170 SHEPHERDESS AND CHIMNEY-SWEEPER.

that he was a sweep ; the china-workers might just as well have
made a prince of him, if they had been so minded.

There he stood very nattily with his ladder, and with a face as
white and pink as a girl’s ; and that was really a fault, for he ought
to have been a little black. He stood quite close to the Shep-
herdess : they had both been placed where they stood; but as
they had been placed there, they had become engaged to each
other. They suited each other well. Both were young people,
both made of the same kind of China, and both were brittle.

Close to them stood another figure, three times greater than
they. This was an old Chinaman, who could nod. He was also
‘of porcelain, and declared himself to be the grandfather of the
little Shepherdess ; but he could not prove his relationship. He
declared he had authority over her, and that therefore he had
nodded to Mr. Billygoat-legs - Lieutenant - and-Major-General-
War-Commander-Sergeant, who was wooing her for his wife.

“Then you will get a husband !” said the old Chinaman, “a man
who I verily believe is made of mahogany. He can make you
Billygoat-legs- Lieutenant-and-Major-General-War-Commander-
Sergeant’s lady: he has the whole cupboard full of silver plate,
which he hoards up in secret drawers.”

“T won’t go into that dark cupboard !” said the little Shep-
herdess. “I have heard tell that he has eleven porcelain wives
in there.”

“Then you may become the twelfth,” cried the Chinaman.
“ This night, so soon as it rattles in the old cupboard, you shall
be married, as true as I am an old Chinaman!”

And with that he nodded his head and fell asleep. But the
little Shepherdess wept and looked at her heart’s beloved, the por-
celain Chimney-Sweeper.

“T should like to beg of you,” said she, “ to go out with me into
the wide world, for we cannot remain here.”

““T’ll do whatever you like,” replies the little Chimney-Sweep.
“ Let us start directly! I think I can keep you by exercising my
profession.”

“ If we were only safely down from the table!” said she. “I
shall not be happy until we are out in the wide world.”

And he comforted her, and showed her how she must place her
little foot upon the carved corners and the gilded foliage at the
foot of the table ; he brought his ladder, too, to help her, and they
were soon together upon the floor. But when they looked up at
the old cupboard there was great commotion within: allthe carved
stags were stretching out ther heads, rearing up their antlers, and
turning their necks; and the Billygoat-legs -Lieutenant-and-Major-
Genéral-War-Commander-Sergeant sprang high in the air, and
called across to the old Chinaman,

“ Now they’re running away! now they’re running away !”

Then they were a little frightened, and jumped quickly into the