nto my ear--so I couldn't sleep comfortable. I wouldn't ha'
minded a trifle of at; but this was too much of a good thing. So, I got
up before sun-rise, and went out for a walk; and thinking I might as
well be near our work-place, I slowly come'd down this way. I worked in
a brick-field at that time, near the canal yonder. The sun was just
a-rising up behind the dust-heap as I got in sight of it; and soon it
rose above, and was very bright; and though I had two eyes then, I was
obligated to shut them both. When I opened them again, the sun was
higher up; but in his haste to get over the dust-heap, he had dropped
something. You may laugh. I say he had dropped something. Well--I can't
say what it was, in course--a bit of his-self, I suppose. It was just
like him--a bit on him, I mean--quite as bright--just the same--only not
so big. And not up in the sky, but a-lying and sparkling all on fire
upon the dust-heap. Thinks I--I was a younger man then by some years
than I am now--I'll go and have a nearer look. Though you be a bit o'
the sun, maybe you won't hurt a poor man. So, I walked toward the
dust-heap, and up I went, keeping the piece of sparkling fire in sight
all the while. But before I got up to it, the sun went behind a
cloud--and as he went out-like, so the young 'un he had dropped, went
out after him. And I had my climb up the heap for nothing, though I had
marked the place were it lay very percizely. But there was no signs at
all on him, and no morsel left of the light as had been there. I
searched all about; but found nothing 'cept a bit o' broken glass as had
got stuck in the heel of an old shoe. And that's my story. But if ever a
man saw any thing at all, I saw a bit o' the sun; and I thank God for
it. It was a blessed sight for a poor ragged old man of three score and
ten, which was my age at that time."

"Now, Peggy!" cried several voices, "tell us what you saw. Peg saw a bit
o' the moon."

"No," said Mrs. Dotting, rather indignantly; "I'm no moon-raker. Not a
sign of the moon was there, nor a spark of a star--the time I speak on."

"Well--go on, Peggy--go on."

"I don't know as I will," said Peggy.

But being pacified by a few good-tempered, though somewhat humorous
compliments, she thus favored them with her little adventure:

"There was no moon, nor stars, nor comet, in the 'versal heavens, nor
lamp nor lantern along the road, when I walked home one winter's night
from the cottage of Widow Pin, where