your Saturday night's wages ever again arterwards by the hopes of meeting
me to lay 'em out with, which you never will, and why not? Because I've
made my fortunes by selling my goods on a large scale for seventy-five
per cent. less than I give for 'em, and I am consequently to be elevated
to the House of Peers next week, by the title of the Duke of Cheap and
Markis Jackaloorul. Now let's know what you want to-night, and you shall
have it. But first of all, shall I tell you why I have got this little
girl round my neck? You don't want to know? Then you shall. She
belongs to the Fairies. She's a fortune-teller. She can tell me all
about you in a whisper, and can put me up to whether you're going to buy
a lot or leave it. Now do you want a saw? No, she says you don't,
because you're too clumsy to use one. Else here's a saw which would be a
lifelong blessing to a handy man, at four shillings, at three and six, at
three, at two and six, at two, at eighteen-pence. But none of you shall
have it at any price, on account of your well-known awkwardness, which
would make it manslaughter. The same objection applies to this set of
three planes which I won't let you have neither, so don't bid for 'em.
Now I am a going to ask her what you do want." (Then I whispered, "Your
head burns so, that I am afraid it hurts you bad, my pet," and she
answered, without opening her heavy eyes, "Just a little, father.") "O!
This little fortune-teller says it's a memorandum-book you want. Then
why didn't you mention it? Here it is. Look at it. Two hundred
superfine hot-pressed wire-wove pages--if you don't believe me, count
'em--ready ruled for your expenses, an everlastingly pointed pencil to
put 'em down with, a double-bladed penknife to scratch 'em out with, a
book of printed tables to calculate your income with, and a camp-stool to
sit down upon while you give your mind to it! Stop! And an umbrella to
keep the moon off when you give your mind to it on a pitch-dark night.
Now I won't ask you how much for the lot, but how little? How little are
you thinking of? Don't be ashamed to mention it, because my