Darknefs and Light. 93

I do not know how Roderick firft got into his
foolifh habit, and it does not much matter, I
know he at one time had a fancy there was fome-
thing unpleafant about the pipes that carried the
water about the houfe, and he would not for a long
time go by the pipes alone. Now, how you
laugh ! well, but he got out of that nonfenfe ; and
I hope to be able to tell you that he got out of
the other too: but at the time I fpeak of, he
made his Mamma full of forrow for his want of
fenfe and courage.

It muft be admitted that there were one or two
excufes to be made for the child. There was a
great contraft between the Town Houfe and the
Sea Caftle. The Town Houfe was full of lights.
All the fitting rooms were generally lighted, for
a great deal of company came there, and there
were always lights along the paflages; and the
nurfery windows looked into a fquare, and the
{quare was lighted up by lamps every night; and
it was one of Roderick’s greateft pleafures to
watch the lamplighter running quickly up the tall
ladder to the lamps to light them, and then 'pop-
ping down again equally hurriedly, and running
along (ladder and all) to the next lamp poft, and
fo on, till the fquare was brilliant all round; and
very often, as Roderick lay in his little bed watch-
ing the glimmering thrown by thefe pretty lamps
on the nurfery wall, he ufed to think and think
of his friend the nimble lamplighter, till he dropped
faft afleep. You fee, therefore, he had very little