. We
forgot that we, if suffered to live long enough, should also become
old, and that it would be hard for us to bear the coldness and neglect
of the world, but much harder to endure the ridicule and ill-behavior
of wicked children. Ay, we were thoughtless lads, and so we suffered
for it, as you will afterwards hear.

* * * * *

The old lady whom I had seen sitting in the church porch, who was so
ugly, as I thought, and so withered and old, was a very poor widow.
Her husband had died in battle long ago, and she had from year to year
supported herself by her spinning wheel and the little relief she had
from the parish. She lived in a little hut on a piece of waste ground,
and kept a little poultry, and now and then a pig or two.

Among other animals, the old lady kept an enormous goat, or, rather,
he kept himself. It was one her husband had brought her from abroad,
of the Syrian breed. It was quite young when it came over, but at last
grew and grew so, as to become a very formidable animal, so strong and
fierce, that every dog was afraid of it, being, no doubt, terrified by
the sight of its large horns and undaunted aspect. The name of this
dread animal was Hannibal.

Poor old Goody Clackett--for that was her name--had little thoughts of
ever being "smugged," as it was termed, by our schoolfellows to make a
guy on the fifth of November, and sat quietly enough spinning her
wheel and drawing out her yarn. Sometimes the thrum of the old wheel
would send her soundly to sleep, and then she never dreamed of such a
thing as was to happen to her.

Every boy was delighted with this proposition, and it was arranged
that on the following evening I and my cousin Simon should assist in
the endeavor to get the chair from the outhouse to a convenient place,
while Hardy was to provide lantern, matches, cap, and feathers, with
red and black paint to disfigure the features of the poor old
creature.

"We will make her amends," said Quidd, "all the money we get shall be
hers."

"Oh yes; that is quite fair," said I.

When the evening came and it was quite dark, Simon and I went to the
back part of Quidd's father's house. After waiting some little time we
heard a knock. Presently Quidd opened the gates and came out.

"There, get it," said he. "Look about to see if anybody is coming, and
you can take it away."

We did so. The coast was clear, and out rolled the chair.

Simon and I took hold of it,