ables, and a smart young pig just driving it away. I had heard of
this interesting family, and took a look as I passed by. A second tidy
pig sat blowing the fire; and a third was eating roast-beef, as if he
had just come in from his work. The fourth, I was grieved to see, looked
very sulky; for it was evident he had been naughty, and so lost his
dinner. The little pig was at the door, crying to get in; and it was
sweet to see how kindly the others let him in, wiped his tears, tied on
his bib, and brought him his bread and milk. I was very glad to see
these young orphans doing so well, and I knew my friends at home would
enjoy hearing from them.

A loud scream made me jump; and the sudden splash of water made me run
along, without stopping to pick up a boy and girl who came tumbling down
the hill, with an empty pail, bumping their heads as they rolled.
Smelling something nice, and feeling hungry, I stepped into a large room
near by,--a sort of eating-house, I fancy; for various parties seemed to
be enjoying themselves in their different ways. A small boy sat near the
door, eating a large pie; and he gave me a fine plum which he had just
pulled out. At one table was a fat gentleman cutting another pie, which
had a dark crust, through which appeared the heads of a flock of birds,
all singing gayly.

"There's no end to the improvements in cooking, and no accounting for
tastes," I added, looking at a handsomely-dressed lady, who sat near,
eating bread and honey.

As I passed this party, I saw behind the lady's chair a maid, with a
clothes-pin in her hand, and no nose. She sobbingly told me a bird had
nipped it off; and I gave her a bit of court-plaster, which I
fortunately had in my pocket.

Another couple were dividing their meat in a queer way; for one took all
the fat, and the other all the lean. The next people were odder still;
for the man looked rather guilty, and seemed to be hiding a three-peck
measure under his chair, while he waited for his wife to bring on some
cold barley-pudding, which, to my surprise, she was frying herself. I
also saw a queer moonstruck-looking man inquiring the way to Norridge;
and another man making wry faces over some plum-pudding, with which he
had burnt his mouth, because his friend came down too soon.

I ordered pease-porridge hot, and they brought it cold; but I didn't
wait for any thing else, being in a hurry to see all there was to be
seen on this strange island. Feeling refreshe