they had me tavern, would be wantin' a better house, or a fresh coat o'
paint every year er two. If they had me garden they'd hope that a good
angel would grow them enough fer themselves and a profit on what they
could sell. They'd be always envyin' the Raeburns' fine horses, an'
the grand house o' James Piper, an' their servants, and thinkin' the
world was treatin' them unkindly because wishin' wouldn't satisfy their
desires. But it's me honest pride in makin' the best o' things, and
bein' thankful they're no worse, that keeps me smilin'."

"You are quite a philosopher," observed young John, gazing at her with
the old affection lighting up his features.

"Philosopher or not, I care not a whit, but so long as Nancy McVeigh
runs a tavern on the Monk Road there'll be no lost sunshine," she
declared.

"Father tells me that the city company are building a summer hotel on
the Point, and also that you may have to sell out," young John
remarked, cautiously, lest he hurt the old inn-keeper's feelings.

"Faith, an' he's speakin' the truth, too," Nancy replied quite
unconcernedly, and then she laughed quickly to herself at some
recollection.

"I must tell ye about it, Johnny," she explained. "When the agent came
up from the city to go over the property, he walks up and down past the
tavern wi' a sheet o' paper in his hand, an' a map, or somethin' o'
that nature. I went out on the verandah to see if he had lost his way,
an' he comes over an' takes off his hat as politely as if I was the
Queen.

"'Your tavern stands just where we want to put the gateway,' he
remarked, consultin' his paper.

"'Is that so?' says I, my temper suddenly risin', fer I had heard a lot
o' talk about the big hotel an' the driveway fer the carriages, an' the
parks.

"'Of course, we will allow ye a fair price fer yer property when we
need it,' he explained.

"'If ye think yer price'll put a gateway here, ye're sadly mistaken,' I
said. 'Ye can put up yer hotel, an' every drop o' spirits that's sold
in the country can go to ye, an' I'll no complain, but I warn ye that
I've spent thirty-five years gettin' this tavern into my keepin', an'
it'll take forty more to get it out again.' I jist let him have it
straight, an' then I wint in an' slammed the door to show me contempt
fer the loikes o' him.

"Then, a few days afterwards, two gentlemen called on me, an' they said
they wanted to make a proposition to me, but I just told them to see me
lawy