Page:Brazilian short stories.djvu/27

 the town avoiding flies and kicks. What should they do but change Cunegundes' name to Biriba! The scoundrels!

And soon the Government contributed to the torture by deciding to cut down the salaries of the postmen in order to save itself on a certain occasion from financial difficuity. … And it did so.

Clothes threadbare. At the beginning of the rainy season a charitable soul presented Biriba with an old rain-coat; however, the first downpour showed the recipient that the coat leaked like a sieve, thus increasing his difficulty with an overweight of cloth that absorbed several quarts of water.

Biriba lost his patience and grumbled.

Alas! The boss soon heard of it and called him to account.

"Is it true that you are complaining of the job we gave you? Perhaps you would rather be elected senator or Vice-President? A shabby thing that went about nearly dying of hunger, due to our generosity obtains a Federal post, with a right to a pension, a fairly good salary … (here Biriba coughed out a "Yes, Sir") ſinds everything easy, receives a good animal and still complains? What does Your Excellency desire, then?"

Biriba took his courage in his hands and declared that he only desired one thing: his dismissal. He was ill, worn out, threatened with the loss of the mare and his haunches at any moment. He wanted to change his mode of living.

"So one's mode of life can be changed off-