e old cow
died of. In his left hand he held a whip, while in his right was a
cord, which led three dogs. The first one was an old dog, with
bow-legs, who when the crowd did stop, got up on his hind-legs, and
gave a look round at the two be-hind, who stood, right up on their
hind-legs, all in a grave, glum way. One of these was in the dress of
a girl. She had on a large round hat, full of big red bows. The hat
was so big, and shook so much, that it did seem as if her head, hat,
and all, would drop off, if it got a hard knock.

"The dog with the bow-legs wore a blue coat, a flat hat with a broad
brim, and such a high shirt col-lar, that the sharp ends all but put
his eyes out. He had a pair of specs tied on his black nose with
twine. The third had on a cap and coat like those of a small boy. And
all did look as if they were on their way to be hung.

"Then the man made a jig tune on his pipe, and beat the drum with his
foot till he was as red as fire in the face, while the dogs kept time
with hop, skip, and jump, with one eye on the whip.

"The men and boys were full of the fun. O dear! how they did clap
their hands and laugh! and I, great goose that I was, stood on _my_
hind-legs, to try how it felt, and kept near the dogs all day, and saw
them dance at least ten times.

"At last, when the sun had set, the man came to an old house, and let
him-self in with a key; the dogs went in too, while I stood out-side
on two legs, to try to peep thro' a small crack in the door. Soon
there came--oh! such a good smell of hot beef-bones. I felt as if I
would give all four of my legs for just one bone.

"I gave the door a push, and found it moved; and then, to make a long
tale short, I went in; for I said to my-self: 'The man may beat me to
death, but if I stay here I shall starve to death; so I can but try
for a bone.'

"I found my-self in a low, dark room. The walls were black with dirt and
smoke. The dogs lay in one part of the room, and the man sat by the
fire. On a hook was a great pot, and from this came such a nice smell,
that all the dogs, and I with them, did lick our lips the whole time.

"And now there came in the room an old dame, with a dry, brown face, for
all the world like the nut-shell dolls the pie-man's boy used to make.

"'Well, John,' she said, 'have you had a good day?'

"'Yes, Gran-ny; I took a hat full of cents. See here, what a lot of
them! But that dog there, he lost me a three cent piece to-day; so h