The Man in Possession — page 61: what you’re looking at

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

56 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. inimy on this blessed night, and,I'll ask Miss Kate this same minnit,’ I says. ‘Ohno,’ hesays, ‘you mustn’t be after doin’ that. I don’t want her to know that I only value it because she made it.’ There, Miss, those were his very words, or may I die for it this blessed minute.” | Kate laughed. ‘‘He is certainly a very strange young man. I thought so last night.” ‘‘And a moighty great traveller too. He's been in Ameriky, not to mention a hape o haythenish places that me tongue couldn’t pronounce. Maybe that’s what makes him so supayrior, Miss Kate.” ‘“No doubt,” said Kate absently. ‘* But go down now, Biddy ; I'll ring when I want you.” She did not eat her dinner with any great appetite —it was more to please Biddy, and to keep up an appearance of celebrating the day that she was dining in solitary state now. But soon she pushed her plate aside, and leaning her head on her hand gave herself up to reflections that certainly were neither festive, nor agreeable. ‘How long willit go on,” she sighed. ‘‘ How long? I amso sick of it—andI can do nothing, nothing at all. Oh, it is miserable to be a woman, to have ones hands tied, one’s limbs fettered by conventionalities and prejudice. How gladly I would work ; but I am so useless! There is my life drifting—drifting along, and only the hope of what my father calls a ‘good marriage,’ to lift me and himself, too, out of this slough of despond... A marriage! How despicable it seems—to sell one- self for a little ease and comfort—a strange man’s COMicloe (Sri C(O)