question; tho' as
I have made no use of advice myself, I should in conscience give it to
those that will.'--As I was apprehensive this answer might draw on
a repartee, making up by abuse what it wanted in wit, I changed the
subject, by seeming to wonder what could keep our son so long at the
fair, as it was now almost nightfall.--'Never mind our son,' cried my
wife, 'depend upon it he knows what he is about. I'll warrant we'll
never see him sell his hen of a rainy day. I have seen him buy such
bargains as would amaze one. I'll tell you a good story about that,
that will make you split your sides with laughing--But as I live, yonder
comes Moses, without an horse, and the box at his back.'

As she spoke, Moses came slowly on foot, and sweating under the deal
box, which he had strapt round his shoulders like a pedlar.--'Welcome,
welcome, Moses; well, my boy, what have you brought us from the
fair?'--'I have brought you myself,' cried Moses, with a sly look, and
resting the box on the dresser.--'Ay, Moses,' cried my wife, 'that we
know, but where is the horse?' 'I have sold him,' cried Moses, 'for
three pounds five shillings and two-pence.'--'Well done, my good boy,'
returned she, 'I knew you would touch them off. Between ourselves, three
pounds five shillings and two-pence is no bad day's work. Come, let us
have it then.'--'I have brought back no money,' cried Moses again. 'I
have laid it all out in a bargain, and here it is,' pulling out a bundle
from his breast: 'here they are; a groce of green spectacles, with
silver rims and shagreen cases.'--'A groce of green spectacles!'
repeated my wife in a faint voice. 'And you have parted with the
Colt, and brought us back nothing but a groce of green paltry
spectacles!'--'Dear mother,' cried the boy, 'why won't you listen to
reason? I had them a dead bargain, or I should not have bought them. The
silver rims alone will sell for double money.'--'A fig for the silver
rims,' cried my wife, in a passion: 'I dare swear they won't sell for
above half the money at the rate of broken silver, five shillings an
ounce.'--'You need be under no uneasiness,' cried I, 'about selling the
rims; for they are not worth six-pence, 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 saucepan,'--'And
so,' returned she, 'we have parted with the Colt, and have only got
a groce of green spectacles, with