Page:Little Daffydowndilly-1887.djvu/24

20 &ldquo;Pray let us go a little farther,&rdquo; said Daffydowndilly. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t like the looks of this fiddler at all.&rdquo;

Well, thus the stranger and little Daffydowndilly went wandering along the highway, and in shady lanes, and through pleasant villages; and whithersoever they went, behold! there was the image of old Mr. Toil. He stood like a scarecrow in the cornfields. If they entered a house, he sat in the parlor; if they peeped into the kitchen, he was there. He made himself at home in every cottage, and stole, under one disguise or another, into the most splendid mansions. Everywhere there was sure to be somebody wearing the likeness of Mr. Toil, and who, as the stranger affirmed, was one of the old schoolmaster&rsquo;s innumerable brethren.

Little Daffydowndilly was almost tired to death, when he perceived some people reclining lazily in a shady place, by the side of the road. The poor child entreated his companion that they might sit down there, and take some repose.

&ldquo;Old Mr. Toil will never come here,&rdquo; said he; &ldquo;for he hates to see people taking their ease.&rdquo;

But, even while he spoke, Daffydowndilly&rsquo;s eyes fell upon a person who seemed the laziest, and heaviest, and most torpid of all those lazy and heavy and torpid people who had lain down to sleep in the shade. Who should it be, again, but the very image of Mr. Toil!

&ldquo;There is a large family of these Toils,&rdquo; remarked the stranger. &ldquo;This is another of the old schoolmaster&rsquo;s brothers, who was bred in Italy, where he acquired very idle habits, and goes by the name of Signor Far Niente. He pretends to lead an easy life, but is really the most miserable fellow in the family.&rdquo;