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Douglas； and other great men； living and dead。 The Italian buster
comes upon you solemnly and cautiously。 〃Buy Napoleon？〃 he will
say； and you may probably answer 〃not a buy。〃 〃How much giv…ee？〃 he
asks； and perhaps you will ask him how much he wants。 〃Nine
dollar；〃 he will answer always。 We are sure of it。 We have
observed this peculiarity in the busters frequently。 No matter how
large or small the bust may be； the first price is invariably 〃nine
dollar。〃 If you decline paying this price； as you undoubtedly will
if you are right in your head； he again asks； 〃how much giv…ee？〃 By
way of a joke you say 〃a dollar；〃 when the buster retreats
indignantly to the door； saying in a low； wild voice； 〃O dam！〃 With
his hand upon the door…latch； he turns and once more asks； 〃how much
giv…ee？〃 You repeat the previous offer； when he mutters； 〃O ha！〃
then coming pleasantly towards you； he speaks thus： 〃Say！ how much
giv…ee？〃 Again you say a dollar； and he cries； 〃take 'umtake
'um！〃thus falling eight dollars on his original price。
Very eccentric is the Italian buster； and sometimes he calls his
busts by wrong names。 We bought Webster （he called him Web…STAR） of
him the other day； and were astonished when he called upon us the
next day with another bust of Webster； exactly like the one we had
purchased of him； and asked us if we didn't want to buy 〃Cole； the
wife…pizener！〃 We endeavored to rebuke the depraved buster； but our
utterance was choked； and we could only gaze upon him in speechless
astonishment and indignation。
1。35。 A HARD CASE。
We have heard of some very hard cases since we have enlivened this
world with our brilliant presence。 We once saw an able…bodied man
chase a party of little school…children and rob them of their
dinners。 The man who stole the coppers from his deceased
grandmother's eyes lived in our neighborhood； and we have read about
the man who went to church for the sole purpose of stealing the
testaments and hymn…books。 But the hardest case we ever heard of
lived in Arkansas。 He was only fourteen years old。 One night he
deliberately murdered his father and mother in cold blood； with a
meat…axe。 He was tried and found guilty。 The Judge drew on his
black cap； and in a voice choked with emotion asked the young
prisoner if he had anything to say before the sentence of the Court
was passed on him。 The court…room was densely crowded and there was
not a dry eye in the vast assembly。 The youth of the prisoner； his
beauty and innocent looks； the mild； lamblike manner in which he had
conducted himself during the trialall； all had thoroughly enlisted
the sympathy of the spectators； the ladies in particular。 And even
the Jury； who had found it to be their stern duty to declare him
guilty of the appalling crimeeven the Jury now wept aloud at this
awful moment。
〃Have you anything to say？〃 repeated the deeply moved Judge。
〃Why； no；〃 replied the prisoner； 〃I think I haven't； though I hope
yer Honor will show some consideration FOR THE FEELINGS OF A POOR
ORPHAN！〃
The Judge sentenced the perfect young wretch without delay。
1。36。 AFFAIRS AROUND THE VILLAGE GREEN。
It isn't every one who has a village green to write about。 I have
one； although I have not seen much of it for some years past。 I am
back again； now。 In the language of the duke who went around with a
motto about him； 〃I am here！〃 and I fancy I am about as happy a
peasant of the vale as ever garnished a melodrama； although I have
not as yet danced on my village green； as the melodramatic peasant
usually does on his。 It was the case when Rosina Meadows left home。
The time rolls by serenely nowso serenely that I don't care what
time it is； which is fortunate； because my watch is at present in
the hands of those 〃men of New York who are called rioters。〃 We met
by chance； the usual waycertainly not by appointmentand I
brought the interview to a close with all possible despatch。
Assuring them that I wasn't Mr。 Greeley； particularly； and that he
had never boarded in the private family where I enjoy the comforts
of a home； I tendered them my watch； and begged they would
distribute it judiciously among the laboring classes； as I had seen
the rioters styled in certain public prints。
Why should I loiter feverishly in Broadway； stabbing the hissing hot
air with the splendid gold…headed cane that was presented to me by
the citizens of Waukegan； Illinois； as a slight testimonial of their
esteem？ Why broil in my rooms？ You said to me； Mrs。 Gloverson；
when I took possession of these rooms； that no matter how warm it
might be； a breeze had a way of blowing into them； and that they
were； withal； quite countryfied； but I am bound to say； Mrs。
Gloverson； that there was nothing about them that ever reminded me；
in the remotest degree； of daisies or new…mown hay。 Thus； with
sarcasm； do I smash the deceptive Gloverson。
Why stay in New York when I had a village green？ I gave it up； the
same as I would an intricate conundrumand； in short； I am here。
Do I miss the glare and crash of the imperial thoroughfare？ The
milkman； the fiery； untamed omnibus horses； the soda fountains；
Central Park； and those things？ Yes I do； and I can go on missing
'em for quite a spell； and enjoy it。
The village from which I write to you is small。 It does not contain
over forty houses； all told； but they are milk…white； with the
greenest of blinds； and for the most part are shaded with beautiful
elms and willows。 To the right of us is a mountainto the left a
lake。 The village nestles between。 Of course it does； I never read
a novel in my life in which the villages didn't nestle。 Villages
invariably nestle。 It is a kind of way they have。
We are away from the cars。 The iron…horse； as my little sister
aptly remarks in her composition On Nature； is never heard to shriek
in our midst； and on the whole I am glad of it。
The villagers are kindly people。 They are rather incoherent on the
subject of the war； but not more so； perhaps； then are people
elsewhere。 One citizen； who used to sustain a good character；
subscribed for the Weekly New York Herald a few months since； and
went to studying the military maps in that well…known journal for
the fireside。 I need not inform you that his intellect now totters；
and he has mortgaged his farm。 In a literary point of view we are
rather bloodthirsty。 A pamphlet edition of the life of a cheerful
being； who slaughtered his wife and child； and then finished
himself； is having an extensive sale just now。
We know little of Honore de Balzac； and perhaps care less for Victor
Hugo。 M。 Claes's grand search for the Absolute doesn't thrill us in
the least； and Jean Valjean； gloomily picking his way through the
sewers of Paris； with the spooney young man of the name of Marius
upon his back； awakens no interest in our breasts。 I say Jean
Valjean picked his way gloomily； and I repeat it。 No man； under
these circumstances； could have skipped gayly。 But this literary
business； as the gentleman who married his colored chambermaid aptly
observed； 〃is simply a matter of taste。〃
The storeI must not forget the store。 I