Page:Stubbs's Calendar or The Fatal Boots.djvu/87

Rh you know that you and your daughters are beggars, ma'am, beggars?"

"My dearest boy, have we not got the house, and the furniture, and a hundred a year still; and have you not great talents which will make all our fortunes?" says Mrs. Stubbs, getting up off her knees, and making believe to smile as she clawed hold of my hand and kissed it.

This was too cool. "You have got a hundred a year, ma'am," says I—"you have got a house: upon my soul and honor this is the first I ever heard of it; and I'll tell you what, ma'am," says I (and it cut her pretty sharply too), "as you've got it, you’d better go and live in it. I've got quite enough to do with my own house, and every penny of my own income."

Upon this speech the old lady said nothing, but she gave a screech loud enough to be heard from here to York, and down she fell—kicking and struggling in a regular fit.

I did not see Mrs. Stubbs for some days after this, and the girls used to come down to meals, and never