e house I was, took me
to a place where there was a large room full of candles, and a greater
number of fine gentlemen and ladies, all dressed out and showy, who were
dancing about as if they were mad. But at the door of this house there
were twenty or thirty ragged, half-starved women and children, who stood
shivering in the rain, and begged for a bit of bread; but nobody gave it
to them, or took any notice of them. So then I could not help thinking
that it would be a great deal better if all the fine people would give
some of their money to the poor, that they might have some clothes and
victuals in their turn.

_Tommy._--That is indeed true. Had I been there I should have relieved
the poor people; for you know I am very good-natured and generous; but
it is necessary for gentlemen to be fine and to dress well.

_Harry._--It may be so; but I never saw any great good come of it, for
my part. As I was walking along the streets one day, and staring about,
I met two very fine and dressy young gentlemen, who looked something as
you did, Master Tommy, when you first came here; so I turned off from
the foot-way to let them pass, for my father always taught me to show
civility to people in a higher station; but that was not enough, it
seems, for just as they passed by me they gave me such a violent push,
that down I came into the kennel, and dirtied myself all over from head
to foot.

_Tommy._--And did they not beg your pardon for the accident?

_Harry._--Accident! it was no accident at all; for they burst out into a
fit of laughter, and called me a little clodpole. Upon which I told
them, if I was a clodpole they had no business to insult me; and then
they came back, and one of them gave me a kick, and the other a slap on
the face; but I told them that was too much for me to bear, so I struck
them again, and we all three began fighting.

_Tommy._--What! both at once? That was a cowardly trick.

_Harry._--I did not much mind that; but there came up a fine smart
fellow, in white stockings and powdered hair, who it seems, was their
servant, and he was going to fall upon me too; but a man took my part,
and said, I should have fair play, so I fought them both till they did
not choose to have any more; for, though they were so quarrelsome, they
could not fight worth a farthing; so I let them go, and advised them not
to meddle any more with poor boys who did nothing to offend them.

_Tommy._--And did you hear no more of these