He 'd laugh and say 'Pooh!' if he heard me say it, but it 's true nevertheless that he 's a grand fellow and helped me through the first six months like a well, a brother as he is.

There was no reason why he should go out of his way to back up a shiftless party like me, yet he did, and made many things easy and safe that would have been confoundedly hard and dangerous if I 'd been left to myself.

The only way I can explain it is that it 's a family trait, and as natural to the brother as it is to the sister." "It 's a Shaw trait to do the same.

But tell me about Maria; is Ned really engaged to her ?" "Very much so; you 'll get a letter full of raptures tomorrow; he had n't time to send by me, I came off in such a hurry.

Maria is a sensible, pretty girl and Ned will be a happy old fellow." "Why did you let us think it was you ?" "I only teased Fan a little; I did like Maria, for she reminded me of you sometimes, and was such a kind, cosy little woman I could n't help enjoying her society after a hard day's work.