Wonder-Box Tales | Page 4

and so

many good things to eat, that in the end he was obliged to buy a wagon
to bring them home in, and great was the delight of his wife when she
saw him coming home on the top of it, driving the four gray horses
himself.
[Illustration: "COMING HOME ON TOP OF IT, DRIVING THE
FOUR GRAY HORSES HIMSELF."]
They soon began to unpack the goods and lay them out on the grass, for
the cottage was far too small to hold them.
"There are some red silk curtains with gold rods," said the woodman.
"And grand indeed they are!" exclaimed his wife, spreading them over
the onion bed.
"And here's a great looking-glass," continued the woodman, setting one
up against the outside of the cottage, for it would not go in the door.
So they went on handing down the things, and it took nearly the whole
afternoon to empty the wagon. No wonder, when it contained, among
other things, a coral and bells for the baby, and five very large tea-trays
adorned with handsome pictures of impossible scenery, two large sofas
covered with green damask, three bonnets trimmed with feathers and
flowers, two glass tumblers for them to drink out of,--for Kitty had
decided that mugs were very vulgar things,--six books bound in
handsome red morocco, a mahogany table, a large tin saucepan, a spit
and silver waiter, a blue coat with gilt buttons, a yellow waistcoat,
some pictures, a dozen bottles of wine, a quarter of lamb, cakes, tarts,
pies, ale, porter, gin, silk stockings, blue and red and white shoes, lace,
ham, mirrors, three clocks, a four-post bedstead, and a bag of sugar
candy.
These articles filled the cottage and garden; the wagon stood outside
the paling. Though the little kitchen was very much encumbered with
furniture, they contrived to make a fire in it; and, having eaten a
sumptuous dinner, they drank each other's health, using the new
tumblers to their great satisfaction.

"All these things remind me that we must have another house built,"
said Kitty.
"You may do just as you please about that, my dear," replied her
husband, with a bottle of wine in his hand.
"My dear," said Kitty, "how vulgar you are! Why don't you drink out of
one of our new tumblers, like a gentleman?"
The woodman refused, and said it was much more handy to drink it out
of the bottle.
"Handy, indeed!" retorted Kitty; "yes, and by that means none will be
left for me."
Thereupon another quarrel ensued, and the woodman, being by this
time quite tipsy, beat his wife again. The next day they went and got
numbers of workmen to build them a new house in their garden. It was
quite astonishing even to Kitty, who did not know much about building,
to see how quick these workmen were; in one week the house was
ready. But in the meantime the woodman, who had very often been
tipsy, felt so unwell that he could not look after them; therefore it is not
surprising that they stole a great many of his fine things while he lay
smoking on the green damask sofa which stood on the carrot bed.
Those articles which the workmen did not steal the rain and dust spoilt;
but that they thought did not much matter, for still more than half the
gold was left; so they soon furnished the new house. And now Kitty
had a servant, and used to sit every morning on a couch dressed in silks
and jewels till dinner-time, when the most delicious hot beefsteaks and
sausage pudding or roast goose were served up, with more sweet pies,
fritters, tarts, and cheese-cakes than they could possibly eat. As for the
baby, he had three elegant cots, in which he was put to sleep by turns;
he was allowed to tear his picture-books as often as he pleased, and to
eat so many sugar-plums and macaroons that they often made him quite
ill.
The woodman looked very pale and miserable, though he often said
what a fine thing it was to be rich. He never thought of going to his

work, and used generally to sit in the kitchen till dinner was ready,
watching the spit. Kitty wished she could see him looking as well and
cheerful as in old days, though she felt naturally proud that her husband
should always be dressed like a gentleman, namely, in a blue coat, red
waistcoat, and top-boots.
He and Kitty could never agree as to what should be done with the rest
of the money; in fact, no one would have known them for the same
people; they quarrelled almost every day, and lost nearly all their love
for one another. Kitty often cried herself to sleep--a thing she had