whydidhenot

leavethemalone?whowouldtroublethemselvesaboutsuchtrifles?

especiallyatacomedy,whereeveryoneisexpectedtobeamused.then

sometimesthepublicapplaudedtoomuch,ortoolittle,topleasehim.

"theyarelikewetwood,"hewouldsay,lookingroundtoseewhatsort

ofpeoplewerepresent,"thisevening;nothingfiresthem."thenhe

wouldvexandfrethimselfbecausetheydidnotlaughattheright

time,orbecausetheylaughedinthewrongplaces;andsohefretted

andworriedhimselftillatlasttheunhappymanfrettedhimself

intothegrave.

hererestsahappyman,thatistosay,amanofhighbirthand

position,whichwasveryluckyforhim,otherwisehewouldhavebeen

scarcelyworthnotice.itisbeautifultoobservehowwiselynature

ordersthesethings.hewalkedaboutinacoatembroideredallover,

andinthedrawing-roomsofsocietylookedjustlikeoneofthoserich

pearl-embroideredbell-pulls,whichareonlymadeforshow;andbehind

themalwayshangsagoodthickcordforuse.thismanalsohada

stout,usefulsubstitutebehindhim,whodiddutyforhim,and

performedallhisdirtywork.andtherearestill,evennow,these

serviceablecordsbehindotherembroideredbell-ropes.itisallso

wiselyarranged,thatamanmaywellbeinagoodhumor.

hererests,-ah,itmakesonefeelmournfultothinkofhim!-

buthererestsamanwho,duringsixty-sevenyears,wasnever

rememberedtohavesaidagoodthing;helivedonlyinthehopeof

havingagoodidea.atlasthefeltconvinced,inhisownmind,that

hereallyhadone,andwassodelightedthathepositivelydiedofjoy

atthethoughtofhavingatlastcaughtanidea.nobodygotanything

byit;indeed,nooneevenheardwhatthegoodthingwas.nowican

imaginethatthissameideamaypreventhimfromrestingquietlyin

hisgrave;forsupposethattoproduceagoodeffect,itis

necessarytobringouthisnewideaatbreakfast,andthathecanonly

makehisappearanceonearthatmidnight,asghostsarebelieved

generallytodo;whythenthisgoodideawouldnotsuitthehour,

andthemanwouldhavetocarryitdownagainwithhimintothegrave-

thatmustbeatroubledgrave.

thewomanwholiesherewassoremarkablystingy,thatduring

herlifeshewouldgetupinthenightandmew,thatherneighbors

mightthinkshekeptacat.whatamisershewas!

hererestsayounglady,ofagoodfamily,whowouldalwaysmake

hervoiceheardinsociety,andwhenshesang"mimancalavoce,"*

itwastheonlytruethingsheeversaidinherlife.

*"iwantavoice,"or,"ihavenovoice."

hereliesamaidenofanotherdescription.shewasengagedtobe

married,-but,herstoryisoneofevery-daylife;wewillleaveher

torestinthegrave.

hererestsawidow,who,withmusicinhertongue,carriedgallin

herheart.sheusedtogoroundamongthefamiliesnear,andsearch