The Widowed Bride — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

114 THE WIDOWED BRIDE and pattern, hung loosely on his shoulders, and his middle finger was steeped to the very bone in ink. Ralph,” said Mrs. Eskett, ‘‘this 1s——” | ‘‘My dear,” interrupted the rector, who looked as if he ~ were entrenched behind a complete fortification of books, inkstands and sand-boxes. ‘‘I’ve told you, again and again, I would not see any of the old women Lefore twelve o'clock. How do they suppose I’m toget my sermons written if——” ‘But this isn’t an old woman, my dear,” laughingly interposed Mrs. Eskett. ‘Is it a man,” said the near-sighted rector, peering with wrinkled brows over the top of a huge dictionary. ‘‘Where are my glasses? I’ve got my sermon spectacles on,” and he fumbled, helplessly around, sending adrift of sheets of paper flying on the floor, like a magnified snow-storm. >, _ Tell him to go about his business, Theresa, why don’t you? = I can’t be bothered in the morning. I have all my inspira- tions in the morning. How would they like it, if my ser- mons were as flat as stale beer? I tell you I won’t stand it!” He rumpled up the fringe of reddish gray hair that hung over his temples, as he spoke, with the look and manner of a baited lion! Mrs. Eskett, apparently quite accustomed to his eccentricities, paid no attention, whatever, to them, and walked straight up to him, leading Alice by the hand. | Her first action, when she had fairly entered within the ; folio and quarto fortifications, was to take off her liege | lord’s speetacles. “‘Kh!” cried the rector, staring at Miss Percival through his protuberated light blue eyes, as if the gift of sight had suddenly been bestowed upon him, ‘‘it’s a young lady.” Of course it is,” said Mrs. Eskett. ‘It is Miss Perci- val, the governess, whom Miss Hartford was so good as to recommend to us.” “How do you do, Miss Percival?” said Mr. Eskett, rising, although in the action a leaning tewer of books toppled over. ‘I’m glad to see you—pray don’t mind my bearish- ness—nobody does. J hope we shall be able to make you happy here. ‘The girls are very nice little girls, and I dare say they'll be obedient.” With these words Mr. Eskett sat down again, and began to re-collect the scattered sheets of manuscript, while his — wite led Alice away to the room intended for her. It was _ a sweet little chamber, under the very eaves of. the house, ‘2 = comicbooks.com