The Argosy — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

12 The House of Halliwell. “Tt will be what ?” echoed the Major. “An unlucky day. ‘Those retardings, those apparent accidents, don’t come for nothing. You will hear bad news, or be crossed in some way.” “You were cut out for a sailor’s wife, with your superstitions,” laughed the Major. ‘‘I suppose you would not sail on a Friday for the sea and all that’s on it.” “There you are wrong, then, Major, for I think Friday just as good as any other day. Only my husband never sails on a Friday, out of deference to the prejudices of the crew. But Ill tell you what I would not do—not sail at all, if things went cross and unlucky with me the first day of the voyage.” “Bravo!” said Major Halliwell. , “T was not superstitious by nature,” returned Aunt Copp; ‘nobody less so. It has been forced on me by experience. You see, now, whether this day won’t have something wrong about it, and tell me to-night. J/¢ was as if you ought not to dress ; as tf some invisible power would warn you not to get up to what was before you.” ‘Well, London is before me to-day,” returned the Major. “Tl look out for Mother Shipton’s prophecies in town, Becky, and bring them down. They'll just suit you.” About a quarter to eleven he wished them good-morning, and strolled leisurely towards the ‘‘ Wheatsheaf,” the starting place of the Harkaway. In a little while, however, they saw him coming back again, much more quickly. ‘““What’s up now?” cried Aunt Copp. ‘ He has forgotten some- thing. Just hke him.” ‘Look here,” cried the Major, turning himself round before the window, and displaying a large fracture in the sleeve of his coat. “What a slashing rent!” exclaimed Aunt Copp. ‘‘ How did you devthat ?” ‘“A nasty nail they had in the post of the horse trough. I was leaning against it, watching the Harkaway load, and talking to Gibbons, I felt it tear.” “Shall I sew it up for you?” asked Aunt Copp. “No, thank you. ‘That’s sea fashion. Land fashion is to change it for another. Hester, run upstairs, and bring me the coat you will find in the bottom drawer.” Hester soon brought it, and her father put it on. Mrs. Halliwell and Aunt Copp lamented over the rent. ‘Tt must go to the tailor’s,” said the Major. ‘Send it this morn- ing, Jane.” ‘“T think I could do it just as neatly as the tailor, papa,” said Fiester, -* “Shall Marg?” “Ay, child. If you do it well, I'll give you five shillings.” And Hester’s eyes brightened. ‘“ Never was such a handy girl at her needle as that!” exclaimed CORNIELYNOOLKS (E(0) m