Page:Aaron's Rod, Lawrence, New York 1922.djvu/29

 "An' I'm almighty sure o' that," said Kirk. There was a little pause.

"Yes, that's all there is in the minds of you men," said the landlady. "But what can be done with the money, that you never think of—the education of the children, the improvement of conditions—"

"Educate the children, so that they can lay hold of the long end of the rope, instead of the short end," said the doctor, with a little giggle.

"Ay, that's it," said Brewitt. "I've pulled at th' short end, an' my lads may do th' same."

"A selfish policy," put in the landlady.

"Selfish or not, they may do it."

"Till the crack o' doom," said Aaron, with a glistening smile.

"Or the crack o' th' rope," said Brewitt.

"Yes, and then what?" cried the landlady.

"Then we s'll all drop on our backsides," said Kirk. There was a general laugh, and an uneasy silence.

"All I can say of you men," said the landlady, "is that you have a narrow, selfish policy.—Instead of thinking of the children, instead of thinking of improving the world you live in—"

"We hang on, British bulldog breed," said Brewitt. There was a general laugh.

"Yes, and little wiser than dogs, wrangling for a bone," said the landlady.

"Are we to let t' other side run off wi' th' bone, then, while we sit on our stunts an' yowl for it?" asked Brewitt.

"No indeed. There can be wisdom in everything.—It's what you do with the money, when you've got it," said the landlady, "that's where the importance lies."

It's"It's [sic] Missis as gets it," said Kirk. "It doesn't stop wi' us."

"Ay, it's the wife as gets it, ninety per cent," they all concurred.

"And who should have the money, indeed, if not your wives? They have everything to do with the money. What idea have you, but to waste it!"