Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
;ii[.412T1iv- OIIUZZLE WIT;
i;.s,;yrup,V and ‘who was now weeping and sobbing spite-
" My brother, sir,",said Ruth Pinch, tlniidly present-
ing om. "
'. “Oh!” criedbtho gentleman, surveying Tom attcnl
tively. "‘You'really“are Miss Pincli's brother,‘ "I pre-’
sume? .Youhwill excuse my asl:ing.' '1’ don't. observe
any're'scmhlance.” “'“" ‘“, " I’ ‘ ‘
“Miss Pinch hasa brother, I know," observed the lady.
"Miss Pinch ‘is’ always"tallring about her"brotlier,
when she ought tobobcngaged uponniy education,”
subbed the pupil. ’ ‘ ; " ' " “V ' '
‘.“‘ Sophia I‘ Ilold your tongue l”'observed the gentle-
man. f‘Sit down, if you please]? ‘addressing Tom.
Tom sat down,’ looking from-one face’ to another, in
mutesurprismm < ‘N - ‘ - ‘Q ‘ ‘ ‘ ’
v:.f‘Remain here, if 'you"please,‘Miss Pinch,” pursued
the gentleman, looking slightly over his shoulder. "
r..Toni interrupted him liere,'by rising‘to place a chair
for his sister. ' Having done which he sat down again.
"I am glad you clianceto have ciilled to see your sis-
ter to-day.’ sir,” resumed the brass-and-copper founder.
‘,5 For although I do“’not approve, as a principle, of any
young persontengaged 'in'my family, in the"cap:Lcity
9,5 =1 governess, receiving visitors,’it happens in this case
to be well-timed. -I am sorry to inform you that we are
not at all satisfiedwitli your sister.” ‘ ‘ ‘ ' <
=-“Weare very much’ dissatisfied with her," observed
-Iyhelady-m - .
1. " I'd never say another lesson to Miss Pinch if I was
be beat to death for it l” sobbed the‘ pupil.
“Sophia I?’ cried her 'father.[‘ “ Hold your tongue 1'’
-.f‘. Will you allow me to 'IIl(1llll'0’“‘llt1B your ground of
<l;1s‘satisfaction"is?"'askcd Tom. ' -.
hes,” said the gentleman, “I will."’I "don't recog-
l“.5B1tas a. right; but, I will.‘ Your sister has not‘ the
slightestinnate"power of commanding respect.’ It has
9911 at constant source of difference “between us.‘ VAl-
lhmlgli she has been in this ‘family for some‘ time, and
"-ullough the young lady who is now present,‘ has almost‘,
as it were, grown up under her tuition, that ‘youngilady
has no respect for her. ‘M iss'Pincli' has been perfectly
“D-'1ble,to command my daughter's res ct, or to win my
d.3.“gliter's confidence. " Now,” said t it: gentleman,-ah
owing the palm of his liand'to fallfgravely down‘ upon
the table : “ I maintain that there is something radically
‘$333 in that! You, as her brother, may be disposed
, eny it-” ‘ - ’
"I. beg your pardon, sir,” said Tom. “I am not at
all disposed to deny it. I am sure’ that tlierois some-
thing radically wrong: radically monstrous: intliat.” ,
x ‘Good Heavens 1”‘ cried tliof'gent1eman,‘ looking
found the room, with dignity, “' what do I find to,bc the
915% l what results ohtrude themselves 'upon me as flow-
glg from this weakness of "character on the part of, Miss
mill! lVhat aremy feelings as a ‘father, when,‘ after
my desirf! ‘(repeatedly expriiissedt to Miss Pinch; 95 "I
- think she will not yenturo to 'deny) ‘that 'my‘ daughter
Sgouldbe choice in her expressions, genteel in ’lier'de'-
mriment, as becomes'lie'r station in 'life,‘ and politely
‘$3535 to her inferiors in society, I find li'e'r,,only this
ff10r;1ing,‘addressing Miss‘Pinch' herself as a beg-
. ::A bifgzarly thing,” observed the lady in correction-
" Which is worse,” said the gentleman, triumphantly ;
’W1l<;lI is worse. A beg-om-1y-thing. A low,,coarse,
-.";“'P‘“%bia expression!” 5 3 ' ' 3 " M i
‘h M0st‘despicable,”"cried Toni,’ “ I‘ am glad to ’ find
. there is a just appreciation ot',it here.” " ' 3'
S0J11St, sir,”' said the gentleman, lowering his voice
7"b'3.l5l10.1IlOI'e impressive; - “ So just, that, but for‘my
Sonowing Miss Pinch’ to"be'an unprotected '-young per-
3- 11’ an PTPIWD. and-Witliout friends,‘I‘wou1d, as I 35-.
ured Miss Pinch upon my veracity, and‘ personal charac-
’Der"?‘ few minutes ago, I would have severed the jcon-
‘ ‘gi:.tl"“ between us -at that moment and from that time.”
fo , 953 my soul,.sir 1 ” cried Tom, rising from his seat ;
ugh‘: W35 now unable to'contain' himself any longer;
Mont allow such‘considei'ations as thoseto influence‘
t9ct;&dl"?‘)’- They ‘don,’t-‘exist, sir." 'She'is’n0t' 111111370"
< - ‘ Ruth, my
V‘ ‘ Sheds read to-d a t th' ' stan .
dear, getyour boxing: on ,?..,,; I,s,‘P.:
1109
“Oh, a pretty, family 1” cried the lady. “Oh, he’s
her brotlicrl "l‘here’s no doubt about that !” 3 i ' '
’”As little ‘doubt; madam.” said Tom, “as that the
young lady yonder is the child of your teaching, and not
my sister's. Ruth, ‘my'dear‘,‘ get your bonnet on l”
' "lVlien you say,’ young man,’’; interposed the brass-
and-copper founder, haughtily, “- with that impertinenee
which is natural to you, and which -I therefore do not
condesccnd to notice further, that the young lady, my
eldest daughter, has been educated by any one but Miss
Pinch, voii-I needn’t proceed. ’ You comprehend me
fully. have no doubt you are used to it.” " v‘-‘Q -1
“Sir l” cried Tom, after regarding him in silence for
some little time. “If you do not‘understand“what I
mean, I will tell you. If you’ do understand what I mean,
I beg you not to repeat that mode of expressing
yourself in answer to it. My meaning is, that no man
can expect his children to respect what he degrades.” ‘ "
“Ha, ha, ha!” laughed the gentleman. ‘“Cant!‘
cant I The common cant l” " '
“ The ‘common story, sir!” said Tom; “the story of
a common mind. Your governess cannot win the confi-
dence and respect of your children, forsootli! Let her
begin by winning yours, and see what happens then.” '4’ .
“Miss Pinch is getting-‘her bonnet on, I trust, my
dear?" said the “gentleman. I ' ‘ ' ’
“I trust she is,” said Toin,'i'orestalling the reply. ‘f I
have nodoubt ‘ she is. In the meantime I address my-
self to you, sir. lou made your statement to me, sir;
you required to ‘see. Ilnc for that; pI(l1l'P0S1: ; i11)l1(%eItIl31Vei(fi.
right to answer it. . am no“ on 01' Hr 11 D ,1 S11
Tom, which was quite true, ‘ though I can scarce y say
as much for you, in your manner pf addressing yourself
to me. An? wish, on my sisters behalf, to state the
' ' le trut i.” ' ' '
Sn?‘pYou may state anything you like, young‘man," re.
turned the‘ gentleman; affecting "to yawn. ‘ My dear,
M‘ P‘ h’s mone '.” " ‘ ‘ ‘ " '
‘.s.SwiEcn ‘you tell “me,” ‘resumed Tom, .Wll(‘)"Wi1S not
the less indignantfor keeping liimself.quiet, ‘ that my
sister has no innate power of commanding tliedreipect-lof
our children, I must tell you it is not so ; t at s ie
as. She is as well bred,’ as well taught, as well quali-
fied by nature to command respect, as any hirer of agav-
erness you know. ‘ But when you place her it a (lllS(l(l-.
vantage in reference to every sen ant mfyour ouse, is“.
can you suppose, if you have the gift 9 eommpn Syell-t9.
that she ISI not l;l”0. tenfold worse position in re ereynce o
' d t ' ' . I -
)9‘1irPr:t‘t%v liveerlsl lg Utpon 'w’ord,” exclaimed the-sgeii-p
',"t' ' e ’we . '
t1e‘r'nl’tnis verly1'sill,ps]ir,”’ said Tom. “It is very bad and
mana ivreng-“"d 1.5 ‘;:12:;:.-‘P2125:
people are qmck enolugl S 0 ts'wll0lI1 no one eleye re-v
why or how Should t le)l’relipe‘?c And ver artialn they
spcct$"nnd everybody Slgftli t theii-yctiidies when
mustsgmw-oh? very pm‘l9-- 9' 1 ll ca 1’ tasks
they ‘see to xvliata pass proficiency in t 1!t)S(13’ Gt 3 1:: thin
has brought their governess! Respect dau Myers ii?
the most deserving of respectlbeforedy our wmgbrin it
the liglitlin which yptiu pltllcft you r A
d as ow, no ma er w 1. ' . .
o"Yri’ou speak VVl;.ll extreme impertinencfp )'0“f‘E marlin
ob‘? I:([3)(;l3S1tl1(1cXVgl'i?l!l1(il.1etmptillIiSiSl0n, but with exttren1etindi(gitia-
, r
“On and c0"“%’“P? "2’ S"-chrfi cunts‘? gVf7lt1real1Xi;xt]:'nclt’111n)‘0i)I -
all who practise H’ smd Fm. dis ileagure or sllflirise’
as an honest gemlerlrlim’ Sissster sllie is something beg’:
at your g”1“gmff1'e ewiileii ygn-are for’ ever telling her the
g,11II1.‘igDtIl1iinislrm;'10l1ys’elf in iiriy1i?1=1i1';but-speaking Wnrfi
‘ O V
. p. , . ,1 our very por er an ,
though not in ‘lordsatniinaeiicidii. iinnouncernent to all‘,
footmxgii nxgifo :33“-sguapicioti nnddistrust of her: even
come. 1. , -,, ,3 ,- 1. 11'.
of her word: lflsheelisrnpt aboie their reac i, you ‘ave;
n0,i‘1&,7EtIitgJ1$";3 ‘gielti-’ t-M bra55.a1i$-coppg; De
‘ “Distinctly not,” Tom ansx]V:$n.0f mongv giveswa to.
that the paymmtpf an “mm i ver and’ value
x ' ensely exaggerate its poi. ‘ . -
.70“: 3'0“ linixsnthe least part. of your bargain ‘Hi such a‘
Y‘’:’, “’,f3f,‘,‘i-‘,,,,,y be punctual inthat to lialfra. second. on‘
cas . I