The pedlar and his dog . lutely, said the other, affecting toyawn. H ow interesting! 128 THE PEDLAR AND HIS DOG The dream said, that if I came up toLondon, and stood upon London Bridgehere, I should hear joyful news. And you have been such a double-dyedidiot, as to take such a journey on such anerrand? Why, to own the truth, answered Johnsadly, that is what I have done. I couldnt have believed it, said Badger,for you dont look altogether a there, I suppose the cleverest countryclod is but a greenhorn. How thankful itdoes make one to have been born in London!Why, you cant have as muc
The pedlar and his dog . lutely, said the other, affecting toyawn. H ow interesting! 128 THE PEDLAR AND HIS DOG The dream said, that if I came up toLondon, and stood upon London Bridgehere, I should hear joyful news. And you have been such a double-dyedidiot, as to take such a journey on such anerrand? Why, to own the truth, answered Johnsadly, that is what I have done. I couldnt have believed it, said Badger,for you dont look altogether a there, I suppose the cleverest countryclod is but a greenhorn. How thankful itdoes make one to have been born in London!Why, you cant have as much wit as yourown dog there, he added, pointing to Shock,who sat patiently waiting to be off. Pretty much the same, I doubt/ saidJohn. Shock knows a hawk from a hand-saw, as the saying goes, or an owl from—apopinjay. But, my good friend, seriously—Ha I had a dream last night, for example. Had you now? said John, Yes. I dreamed I was at a place called—stop, what was its name? ay, Swaffham, tobe sure, •DIGGING, SAID BADGER, SCARCELY ABLE TOSPEAK FOR LAUGHTER Page 130 MR. BADGER S ADVICE 13Q Hey! said John. Swaffham, I tell you. Did you ever knowsuch a funny word? A place I never heardof. Nor nobody else either, I doubt. Swaff-ham. Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha! echoed John. How vastlyentertaining! And your Swaffham, wheremight it be? In Yorkshire, or Cornwall,or Oh, in Norfolk, so please you. Laugh-able ! ludicrous! incredible! absurd! wasnt it?Norfolk—a flat, dreary swamp of a place, Isuppose, no one could live in but its nativebumpkins, who are as brainless as their ownred herrings. What the mischief should I doin Norfolk, or Swaffham either? No, to be sure not. But what were youdoing, if I may make so bold? said John. Digging, answered Badger, scarcely ableto speak for laughter, and spreading out hisberinged milk-white hands. Digging, bythe lord Harry—digging for dear life underan old apple tree, which stood in an orchardbehind a pedlars house. Ay, you may we
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