But in six months he was knocking the head off me." "The man who would lay his hand on a woman save in the way of--" "Oh, Archie, what nonsense, you talk!" cried Miss Kendal pettishly.
"Ah!" sighed the woman of experience, "I called it nonsense too, my lady, afore Aaron, who now lies with the worms, laid me out with a flat-iron.

Men's fit for jails only, as I allays says." "A nice opinion you have of our sex," remarked Archie dryly.
"I have, sir.

I could tell you things as would make your head waggle with horror on there shoulders of yours." "What about your son Sidney?
Is he also wicked ?" "He would be if he had the strength, which he hasn't," exclaimed the widow with uncomplimentary fervor.

"He's Aaron's son, and Aaron hadn't much to learn from them as is where he's gone too," and she looked downward significantly.
"Sidney is a decent young fellow," said Lucy sharply.

"How dare you miscall your own flesh and blood, Widow Anne?
My father thinks a great deal of Sidney, else he would not have sent him to Malta.