265 

 RANGE OF APPRENTICESHIP. 



Continued from page 169. 



Like a school-boy who looks forward to a closely approaching 

 *' break up/' so looked I to the morrow, for the sequel of Mr. 

 Crumplehorn's tale, and so full was my mind of what it m«fi[A^ 

 be, that dreams gave me a fictitious semblance of what it was. 

 ** Oh dear," soliloquized I, when I awoke, " what a worrying- 

 hour the hour of anticipation — what a distracting propensity that 

 of eager curiosity, which, ere due time arrives, exercises the 

 imagination in a thousand-fold reverie, and in a manner the most 

 excruciating. 



The evening came, and I was prompt to my promise. I found 

 Mr. Crumplehorn seated in his chair, as usual, in the act of 

 filling his pipe, with a brown jug of cider on the hob of the fire- 

 place. A clumsy circumstance, however, gave a check to my 

 longing, for by a rig of a fellow-apprentice (a turn-over of 20), 

 whose age ought to have furnished his mind with better thoughts, 

 and directed his hands to better deeds, I was called upon to tell 

 my story to Mr. Crumplehorn, and consequently await his 

 own. 



And be it thus. This waggish youth had caught a cat in the 

 office, and, knowing poor pussy's introduction was unsolicited, 

 he fancied himself at liberty to punish such forwardness by tail- 

 piping her. Being, I suppose, all eagerness to carry his plan 

 into execution, he found time too pressing for any nicety in the 

 choice of the article, and the first thing that came to his hands 

 was the first adopted. Ignorant of what had happened, I 

 walked through the avenue to my accustomed avocations, as 

 unconcerned as unsuspecting, until my attention was excited by 

 the number of people whom I saw around the door-ways, and 

 from the windows, and I heard among the buzzing little multi- 

 tude, the cry of shame, to "sarveapoor dumb creater such a 

 trick." Unfortunately, my good character, and the good-will 

 at all times manifested towards me, did not screen me from sus- 

 picion. Esau, reflected I, has been up to some mischief; yet I 

 made no inquiry until I saw him, for fear, that if he were a party, 

 such inquiry might be construed a subterfuge for my own inno- 

 cence, and I, in the end, taken as a co-partner in the mischief. 



Entering the passage, I stooped to pick up a piece of packing 

 cord, and, for the first time, and I think the only time in my life, 

 suffered for economy's sake. I had scarcely arisen, with an in- 

 tention to proceed up stairs, when I was called by name by the 

 baker, and, retracing my steps, and asking him what he wanted, 

 he echoed, "What do I want, you scoundrel ? why to knock 

 your head ofi"— I see you have a piece of the very cord in your 

 hand." The man's looks were enough. ** The cord," 1 said, 

 " is yours, if you please — my head is best where it is — I want 



VOL. VI. — 1835. KK 



