FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131  
132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   >>   >|  
for gents like you to get another sitiwation, sir! Your looks and manner is quite a recommendation, sir! If I was you, sir, I'd raise my terms! You're worth double what I give, sir!" Titmouse made no reply. "What do you mean, sir, by not answering me--eh, sir?" suddenly demanded Mr. Tag-rag, with a look of fury. "I don't know what you'd have me say, sir. What am I to say, sir?" inquired Titmouse, with a sigh. "What, indeed! I should like to catch you! Say, indeed! Only say a word--and out you go, neck and crop. Attend to that old lady coming in, sir. And mind, sir, I've got my eye on you!" Titmouse did as he was bid; and Tag-rag, a bland smile suddenly beaming on his attractive features, hurried down towards the door, to receive some lady-customers, whom he observed alighting from a carriage; and at that moment you would have sworn that he was one of the kindest-hearted sweetest-tempered men in the world. When at length _this_ day had come to a close, Titmouse, instead of repairing to his lodgings, set off, with a heavy heart, to pay a visit to his excellent friend Huckaback, whom he knew to have received his quarter's salary the day before, and from whom he faintly hoped to succeed in extorting some trifling loan. "If you want to learn the value of money, _try to borrow some_," says Poor Richard--and Titmouse was now going to learn that useful but bitter lesson. Oh, how disheartening was Mr. Huckaback's reception of him! That gentleman, in answering the modest knock of Titmouse, suspecting who was his visitor, opened the door but a little way, and in that little way, with his hand on the latch, he stood, with a plainly repulsive look. "Oh! it's you, Titmouse, is it?" he commenced coldly. "Yes. I--I just want to speak a word to you--only a word or two, Hucky, if you aren't busy?" "Why, I was just going to go--but what d'ye want, Titmouse?" he inquired in a freezing manner, not stirring from where he stood. "_Let_ me come inside a minute," implored Titmouse, feeling as if his little heart were really dropping out of him: and, in a most ungracious manner, Huckaback motioned him in. "Well," commenced Huckaback, with a chilling distrustful look. "Why, Huck, I know you're a good-natured chap--you _couldn't_, just for a short time, lend me ten shill"---- "No, curse me if I can: and that's flat!" briskly interrupted Huckaback, finding his worst suspicions confirmed. "Why, Hucky, wasn't you only yester
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131  
132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Titmouse
 

Huckaback

 

manner

 

commenced

 

suddenly

 
answering
 
inquired
 

Richard

 
lesson
 

coldly


bitter

 

plainly

 
repulsive
 

modest

 
gentleman
 

reception

 
suspecting
 
disheartening
 

opened

 

visitor


borrow

 

freezing

 

natured

 

couldn

 

suspicions

 

chilling

 

distrustful

 

confirmed

 

finding

 

briskly


motioned

 
ungracious
 

interrupted

 

stirring

 

yester

 
dropping
 

feeling

 
implored
 

inside

 
minute

length
 

Attend

 
coming
 
demanded
 

recommendation

 

sitiwation

 
double
 

beaming

 
attractive
 

lodgings