This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872 edition. Excerpt: ...maid says, their papa is a gentleman of property, and can "spend his eight hundred ayear." Why don't they remain with the old gentleman then, instead of quartering on the poor young widow, who has her own little mouths to feed? The reason is, the old gentleman has gone and married bi: cook; and the ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872 edition. Excerpt: ...maid says, their papa is a gentleman of property, and can "spend his eight hundred ayear." Why don't they remain with the old gentleman then, instead of quartering on the poor young widow, who has her own little mouths to feed? The reason is, the old gentleman has gone and married bi: cook; and the daughters have quitted him in a body, refusing to sit down to dinner with a person who ought by rights to be in the kitchen. The whole family (the Fagans are of good family) take the quarrel up, and here are the young people under shelter of the widow. Four merrier, tender-hearted girls are not to be found in all Ireland; and the only subject of contention amongst them is, which shall have the English baby; they are nursing it, and singing to it, and dandling it by turns all day long. When they are not singing to the baby, they are singing to an old piano; such an old, wiry, jingling, wheezy piano! It has plenty of work, playing jigs and song accompaniments between meals, and acting as a sideboard at dinner. I am not sure that it is at rest at night either; but have a shrewd suspicion that it is turned into a four post bed. And for the following reason: --Every afternoon, at four o'clock, you see a tall old gentleman walking leisurely to the house. He is dressed in a long great coat with huge pockets, and in the huge pockets are sure to be some big apples for all the children--the English child amongst the rest, and she generally has the biggest one. At seven o'clock, you are sure to hear a deep voice shouting PAGGY, in an awful tone--it is the old gentleman calling for his "materials;" which Peggy brings without any farther ado; and a glass of punch is made, no doubt, for everybody. Then the party...
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