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Lawyer Tools got the floor. This gentleman said he didn't rise to make a speech, but simply to say that the town poor always made more fuss in their annual meeting than every and all other things combined. He hoped that some gentlemen who loved to make capital out of the subject and to roll up votes for their political party, would make as much as they possibly could out of this "starving case," (ha! ha!) for it was not likely they would soon have any thing quite as good to work at. (Applause.) One thing he especially desired, viz.: that these "croakers," he called them, should bid off the poor for themselves, and just keep them for a year or two as they thought others should; then, he thought they could better give advice and more justly find fault."

"Just so!" "Good!" "Give it to 'um, Tools!" went round the hall.

Then the justice said, "Order, gentlemen -- please come to order. Mr. Ketchum has the floor."

Lawyer Ketchum said he was always emulous of every good thing he ever saw in his brother Tools; and so, like him, would preface his remarks by saying he did not rise to make a speech. He would simply say that the town poor always would be a bone of contention to the town until they were disposed of in a proper manner. They were human beings, and required humane and proper attention. They did not usually receive it, as he believed, nor would they be apt to under the present system of locating them. They wanted more attention to their common daily little ills and discomforts, good nursing, some medical attention, good shelter, warm rooms, clean and respectable garments -- "

"Take them yourself," cried a voice in the crowd.

"Let Haddock take them," said another.

"Order, gentlemen," said the moderator.

"I should like to ask the gentleman," said Lawyer Tools, "if he would consent to have the care of these people, and do for them what he proposes for others to do, for even eight hundred dollars a year!"

"Good!" "Go it. Tools!" exclaimed voices.

"In reply to brother Tool's inquiry," said Mr. Ketchum, "I have to answer, that as I am not a married man yet, following as usual the example of my elder brother in the profession --"

"Good! Hurrah for Ketchum and Tools!" cried the whole house.

"Regular old bachelors!" said some.

"Genuine stuff, those chaps!" said others -- "ha! ha! ha!"

"I couldn't, Mr. Moderator, under these circumstances, make the engagement proposed. But further, it is a little out of my usual line of business, let the case be as it might; and then, again, and decidedly, it would violate all my principles to take them at any price!"

"Good!" said Mr. Haddock and his friends.

(Coughing, stamping, and some hissing on the other side.)

"Order, gentlemen" said the moderator, looking over his spectacles.

Much opposition to the reading of the minority report was made, and with difficulty it was got in. Finally it was read, but it went no further. It represented the poor as suffering many privations and much needless humiliation as they were now kept, and recommended that the town adopt the new system of purchasing a town farm, and placing the poor there, as in a comfortable and respectable home, where all due attention would be paid to their wants, and the town delivered from the ignominy of selling them as so many worthless slaves at auction -- actually to the lowest bidder!

Mr. Haddock moved to accept the report. Mr. Phillips seconded the motion. The moderator put it to vote, and it was voted not to accept, by a very large majority.

By-and-bye the question came up for the disposal of the poor for the ensuing year.

Many persons were in favor of Mr. Siddleton having them at six hundred dollars. Mr. Siddleton said he would take them at that, although he couldn't afford it. His wife and he labored for their good from morning till night, and he really thought that Mrs. Siddleton's health was seriously affected by her great attention to their temporal and spiritual comfort.

There were other bidders, however.

"Six hundred dollars! gentlemen, is Mr. Siddleton's offer. He will take the paupers and give them suitable provision for a year for six hundred dollars! Six hundred dollars for the town paupers for one year, going! Does any body say less than six hundred?"

"Five hundred and seventy-five!" said Abraham Bacon.

"Whew! -- you," said Siddleton. "Whew, man! you cant----" (Now Bacon was known by his skillful management to have made out of his two years' contract a thousand dollars!)

"Gentlemen," said the moderator, "we have a bid from another responsible man -- of five hundred and seventy-five dollars -- Mr. Abraham Bacon -- knows all about it -- five hundred seventy-five, going! Now's your chance, Siddleton; can't be helped; the town paupers of Crampton for one year five hundred seventy-five!"

"Seventy!" cried Siddleton in desperation -- (Siddleton was known to have lost money by his contract.) -- The people stared!

"Sixty five!" said Bacon.

"Sixty! " said John Stoddard.