A WELL. 89 



sides, as that will spill the contents. All the while 

 the slipping of board, or earth, or foot will necessi 

 tate the calling together of a coroner s jury. 



It is a pity that there is no way of falling down a 

 well comfortably. If you go down head foremost, 

 your feet stick out above the water, it is true, but you 

 do not breathe through that portion of the body ; if 

 you strike feet foremost, the climb back is such a 

 long and uncertain journey; and if you go down 

 doubled up, you are apt to find trouble in straight 

 ening out. Every time a maid went to the well I 

 speculated as to which of these modes she would fol 

 low, and feared that the case of the broken pitcher 

 would be illustrated. 



This state of things lasted some time, as the pump- 

 maker found his Flushing customers more exacting 

 than even he expected ; or possibly his workmen had 

 gone on more sprees than he. allowed for. Three 

 weeks had gone by, and w r e were still drawing wa 

 ter ; and, what is more, the water which we did with 

 such infinite pains draw up was far from good. We 

 had been warned that for some time after its com 

 pletion the well would be dirty; that before it was 

 finished one or more Irishmen would have to work 

 waist deep in the water, which would not recover 

 from their presence for a long while ; but, instead 



