bulky oblong of popcorn, partly unwrapped from its
blue tissue-paper cover; or else it might be a luscious pink crescent of
watermelon, that left its ravisher stained and dripping to the brow.

Here, as in the morning, the hawkers raised their cries in
unintermittent shrillness, offering to the musically inclined the Happy
Evenings Song-book, alleged to contain those treasures, all the latest
songs of the day, or presented for the consideration of the humorous
the Lawrence Lapearl Joke-book, setting forth in full the art of comical
entertainment and repartee. (Schofields' Henry bought two of
these--no doubt on the principle that two were twice as instructive as
one--intending to bury himself in study and do battle with Tom Martin on
his own ground.)

Here swayed the myriad palm-leaf fans; here paraded blushing youth and
rosy maiden, more relentlessly arm-in-arm than ever; here crept
the octogenarian, Mr. Bodeffer, shaking on cane and the shoulder of
posterity; here waddled Mr. Snoddy, who had hurried through the animal
tent for fear of meeting the elephant; here marched sturdy yeomen and
stout wives; here came William Todd and his Anna Belle, the good William
hushed with the embarrassments of love, but looking out warily with
the white of his eye for Mr. Martin, and determined not to sit within a
hundred yards of him; here rolled in the orbit of habit the bacchanal,
Mr. Wilkerson, who politely answered in kind all the uncouth roarings
and guttural ejaculations of jungle and fen that came from the animal
tent; in brief, here came with lightest hearts the population of Carlow
and part of Amo.

Helen had found a true word: it was a big family. Jim Bardlock, broadly
smiling and rejuvenated, shorn of depression, paused in front of the
"reserve" seats, with Mrs. Bardlock on his arm, and called loudly to a
gentleman on a tier about the level of Jim's head: "How are ye? I reckon
we were a _little_ too smart fer 'em, this morning, huh?" Five or six
hundred people--every one within hearing--fumed to look at Jim; but the
gentleman addressed was engaged in conversation with a lady and did not
notice.

"Hi! Hi, there! _Say_! Mr. Harkless!" bellowed Jim, informally. The
people turned to look at Harkless. His attention was arrested and his
cheek grew red.

"_What is it_?" he asked, a little confused and a good deal annoyed.

"I don't hear what ye say," shouted Jim, putting his hand to his ear.

"_What is it_?" repeated the yo