The Man in Possession — page 108: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 103 always abusing and ridiculing, he inherited the power oftalking. And its not such a bad thing, let me tell you.” | a ‘‘Not for a man, Aunt Judy,” said her nephew, gravely. ‘‘ But a terribly bad gift for the other sex to possess. ” ‘‘Well, it’s stood us in good part many a time. But it wouldn't be you if you weren’t poking your fun at the woman-kind. I assure you, Miss O’Brien, he never has a good word to say of any one of them. And the ttouble I’ve taken to introduce him to the most beautiful girls in Ireland—not to mention widows —enough to entice the heart out of any man, young or old.” “*T acknowledge it, aunt,” said the young man, humbly. ‘‘Thesyrens who haunted Ulysses weren’t in it with those daughters of Erin. I can only regret my inability to please them, and you. I think there must be something mentally wrong about me.” ‘‘Oh, indeed, you pleased them well enough,” said Miss Judy. ‘‘It’s yourself I mean. Surely you don’t mean to wait until Venus herself comes down from the clouds to propose to you?” ‘¢T haven’t the least intention of doing so,” laughed the obdurate youth, ‘‘even supposing that mytho- logical goddess did still take the trouble of visiting the earth. Besides, I’m sure she wouldn't be my style at all. She was rathera flighty personage, if we are to read her history aright.” ‘‘Oh, faith, there’s no pleasing you, and youll be left out in the cold one day, and as miserable and lonely as myself,” sighed Miss Judy. ‘‘Wasn't I for b COMicloe (Sri C(O)