t his hands and
displayed himself, looking from one to the other as if he were holding
up to admiration something rare and beautiful. "Just look at _me_. I'm
off on a tour of three months through England, Scotland, and Ireland--
not for my health, madam, as you may see--but for scientific purposes.
Well, what do I do? I go to the Railway Passengers Assurance Company's
Office, 64 Cornhill, London, (I like to be particular, you see, as
becomes one who professes to be an amateur student of the exact
sciences), and I take out what they call a Short Term Policy of
Insurance against accidents of all kinds for a thousand pounds--1000
pounds, observe--for which I pay the paltry sum of 30 shillings--1
pound, 10 shillings. Well, what then? Away I go, leaving behind me,
with perfect indifference, a wife and two little boys. Remarkable
little boys, madam, I assure you. Perfect marvels of health and
intelligence, both of 'em--two little boys, madam, which have not been
equalled since Cain and Abel were born. Every one says so, with the
exception of a few of the cynical and jaundiced among men and women.
And, pray, why am I so indifferent? Just because they are provided for.
They have a moderately good income secured to them as it is, and the
1000 pounds which I have insured on my life will render it a competence
in the event of my being killed. It will add 50 pounds a year to their
income, which happens to be the turning-point of comfort. And what of
myself? Why, with a perfectly easy conscience, I may go and do what I
please. If I get drowned in Loch Katrine--what matter? If I break my
neck in the Gap of Dunloe--what matter? If I get lost and frozen on the
steeps of Ben Nevis or Goatfell--what matter? If I am crushed to death
in a railway accident, or get entangled in machinery and am torn to
atoms--still I say, what matter? 1000 pounds must _at_ _once_ be paid
down to my widow and children, and all because of the pitiful sum of 30
shillings.

"But suppose," continued the enthusiastic man, deepening his tone as he
became more earnest, "suppose that I am _not_ killed, but only severely
injured and mangled so as to be utterly unfit to attend to my worldly
affairs--what then?"

Mrs Tipps shuddered to think of "what then."

"Why," continued the enthusiastic gentleman, "I shall in that case be
allowed from the company 6 pounds a week, until recovered, or, in the
event of my sinking under my injuries within three month