the doors, is a little too much for the Butcher, who in vain displays
before his door the fresh-cut meat and the tempting sausage. True, he
has plenty of customers; but they come because they need what he has to
sell; they come of necessity, not for pleasure. The Baker experiences
the same vexation, as he sees his loaves passed by and mockingly made
light of.

They bear awhile in silent envy the annoying sight of the rollicking
crowd and the joyful JOHNNY with his troop of apprentices, who have all
they can possibly do to attend to their numerous customers, and who
receive their broad pieces of money with a careless ease that makes the
fingers of the lookers-on tingle.

At last human nature can stand it no longer. The two malicious
storekeepers put their heads together, and resolve to draw their
prosperous enemy into a fight that will ruin him and enable them to
smash his windows. Accordingly, they throw stones and dirt at him, but
he, intently interested in his store, notices them not. His noisy
apprentices and loungers around see and point out the insult, and urge
him to avenge himself. But no; he has no time to pay attention to petty
annoyances; he is too busy getting up a huge candlestick for the Fair,
and so, to smooth matters over, he sends his two enemies an invitation
to view the magnificent candlestick that is to throw so much light on
the world.

"He is either too stupid or too sharp for us," sighs the Baker; "we
can't do anything in that way. Suppose we set up an opposition store,
with one of your sons for Proprietor, and see what effect that will
have."--"Good, it shall be done," says the Butcher.