Year: 1869

q years budget was wondering what


should do with il


Momentous question: But it needed


refreshing breeze of outdoor aA to enable


me to solvei it with coolness. accordingly


rose from by bedside, where knelt like .


Persian worshipping the sun, and having


laid my elbows and my sixpence upon the


sill of the open window, "multa corde


volutsns," began deeply to mediate.


Now, it may, perhaps be accepted a. .


symptom of my great precocity OF spirit


that had not been merged above ten
up my mind upon one capital point to


upon which my sixpence could worthily
watch, or pewter squirt


The only question TO decide was upon
which of these three my choice should


pitch and here was the rub. had an
artistic admiration for squirts,-pewter
squirts especially, which ! classed
amongst the sublimest contrivances due
to the ingenuity of man. Their use -
mediums for the conveyance Of ink or
sospy water upon the passers-by In the
street had always struck me as peculiarly
practical, and think, on the whole, my
sixpence would have gone to the purchase
of one Of these astonishing instruments
had not q reflection suddenly fallen upon
me, and drenched my enthusiasm - un-
der bucket of cold water. could not
remember ever having seen . grown-up
man make use of squirt! My fsther,
for instance, had, to my certain knOWl-
edge, never spent his morning in squirt
ing ink upon the public through the draw
ing room window; and could not recol-
lect ever having heard my uncles advo-
cate this species of pastime. This was
important. Yesterday had been . boy,
and could do boyish things; to-day the
case was altered; my sixpence had laid
upon me the duties of manhood it was
necessary to be cautious and digni6ed
%. L discarded the squirt, and two things
then remained-thc donkey and the gold
watch. Once more began to ponder.


The purchase of donkey, l reasoned,
offered unquestionable inducementa |
There were, first of all, the advantages of
locomotion in the second place, there |
was the satisfaction of personal vanity, |
for it was not to be doubted that upon my |
first appearance in public upon the back |
of an ass should become the cynosure Of
neighboring eyes, and at once take rank |
amongst the parish celebrities


This consideration nearly carried my |
vote by storm; but then, on the other |
hand, donkey, could not but admit, |
was less handy possession than . gold |
hunting watch. The latter would 60 into
ones pocket, whereas the former would |
not. Indeed, it was more than probable |
that the donkey would need q certain |
amount Of space to move about in, and If
SO what was to be done, for we had no sta |
bles? Second thoughts bring counsel. Twas |
asharp boy, snd Remembered the staircase.
If the difficulty of bringing the donkey |
up TO the third floor could be once over
come, should be happy to allow him to
sleep In my bedroom there would be
ample space for him in the corner close by |
the wash hand stand; and he would be q
sociable companion when itraiped. There |
was no fear Of his catching q cold or a
cough, as he might do if left downstairs !
in the yard. Yes; but how about his
fUods The postchaise of my thoughts,
which was at that moment going twenty |
miles an hour, here stuck Of sudden In |
deep rut. l had never thought of the
food. was like the Irishman who had a
clock. had forgotten the works. Icould |
not think of asking my father to board the
donkey. The thing would be indelicate
after he had generously given me si1pence;
and yet from whatever point Of view i
considered the matter, the donkey, ! was
compelled to own, must eat. ....... Il be-
came miserable. think l cried. / saw
my donkey depart at gallop, and scam
per away into darkness, carrying away |
with him upon his back my hopes, my IL
lusions, and my dreams Of glory.


But after few seconds my donkey re-
turned as he had departed, at full gallop.
The idea had struck me that his mainten-
ance could be effected by an equitable dis
tribution of my daily meals with him
This was the straw to the drowning man.
Having decided that my coming donkey
should be nourished upon roast mutton
and batter pudding, was about to rush
out to effect my purchase, when, attracted
by noise below, thrust my head out of
the window and saw small boy, aged
ten, throwing cherries in the air and try
ing to catch them in his mouth.


At this sight forgot, for the minute,
the donkey, the roast mutton, and the bat
ter pudding, and considered the cherries
1t was hos day, and was thirsty. The
cherries rose and fell, but always into the
small boys mouth, and never into mine.
Like Tantalus with the flow and ebb of
waters, / began to fiud the thing monot-
onous If one or two cherries would
only have fallen On the ground now and
tten, the interest would have been enliv-
ened but no; one, two, three, four, all
came down like plummets without deviat-
ing an inch from the right course, and
each laugh of the small boy flor he was
merry gave me q violent inclination to
see his head punched. don't know what
spirit of evil prompted me, but some such
spirit inspired me with baleful desire to
substitute for one of the falling cherries q
pebble, a piece of coal, or bit of soap.
My eyes spsrkled. The youth had thrown
q plump bigaroon rather higher than
usual. and stood with his hands extended,
his head thrown back, his eyes shut, and
his mouth gaping until it should return.
The temptation was too strong. / felt
frantically around me to find q projectile,
and in sweeping my hand over the WIN
dow-sil caught at something which, with
out psusing to look, threw with all my
might and main at the small boy. The
thing struck him in the eye, and then
bounded on the pavement. A shout of
triumph escaped me; but at the same /
instant burst into cold sweat and stag
gered. The boy had stopped to pick up
the thing that had hit him, and was hold
ing it in his fingers. "Thank you'll" he |
shouted joyously, and disappeared in the |
distance.


had thrown him my sixpence i-AH |
the Year Round.


Amused with Cost.


IT is doubtful il we spend as much pro- |