, do you?" said Mr. Filer. "Then I'll tell you something. You
snatch your tripe, my friend, out of the mouths of widows and orphans."

"I hope not, sir," said Trotty, faintly. "I'd sooner die of want!"

"Divide the amount of tripe before-mentioned, Alderman," said Mr. Filer,
"by the estimated number of existing widows and orphans, and the result
will be one pennyweight of tripe to each. Not a grain is left for that
man. Consequently, he's a robber."

Trotty was so shocked that it gave him no concern to see the Alderman
finish the tripe himself. It was a relief to get rid of it, anyhow.

"And what do you say?" asked the Alderman, jocosely, of the red-faced
gentleman in the blue coat. "You have heard friend Fil