TALPA LOQUITUR. 159 



" True : so for those that can't distinguish, a pure 

 currency were the greater blessing, eh?" 



" There '11 be less of it, I'm thinking," said Mr. 

 Greening, "if it comes to that. But that aint all. 

 There 's them Clay Siles. We haven't done with them 

 yet." 



" We haven't begun with 'em ! We know nothing 

 about them ! almost absolutely nothing ! We know 

 that they are stiff to the plough and sticky to the 

 flock; positive to the Bean, and negative to Barley; 

 costly to drain, and, without it, profitless to farm. 

 We blunder on, with just these two or three negative 

 dogmas on our tongues, and are satisfied to think them 

 knowledge enough. The truth is, we have everything 

 to learn about them. I say again we haven't begun 

 with 'em! But come, I'm out of breath. 'After 

 breakfast sit awhile,' we mustn't ride the old maxim 

 to death. Let's go and look at them : I can give you 

 your choice Red, blue, yellow, and white, and every 

 one with a different temper for every month of the 

 year ! The man that can tell what is to be done with 

 with them 



" He 's the ' coming man,' I suppose," said Mr. 

 Greening, laughing, and beginning to pull on his 



