ns might look anywhere
for a husband, and that already there were several who, even if they had
not spoken, evidently were upon the point of doing so. Mr William
Forth Burge was certainly very much taken by your ladylike manner; and
that I had noticed several peculiar little advances made by the vicar;
while a little bird told me that there were more impossible things than
that Mr George Canninge might propose for your hand.' I would not
stoop to mention what I had seen in several of the tradespeople here,
but either of those three would be an eligible match for my daughter,
and therefore I said, `Mr Samuel Chute must, as a man full of
common-sense, largely increased by education'--I said that, Hazel, as a
stroke of diplomacy to soften the blow--`Mr Samuel Chute must see that
such an alliance as he was ready to propose would be impossible.'

"It is a great responsibility, a family," said Mrs Thorne, lying back
in her chair and gazing meditatively at her fingertips. "Percy is a
great anxiety--he is always wanting money, and I am only too glad to
keep on good terms with Mr Geringer, who really does keep the boy
somewhat in order. Though certainly, Hazel, you might do worse than
marry Edward Geringer. Perhaps he would be wiser if he married me," she
said with a simper; "but of course middle-aged men prefer young girls.
Yes, Hazel, you might do worse than many Edward Geringer. He is not
young; in fact, he is growing elderly. But he would leave you all his
money; and a handsome young widow with a nice fortune and no
incumbrances can marry again as soon as she pleases.

"Ah, dear me! dear me!" she went on with a sigh, "what a different fate
mine might have been if you had not been so squeamish, Hazel, and I had
had better health! But there, I will not murmur and repine. I have
only one thought, and that is to see my children happy. By the way, it
is of no use for you to make any opposition: those two girls must have
new frocks and hats--I am quite ashamed to see them go out--and Percy
wants five pounds. What in the world he can want five pounds for, I'm
sure I don't know; but he says I cannot understand a young fellow's
wants in a busy place like London. I've had--let me see--five and seven
are twelve, and five are seventeen, and ten are twenty-seven, and ten
are thirty-seven--thirty-seven pounds of Edward Geringer on purpose for
that boy, and I hardly like to ask him for more. Percy is a very great
anxiety to m