Ruggles
seated herself in front, surveying them proudly as she wiped the
sweat of honest toil from her brow.
"Well," she exclaimed, "if I do say so as shouldn't, I never see
a cleaner, more stylish mess o' childern in my life! I do wish
Ruggles could look at ye for a minute! Now, I've of 'en told ye
what kind of a family the McGrills was. I've got some reason to
be proud; your uncle is on the po-lice force o' New York city;
you can take up the newspaper most any day an' see his name
printed right out--James McGrill, and I can't have my childern
fetched up common, like some folks. When they go out they've got
to have close, and learn ter act decent! Now, I want ter see how
yer goin' to behave when yer git there to-night. Let's start in
at the beginnin' 'n act out the whole business. Pile into the
bed-room, there, every last one of ye, an' show me how yer goin'
ter go in't the parlor. This'll be the parlor 'n I'll be Mis'
Bird." The youngsters hustled into the next room in high glee,
and Mrs. Ruggles drew herself up in her chair with an infinitely
haughty and purse-proud expression that much better suited a
descendant of the McGrills than modest Mrs.
Pages:
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55