Page:Romance & Reality 3.pdf/272

270 One morning, however, Fitzroy Square must have been more than usually delightful: there was an east wind the poor little daisies and crocuses, seemed to implore their mother earth to receive them into her bosom again; the smuts, those "fairy favours " from the gnome queen of coal fires, fell fast and thick; and the laburnums looked so many practical Rousseaus denouncing the progress of civilisation. "Why, I declare it spits," said Mrs. Higgs, gazing on those watery drops on the windows which indicate what the Scotch call mist, and the English rain. "Timothy, do go and tell your sister that the tea's quite cold, and we've eat all the prawns." "I'm sure, Ma'," replied the boy, "you might send Jack—I've got my theme to do about being obliging, and I sha'n't have no time." "Indeed," said Jack, who was what is called a fine manly boy, "I sha'n't go; my stomach