THE LOVE-CHILD. 



himself on his dignity as a man, would not, however deeply he de- 

 tested Llewellyn, become confederate in a scheme for the goat's 

 extirpation with a couple of boys. What was to be done ? The 

 brute's delinquencies daily increased his tyranny had become insuf- 

 ferable our loins were alway blue, and one of these days he would 

 kill us. Between Master Nicholas and Mint there was a feud 

 Master Nicholas therefore could not think of asking a favour, or 

 hoping to obtain it, besides Master Nicholas, in taking chesnuts 

 from the fire, possessed parts that adapted him rather for playing the 

 monkey's part than that of the cat. It was proposed, therefore, that 

 Mint, with whom I had not exchanged a word, and to whom I could 

 not possibly have given offence thus argued Master Nicholas 

 should be solicited by me for the loan of his glue-pot. To this I 

 moved an amendment, that some day, while Mint was busy, I should 

 venture either to engage him in amicable conversation, or to put him 

 in a passion by playing with his tools, whichever plan might prove 

 most feasible, while Master Nicholas purloined the glue-pot. I had 

 now gone through the ordeal of playing at seven fairs, and while 

 Mint was busy in getting up our portable magnificent booth for the 

 eighth, we determined, if possible, on carrying our project into 

 execution. 



We had travelled all night : the goat, who regularly trotted along, 

 during our migrations, beneath the front axle-tree of our foremost 

 caravan, (containing the properties, the wardrobe, the old man with 

 the iron spectiicles, the ladies and their children,) had played on the 

 platform, alternately with Master Nicholas and myself, until a late 

 hour on the preceding afternoon. He was tired, and gathering his 

 feet beneath him, he dropped on the cool dewy sward, before the 

 first pole of our enormous tent was planted. Every body assisted, 

 and by breakfast time we were so far ready for immediate operations, 

 that Mint was employed at his bench, in repairing such of the fragile 

 properties as had been damaged at the preceding fair, or during the 

 journey. His glue-pot was behind him, on a little charcoal fire in 

 an elevated brazier. I strolled up and asked him to teach me the 

 tune he was whistling. As Master Nicholas, who loitered at hand, 

 had told me, it was the only known composition of Mint's father, an 

 itinerant trumpeter. Mint was gracious, and we became familiar. 

 I told him, I liked him because he was always so merry. At this he 

 threw down his chisel and sighed, but still by some fatality kept his 

 eye upon the glue-pot, so that it was impossible for Master Nicholas 

 to operate. " Sir," said Mint, forgetting that I was a child, " the 

 world thinks me jovial, but I am wretched. There is a frightful dif- 

 ference betwixt me and my fellow mortals. I stand alone in society. 

 In perfect confidence, and under the seal of inviolable secrecy, I 

 commit to your friendly ear the dreadful fact, that, although for ever 

 hot as a bar of iron fresh from the forge, I NEVER SWEAT \" 



Hoping to console him, I begged to suggest that he was only in 

 the same dilemma as dogs, creatures that got through the world very 

 comfortably, though they couldn't perspire. " Ah !" said he, " you're 

 a Job's comforter, my little man. If all the world were in the same 

 predicament it wouldn't matter a shaving. But that I, and I alone, 



