hesearethecoarsestmills,inwhichallgossipisfirstrudelydigestedorcrackedupbeforeitisemptiedintofinerandmoredelicatehopperswithindoors.Iobservedthatthevitalsofthevillagewerethegrocery,thebar-room,thepost-office,andthebankand,asanecessarypartofthemachinery,theykeptabell,abiggun,andafire-engine,atconvenientplacesandthehousesweresoarrangedastomakethemostofmankind,inlanesandfrontingoneanother,sothateverytravellerhadtorunthegantlet,andeveryman,woman,andchildmightgetalickathim.Ofcourse,thosewhowerestationednearesttotheheadoftheline,wheretheycouldmostseeandbeseen,andhavethefirstblowathim,paidthehighestpricesfortheirplacesandthefewstragglinginhabitantsintheoutskirts,wherelonggapsinthelinebegantooccur,andthetravellercouldgetoverwallsorturnasideintocowpaths,andsoescape,paidaveryslightgroundorwindowtax.Signswerehungoutonallsidestoallurehimsometocatchhimbytheappetite,asthetavernandvictuallingcellarsomebythefancy,asthedrygoodsstoreandthejeweller’sandothersbythehairorthefeetortheskirts,asthebarber,theshoemaker,orthetailor.Besides,therewasastillmoreterriblestandinginvitationtocallateveryoneofthesehouses,andcompanyexpectedaboutthesetimes.ForthemostpartIescapedwonderfullyfromthesedangers,eitherbyproceedingatonceboldlyandwithoutdeliberationtothegoal,asisrecommendedtothosewhorunthegantlet,orbykeepingmythoughtsonhighthings,likeOrpheus,who,“loudlysingingthepraisesofthegodstohislyre,drownedthevoicesoftheSirens,andkeptoutofdanger.”SometimesIboltedsuddenly,andnobodycouldtellmywhereabouts,forIdidnotstandmuchaboutgracefulness,andneverhesitatedatagapinafence.Iwasevenaccustomedtomakeanirruptionintosomehouses,whereIwaswellentertained,andafterlearningthekernelsandverylastsieve-fulofnews,whathadsubsided,theprospectsofwarandpeace,andwhethertheworldwaslikelytoholdtogethermu