o 
A LINNET FOR SIXPENCE. 
grant you I do look stout among you Londoners. Now 
I’ll tell you why I’m stout. I’m a Yorkshireman, and in 
Yorkshire we live on roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, and 
plenty of it; and bitter beer to drink ; and don’t you 
forget the plum-pudding ! That’s the fare to make a man 
stout ! And I’ll tell you another thing: I’ve been eighteen 
years in this business of selling linnets, and I’ve sold as 
many thousands in eighteen years as the oldest man in the 
trade in all his life. If you’ll listen to me I'll tell you why. 
I’ve sold more because I give you a better bird—a cock 
linnet—a good strong bird, fresh caught, just up from the 
country, for sixpence. Six pence for a cock linnet worth 
half-a-crown. Can I say better than that ? 
Here he thrust his hand into a box and pulled out a 
linnet, which he took by the legs and held up so as to make 
it flutter and beat with its wings before them all. After 
he had held it some time a sixpenny piece was handed up 
and the buyer received the bird and went his way. Then 
followed a few more words and another bird was produced 
and made to flutter, and eventually sold. Then another 
and another until a dozen or more had been disposed of 
while I stood looking on. 
To what a place had the little flutterers been brought 
for sale—these little exiles in London town ! And what 
a seller; and what buyers who would, in most cases, take 
them home to close, foul tenements. There must have 
been a hundred persons gathered round him, the pale, 
