nths." "An' serve yer damn well
right!" says I, an' I went aht an' left 'im. But, Lor' bless yer, I
wouldn't charge 'im! I know 'e don't mean it; 'e's as gentle as a lamb
when 'e's sober.' She smiled quite affectionately as she said this.

'Wot did yer do, then?' asked Liza.

'Well, as I wos tellin' yer, I went to the 'orspital, an' the doctor
'e says to me, "My good woman," says 'e, "you might have been very
seriously injured." An' me not been married eighteen months! An' as I
was tellin' the doctor all about it, "Missus," 'e says ter me, lookin'
at me straight in the eyeball. "Missus," says 'e, "'ave you been
drinkin'?" "Drinkin'?" says I; "no! I've 'ad a little drop, but as for
drinkin'! Mind," says I, "I don't say I'm a teetotaller--I'm not, I
'ave my glass of beer, and I like it. I couldn't do withaht it, wot
with the work I 'ave, I must 'ave somethin' ter keep me tergether. But
as for drinkin' 'eavily! Well! I can say this, there ain't a soberer
woman than myself in all London. Why, my first 'usband never touched a
drop. Ah, my first 'usband, 'e was a beauty, 'e was."'

She stopped the repetition of her conversation and addressed herself
to Liza.

''E was thet different ter this one. 'E was a man as 'ad seen better
days. 'E was a gentleman!' She mouthed the word and emphasized it with
an expressive nod.

''E was a gentleman and a Christian. 'E'd been in good circumstances
in 'is time; an' 'e was a man of education and a teetotaller, for
twenty-two years.'

At that moment Liza's mother appeared on the scene.

'Good evenin', Mrs. Stanley,' she said, politely.

'The sime ter you, Mrs. Kemp.' replied that lady, with equal courtesy.

'An' 'ow is your poor 'ead?' asked Liza's mother, with sympathy.

'Oh, it's been achin' cruel. I've hardly known wot ter do with
myself.'

'I'm sure 'e ought ter be ashimed of 'imself for treatin' yer like
thet.'

'Oh, it wasn't 'is blows I minded so much, Mrs. Kemp,' replied Mrs.
Stanley, 'an' don't you think it. It was wot 'e said ter me. I can
stand a blow as well as any woman. I don't mind thet, an' when 'e
don't tike a mean advantage of me I can stand up for myself an' give
as good as I tike; an' many's the time I give my fust husband a black
eye. But the language 'e used, an' the things 'e called me! It made me
blush to the roots of my 'air; I'm not used ter bein' spoken ter like
thet. I was in good circumstances when my fust 'usband was alive, 'e
earned between two a