20 THE PLAXORBIS COilPLANATCS. 



times his own length; so I determined to speak to him, so I bade him 

 " good morning " and asked him " how he fared." " Very well as things 

 go " said he, " only this weed incommodes me so much I can hardly 

 crawl." I remarked that I had been admiring his beai-d, and thought it 

 his only redeeming point, as he lived in such an ugly house. " Ah ! " 

 said he, shaking his feelers indignantly, " I see how it is, you are evidently 

 a young upstart, and when I come to look at you I see that you are not a 

 Planorhis cornem, only a distant branch of our family, a Planorhis corn- 

 planatm, called so because your house is plain. Plain yon always were 

 and plain you always will be. Phew ! how hot it is, no room to move or 

 breathe." The old gentleman seemed in a talkative mood, so I thought I 

 would just swallow his taunts and listen. " It is all because of this 

 American weed. My great-great-great-great grandmother was alive when 

 it was first introduced, and a fine fuss there was about it, and many were 

 the long names they called it. My great grandmother would have 

 nothing^to do with the vulgar stuff, although some of the youngsters used 

 to go and poke their noses into it (they were as ignorant as you). She 

 always said that these new-fangled notions (reform foi-sooth !) would never 

 do • she never lived to see her words come true, but I have, and here it is 

 Kke all reforms, sweeping away everything that is good, and forcing itself 

 upon us. Where are all the pretty Starworts, and other delightful institu- 

 tions gone? they must make way for master Yankee. Where is the 

 Bweet little water Crowfoot ? It must make way for master Yankee ; 

 why even the duckweed which I used to eat floating on my back at the 

 top of the water has no room to live in, and all because master Yankee 

 wants more room, and so master Yankee has choked us np (I wish he 

 would choke himself) till the water can't sparkle, and we can't crawl, but 

 get covered with this nasty green weed, which you, young green-horn 

 mistook for a beard. But I must not stop talking to yon any longer, I 

 want something to eat." So we parted, and I started forth determined to 

 see the world. I could not help thinking of what Planorhis cornem had 

 told me ; though sometimes when he used hard words I did not understand 

 him, but I held down my head, and inclined my feelers downwards, as 

 people do when they want to look wise or are in profound thought, and 

 although at times the opinions he seemed to hold were jarring to my 

 feelings, especially when he made personal remarks, yet I could not help 

 entertaining a sort of respect for his profound knowledge and sagacity. 

 However, I must tell you about my travels. I had not gone far before I 

 heard a fairy voice above me singing — 



" See me toil and see me spin. 

 None but those who strive can win." 



I looked up and saw the most delicate little house with a pretty little 

 lady in it, sailing gracefully down. " Take care you dirty thing," she 

 said, " Why don't you get out of the way," and, before I could reply, 

 di-opped down at my feet. " Oh, you pretty creature," I said. " None of 

 your nonsense," she replied, " may be I'm pretty, may be I'm not ; at 



