Indeed, she
was anxious enough about him, when he went down to the old grammar-
school, to revolve the possibility of acceding to his earnest wish,
and coming to live with him, instead of continuing in her situation
as governess.
He came back to luncheon next day with a brightened face, that made
his sister say, "Well, have you struck some sparks?"
"I've got some new material, and am come home saying, 'What's in a
name?'"
"Eh! Is it those very new Brownlows, that seemed yesterday to be the
last straw on the camel's back?"
"I wish you could have seen the whole scene, Mary. There were half-
a-dozen new boys to be admitted, four Brownlows! Think of that!
Well, there stood manifestly one of the old stock, with the same oval
face and sleepy brown eyes, and the very same drawl I know so well in
the 'No-—a-—' to the vain question, 'Have you done any Latin?' And
how shall I do justice to the long, dragging drawl of his reading?
Aye, here's the sentence I set him on: 'The-—Gowls-—had—-con—-sen-—
ted-—to-—accept-—a-—sum-—of—-gold-—and-—retire. They were en-—
gagged-—in-—wag--ging out the sum-—required, and-—' I had to tell him
what to call Brennus, and he proceeded to cast the sword into the
scale, exclaiming, just as to a cart-horse, 'Woh! To the Worsted'
(pronounced like yarn).
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