"
The peddler gave a short whistle expressive of contempt, shook his head,
and said, "Tish not possibles. I will give two pishers and von prush for
te pantaloon and waistcoat."
Mamma and Chloe glanced at each other and at me; I was absorbed in my
own bargains, and said, carelessly, that the pitchers were perfect
beauties. Chloe pushed one pitcher a little forward, mamma pushed the
other on a parallel line, then poised a decanter, and again applied her
delicate knuckles for the test. That, too, rang out the musical,
unbroken sound, so dear to the housewife's ear, and, with a pair of
plated candlesticks, was deposited on the table. The peddler took up the
drab overcoat.
"Te closhesman's give noting for dish."
Mamma looked disconcerted. The expression of her face implied the fear
that the peddler would not even accept it as a gift. Chloe and she held
a whispering consultation. At this moment Binah came in with little
Patsey, who, seeing the articles on the slab, pointed with her dimpled
fingers, and said her only words,
"Pretty! pretty!"
At the same moment, Lafayette and Venus, the two little novices in
furniture-rubbing, exclaimed,
"Ki! if dem ting an't shine too much!"
These opinions made the turning-point in mamma's mind, though coming
from such insignificant sources.
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