Sez I, "It costs ten cents apiece, Josiah Allen. Think of the
cost before it is too late." Sez I, "Your expenditure of money
today has been unusial." Sez I, "The sum of ten cents has jest
been raised by you for noble principles, and I honer you for it.
But still the money has gone." Sez I, "Do you feel able to incur
the entire expense?"

Sez he, "All my life, Samantha, I have jest hankered after seein'
a mermaid. Them beautiful creeters, a settin' and combin' their
long golden tresses. I feel that I must see it. I fairly long
to see one of them beautiful, lovely bein's before I die."

"Wall," sez I, "if you feel like that, Josiah Allen, it is not
fur from me to balk you in your search for beauty. I too admire
loveliness, Josiah Allen, and seek after it." And sez I, "I will
faithfully follow at your side, and together we will bask in the
rays of beauty, together will we be lifted up and inspired by the
immortal spirit of loveliness."

So payin' our 30 cents we advanced up the steps, I expectin' soon
to be made happy, and Josiah held up by the expectation of soon
havin' his eyes blest by that vision of enchantin' beauty, he had
so long dremp of.

He advanced onto the pen first and before I even glanced down
into the deep where as I s'posed she set on a rock a combin' out
her long golden hair, a singin' her lurin' and enchanted song, to
distant mariners she had known, and to the one who wuz a showin'
of her off, before I had time to even glance at her, the maid, I