"I'll tell you, Davy man," began Henry, first recovering. "The pig
is a very sagacious animal, especially in Hampshire, and so he smells
out wherever the bags of money are sown underground, and digs them up
with his nose. Then he swings them on his back, and gives a curl of
his tail and a wink of his eye, and lays them down just before the
landlord's feet; and he's so cunning, that not an inch will he budge
till he's got the receipt, with a stamp upon it, on his snout."

"No; now is that a true story?" cried little Annie, who was the only
person except David grave enough to speak; while Sam, exploding in
the window, called out, "Why, don't you know that's why pigs have
rings in their noses?"


"There was a lady loved a swine;
'Honey,' says she,
I'll give you a silver trough.'
'Hunks!' says he,"


continued Hal; "that shows his disinterestedness. Oh, werry
sagacious haminals is pigs!"

"For shame, Hal," cried Elizabeth, "to confuse the children with such
nonsense."

"Why, don't you think I know how the rent is paid? I've seen Papa on
rent-day hundreds of times."

"But the pigs, Hal; did you ever see the pigs?"