The Smallweed Family

           Inaratherill-favouredandill-savouredneighbourhood,thoughoneofitsrisinggroundsbearsthenameofMountPleasant,theElfinSmallweed,christenedBartholomewandknownonthedomestichearthasBart,passesthatlimitedportionofhistimeonwhichtheofficeanditscontingencieshavenoclaim.Hedwellsinalittlenarrowstreet,alwayssolitary,shady,andsad,closelybrickedinonallsideslikeatomb,butwherethereyetlingersthestumpofanoldforesttreewhoseflavourisaboutasfreshandnaturalastheSmallweedsmackofyouth.TherehasbeenonlyonechildintheSmallweedfamilyforseveralgenerations.Littleoldmenandwomentherehavebeen,butnochild,untilMr.Smallweed’sgrandmother,nowliving,becameweakinherintellectandfell(forthefirsttime)intoachildishstate.Withsuchinfantinegracesasatotalwantofobservation,memory,understanding,andinterest,andaneternaldispositiontofallasleepoverthefireandintoit,Mr.Smallweed’sgrandmotherhasundoubtedlybrightenedthefamily.Mr.Smallweed’sgrandfatherislikewiseoftheparty.Heisinahelplessconditionastohislower,andnearlysoastohisupper,limbs,buthismindisunimpaired.Itholds,aswellasiteverheld,thefirstfourrulesofarithmeticandacertainsmallcollectionofthehardestfacts.Inrespectofideality,reverence,wonder,andothersuchphrenologicalattributes,itisnoworseoffthanitusedtobe.EverythingthatMr.Smallweed’sgrandfathereverputawayinhismindwasagrubatfirst,andisagrubatlast.Inallhislifehehasneverbredasinglebutterfly.