Ponderinginmymindthefar-seeingschemesofThismanandThatman，andofthepublicblessingcalledParty，forstayingthedegeneracy，physicalandmoral，ofmanythousandswhoshallsayhowmany？oftheEnglishrace；fordevisingemploymentusefultothecommunityforthosewhowantbuttoworkandlive；forequalisingrates，cultivatingwastelands，facilitatingemigration，and，aboveallthings，savingandutilisingtheoncominggenerations，andtherebychangingever-growingnationalweaknessintostrength:ponderinginmymind，Isay，thesehopefulexertions，Iturneddownanarrowstreettolookintoahouseortwo。
Itwasadarkstreetwithadeadwallononeside。Nearlyalltheouterdoorsofthehousesstoodopen。Itookthefirstentry，andknockedataparlour-door。MightIcomein？Imight，ifIplased，sur。
ThewomanoftheroomIrishhadpickedupsomelongstripsofwood，aboutsomewharforbarge；andtheyhadjustnowbeenthrustintotheotherwiseemptygratetomaketwoironpotsboil。Therewassomefishinone，andthereweresomepotatoesintheother。
Theflareoftheburningwoodenabledmetoseeatable，andabrokenchairorso，andsomeoldcheapcrockeryornamentsaboutthechimney-piece。ItwasnotuntilIhadspokenwiththewomanafewminutes，thatIsawahorriblebrownheaponthefloorinacorner，which，butforpreviousexperienceinthisdismalwise，Imightnothavesuspectedtobe’thebed。’Therewassomethingthrownuponit；andIaskedwhatthatwas。
’’Tisthepoorcraythurthatstayshere，sur；and’tisverybadsheis，and’tisverybadshe’sbeenthislongtime，and’tisbettershe’llneverbe，and’tisslapeshedoesallday，and’tiswakeshedoesallnight，and’tisthelead，sur。’