It is in other wares that I deal.

Tell me, have you, of late years, lost many of your peasants by death ?" "Yes; no fewer than eighteen," responded the old lady with a sigh.

"Such a fine lot, too--all good workers! True, others have since grown up, but of what use are THEY?
Mere striplings.

When the Assessor last called upon me I could have wept; for, though those workmen of mine are dead, I have to keep on paying for them as though they were still alive! And only last week my blacksmith got burnt to death! Such a clever hand at his trade he was!" "What?
A fire occurred at your place ?" "No, no, God preserve us all! It was not so bad as that.

You must understand that the blacksmith SET HIMSELF on fire--he got set on fire in his bowels through overdrinking.