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"That's the best thing I have heard to-day," said Lawyer Ketchum to Mr. Haddock, standing by.

"Well, it is a sensible matter-of-fact remark," replied that gentleman.

"Then you dare'snt bet any how -- there's a hundred," said Siddleton, throwing five twenty dollar bills on the table. Stoddard pulled out his well-filled pocket-book, deliberately opened it, and laying a hundred dollar note on the table, put the pocket-book, with a thousand untouched dollars in it, back into his pocket.

"There," said he, "if I don't make three hundred and fifty dollars out of this job and treat them as well as ever you did, in the opinion of the selectmen of Crampton, you may have that -- so put up your hundred dollars, Siddleton; you may want them, and, Lawyer Tools, just take care of that money till the year comes round, eh? (Twinkle, flash and twinkle.)

"Very well," said the lawyer, picking up the bill. The crowd fell back as Stoddard walked away, and Siddleton, ashamed and vexed, and discomfited, could hardly tell what to do or say. At length, as the people said, "take up the money, Siddleton; he's neck or nothing, you see, and if he fails you get the money."

"Yes, but it wouldn't be very honorable to take it, I think, under just these circumstances."

"A pretty good thought that, too," said Lawyer Ketchum to Mr. Haddock.

"A very just one, a good, cool, second thought," he replied.

"It's 'honorable' enough," said some one; "if he's got himself into a scrape let him get out."

"Yes," said another, "and he's underbid you and got away the job."

"So he has!" said Siddleton, "I forgot that;" and without more ado he put the money back into his purse.

"Halloa there, Stoddard!" cried he, as he went out of the hall in front of the building, "come over early to-morrow morning -- before breakfast if you can, and take off the c----! for they've cost me enough already."

Mr. Stoddard, leaning on his staff, walked away to his wagon, backed out his two heavy horses, cramped the wheels to get into it by the aid of the step, and seating himself in an easy sort of a way, turned the heads of his five hundred dollar nags towards home.

There was one man at this town-meeting, blind of one eye, lame, poorly dressed, and evidently in reduced worldly circumstances, who took no part in the debates, and said few words to any persons present -- a man on the down-hill of life -- none other than Captain Isaac Bunce. But who can help it -- who protect himself against vicissitudes when it was long time ago said, and has been ever found in the experience and observation of many, to have been truly, though in a dead language said, "sic mundi, in gloria transit?" Never mind church members and widows, and little boys and girls, nor the sick and aged. They all belong to the same class -- the "sic mundi" class. Down with them. The lowest bidder gets them. How much? Must be sold!!

CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE Ministers get hold of it. Let us see what they think.

JOHN STODDARD had been a close observer of the manner pursued by Abraham Bacon with the paupers, and was satisfied that he could employ them still more profitably than that gentleman had done. He cultivated a good farm of soft, easy river land, and had gone considerably into the raising of garden seeds for market. It was work that required a good deal of attention and many hands, but was light, clean kind of work for the greater part -- such as boys, girls, women, and feeble persons might do. There were the roots of the different vegetables to be set out in the spring, and after this the hoeing, weeding, and care of the growing shoots. There were also seeds of annual plants to be sown, and care used in their growth and ripening. In the fall there were gathered the seeds of carrots, parsnips, beets, and the like were thrashed out on the barn floor. Then came the winnowing processes and packing in barrels; after which they were safely kept till a late period of the year, when the cold drove the people in doors. And what a busy and useful employment for all the paupers who were able to do any thing, to measure out and fill the little paper bags, previously prepared, with the seeds, especially for the little ragged children of the establishment!

In short, by labors of this kind, without materially altering the external condition of the paupers, John Stoddard cleared on his seeds this year over a thousand dollars. Siddleton lost the expected hundred dollar note; for Stoddard showed his bills and expenses, demonstrating to everybody's conviction that he had fairly made on his poor-house contract three hundred and fifty dollars.

The eyes of a good many people began to open about this time as to the advantage of a new poor-house system; but for some years still the opposition to it defeated every measure that was brought forward. Now there were enough money-loving persons in the town who wanted the help of the paupers in their different sorts of work -- light work which they could do -- and they would not let Israel go on this account. Said they, "If there is any money to be made out of the paupers, why give it to the town? No; we will make and keep it ourselves."