most munificent spirit, and returns every smallest benefit with some
present from her basket. She makes me ashamed of things I have written
about the sordidness of her race, but I shall vainly seek to atone for
them by open-handedness to her. She will give favor for favor; she will
not even count the money she receives; our bargaining is a contest of the
courtliest civilities, ending in many an "Adieu!" "To meet again!" "Remain
well!" and "Finally!" not surpassed if rivaled in any Italian street. In
her ineffectual way, she brings us news of her different customers,
breaking up their stout Saxon names into tinkling polysyllables which
suggest them only to the practiced sense, and is perfectly patient and
contented if we mistake one for another. She loves them all, but she
pities them as living in a terrible climate; and doubtless in her heart
she purposes one day to go back to Italy, there to die. In the mean time
she is very cheerful; she, too, has had her troubles,--what troubles I do
not remember, but those that come by sickness and by death, and that
really seem no sorrows until they come to us,--yet she never complains. It
is hard to make a living, and the house-rent alone is six dollars a month;
but still one lives, and does not fare so ill either. As it does not seem
to be in her to dislike any one, it must be out of a harmless guile, felt
to be comforting to servant-ridden householders, that she always speaks of
"those Irish," her neighbors, with a bated breath, a shaken head, a hand
lifted to the cheek, and an averted countenance.

Swarthiest of the organ-grinding tribe is he who peers up at my window out
of infinitesimal black eyes, perceives me, louts low, and for form's sake
grinds me out a tune before he begins to talk. As we parley together, say
it is eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and a sober tranquillity reigns upon
the dust and nodding weeds of Benicia Street. At that hour the organ-
grinder and I are the only persons of our sex in the whole suburban
population; all other husbands and fathers having eaten their breakfasts