s crossing the Pont Neuf, to find Doctor Franklin, when he was suddenly called to by a

one side of it, and several shoe-brushes upon the other. Holding another brush in his hand

hbor?" said Israel, pausing i

his gestures now made very plain. Pointing to the wet muddy state of the bridge, splashed by a recent rain, and then to the feet of the wayfarer, and lastly to the brush in his hand, he a

ox, and lifting this unwilling customer's right foot thereon, was proceeding vigorously to work, when suddenly illuminated

man pursued, which but confirming Israel in his suspicions he ran all the f

assage leading to an open court within. While he was wondering that no soul appeared, suddenly he was hailed from a dark little window, where sat an old man cobbling shoes, while an old woman standing by his side was thrusting her head int

t of her den, and with much courtesy showed Israel across the court, up three flights of st

," said

stood in the presence

nkl

ooking pamphlets in various languages, and all sorts of books, including many presentation-copies, embracing history, mechanics, diplomacy, agriculture, political economy, metaphysics, meteorology, and geometry. The walls had a necromantic look, hung round with barometers of different kinds, drawings of surprising inventions, wide maps of far countries in the New World, containing vast empty spaces in the middle, with

ed as well, looked neat and hale. Both wall and sage were compounded of like materials,-lime and dust; both, too, were old; but while the rude earth of the wall had no painted lustre to

o wondrous wise. There he sat, quite motionless among those restless flies; and, with a sound like the low noon murmur of foliage in the woods, turning over the leaves of some ancient and tattered folio, with a binding dark and shaggy as the bark of any old oak. It seemed as if supernatural lore must needs pertain to this gravely, ruddy personage; at least far foresight, pleasant wit, and working wisdom. Old age seemed in no wise to have dulled him, but to have sharpened; just as old dinner-knives-so they be of good steel-wax keen, sp

lost the complete effect of all this; for the

recent run, our courier entered the room, inadequately

he man of wisdom, in a cheerful voice,

Doctor Frankli

ing round quickly on his chair. "A countryman; s

d Israel, stepping across

ppery with wax, after the usual French style. As Israel walked this slippery floor, his unaccu

ow that it's both wasting leather and endangering your limbs, to wear such high heels? I have thought, at my first leisure, to write a little pamp

ted himself, was just putting his

d nature intended rational creatures should do so, she would have made the foot of soli

-to the bolt. Then drawing the curtain carefully across the window looking out across th

produced his documents from their curious recesses-"your high h

now handing over the papers. "I had

aid the sage, fumbli

e stone bridge th

ciation.-"Always get a new word right in the first place

s-looking man, who, under pretence of seeking to polish my boots, wanted slyly

st, "have you not in your time, undergone what they call hard times? Been set u

e, Doctor;

ocence or guilt. And though want of suspicion more than want of sense, sometimes leads a man into harm, yet too much suspicion is as bad as too little sense. The man you met, my friend, most proba

hat I knocked over his

idn't ca

cret dispatches-did not act so imprudently as to kick over an innocent man's bo

did, D

the police had got hold of you,

wise of me, that's a fa

he meant

ightway proceed to do mischief. That's poor logic. But think o

ost familiar manner to read him a paternal detailed lesson upon the ill-advised act he had been guilty of, upon the Pont Neuf; concluding by taking out his purse, an

akes. Now one remedy for mistakes is honesty. So pay the man for the damage done to his box. And now, who are you, my friend? My correspondents here men

elated to the Doctor all his ad

ael's concluding, "that you desire to

Doctor," s

all be able to proc

n these times are uncertain. At the prospect of pleasure never be elated; but, without

ng had been thrust under his nostr

rs to the persons who sent you to me. In that case you will have to come here once more, an

orrents of thanks when t

ble to do so-I shall be simply doing part of my official duty as agent of our common country. So you owe me just nothing at all, but the sum of these coins I put in your hand just now. But that, instead of repaying to me hereafter, you can, when you get home, give to the first soldier's widow you meet. Don't forget it

ed. There will be no chance of mistake then. Thanks to my Brentford friends, I have enough to spare of my own, to settle damages with the boot

, "I like your straightforward deal

Doctor, I hope

ing business transactions. The affair between us two, you perhaps deem very trivial, but trifles may involve momentous principles. But no more at present. You had better go i

ike to have a little loo

o England,"

hall want you to start, your keeping to your room is indispensable. But when you come back from Brentford again, then, if nothing happens, you will have a chance to survey this cel

Israel, "I am

nocked ove

ctor, was

French coin, not English, that you are to pay the man with.-Ah, that will do-those three coins wil

ere, Doctor, as I return? I saw se

here, my honest friend. Tell me, are y

liberal,"

man dines out at his own charge, it is bad policy. Never dine out that way, when you can dine in. Do not stop on t

very kind

to the Doctor's custom, had been sent from a neighboring restaurant. There were two covers; and without attendance the host and guest sat down. There was only one principal dish, la

your glass,"

ine, ain't it

est brand; I drink your hea

water," said Isra

good drink for plain me

ry, and the other gentleman at White Waltham gave me

to Squire Woodcock, and the gentleman at White Waltham, and the other friends, and you sha

seems,

uppose a glass

pence Engli

rt. But how much good

h purc

nny rolls

ort do you suppose a m

ite Waltham drank a

ne man should drink, as being the least poisonous, it would be quadruple that sum, which is one hundred and fifty-six pence, which is seventy-eigh

ne; he did not eat seventy-t

-two loaves, which is drinking the l

nty of money to

ave to give away. Does the

I know o

gh with your meal, we will rise. There is no pastry coming. Pastry is poisoned bread. Never eat pastry. Be a plain man, and stick to plain things. Now, my friend, I shall have to be private until nine o'clock in the evening, when I shall be again at your service. Meantime you may go to your room. I have ordered the one next to this to be prepared for you. But you must not be idle. Here is Poor Richard's Almanac, which, in view of our late conversation, I commend

humble guest to the door, and standing in the hall, pointed