The Man in Possession — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. II duns, tax collectors. Did you,” turning eagerly to him, ‘‘ did you get the money you expected.” ‘Faith and I didn't,” he said gloomily, ‘‘ not a sixpence. The property was put up, but not a bid worth taking came of it. They say twas a bad time of year to sell.” ‘‘ It always seems a bad time of year to sell Prop- erty—in Ireland,” said the girl quietly. ‘You're right there, Kitty my dear,” laughed her father. ‘‘It’s a bad thing for me and for you, too, that we were ever saddled with that estate. And what are we to do now?” he resumed. ‘‘ Here I’ve come back as poor as I went, and a pack of creditors to face into the bargain.” - The girl sighed. “ I might go on the stage,” she said. ‘‘ You know I can act—and it really is getting quite the thing for ladies to do. The new school goes in for drawing-room acting, not melodramatic buffoonery, and Mr. Vanburgh has told me over and over again he will give me £20a week to play in his own comedy at the ‘ Boudoir Theatre,’ 1f you will let me. Fancy £20 a week coming in surely and reg- ularly. Why, it would mean, bills paid, taxes settled, decent food without a seasoning of insults and ‘ requests for payment’ in every dish; it would mean ——” ‘“‘It wont mean anything, as long as I’ve a voice in the matter! I’m ashamed of you, Kate. You, the daughter of Cornelius O’ Brien, with the blood of the best [rish nobility in your veins, to talk of going on the stage, like some milliner’s apprentice, or—or bar- ‘maid celebrity. And for what? To make money COMicloe (Sri C(O)