It  takes  some  little  time  to  conclude  a  bargain.    A  great  deal
of  talking  is  done  on  the  fingers,  and  the  emigrant  goes  away
satisfied,  nay,  pleased,  at  the  great  amount  of  something  to


THE   SECRETS   OK    THE    GKEAT    CITY.  1)09

eat  lie  is  able  to  buy  in  America  ^  !tli  a  small  lot  of  silver
Besides  this,  the  old  womaa  behind  the  stall  gives  him  a  va-
riety of  paper  money,  curiously  printed.  He  looks  at  it,
ttien  doubles  it  up,  and  puts  it  carefully  away.
"  The  men  patterers  are  a  much  larger  class  in  New  York
than  the  women.  They  are  engaged  in  all  imaginable  occu-
pations and  dog  your  steps  at  every  corner.  Some  of  these
men  are  middle-aged,  able-bodied  fellows,  quite  strong  and
healthy  enough  to  be  clearing  up  land  in  the  "West  or  laying
bricks  at  five  dollars  a  day.  For  some  unaccountable  reason
they  prefer  to  remain  in  New  York,  living  from  hand  to
mouth,  and  doing  nothing  to  improve  themselves,  mentally,
worldly,  or  financially.  We  have  one  of  these  in  mind  now.
