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"Why, to be sure I would," he rejoined "Bein' a literary

cove I know su's life weren't all

lavender--not by no manner o' means, nor yet a bed o' roses"

"Yet there's "

"Very little, I think," said the Tinker

"A king has great advantages"

"Which he generally abuses," said the Tinker

"There have been sos"

"But a great many more bad 'uns!" said the Tinker

"And then, look how often they got theirselves pisoned, or

stabbed, or 'ad their 'eads chopped off! No--if you axes e"

"Then you are contented?"

"Not quite," he answered, his face falling; " a literary

cove (as I think I've mentioned afore), it has always been my

wish to be a scholar"

"Far better be a tinker," said I

"Young fellow," said the Tinker, shaking his head reprovingly,

"you're off the e is pohy, Lord love my

eyes and limbs! what's finer than to be able to read in the Greek

and Latin?"

"To possess the capacity of earning an honest livelihood," said

I

"Why, I tell you," continued the Tinker, unheeding ive this here left hand o' mine to be able to read the very