Page:The mislaid uncle (IA mislaiduncle00raym).pdf/60

 CHAPTER IV.

A MULTITUDE OF JOSEPHS.

"So I perceive!" responded the master of the house, when he could rally from this onslaught of affection. "I'm sure I'm very pleased to welcome you. I—when—how did you arrive?"

"I'm a 'xpress 'parcel,'" she answered, laughing, for she had learned before this that she had made her long journey in rather an unusual fashion. "Mamma had to go away on the peacock-blue ocean; and Doctor Mack couldn't bother with me, 'cause he's going to the folks that eat almonds together and give presents; and there wasn't anybody else 'xcept big Bridget, and she'd spent all her money, and mamma said you wouldn't want a 'wild Irish girl' to plague you. Would you?"

"I'm not fond of being plagued by any