I could
not bear, of course, to profit by the accident, and
returned to offer restitution. The house was in a
bustle; the neighbours (all stock-gamblers themselves)
had crowded to condole; and Mrs. Speedy sat with
streaming tears, the centre of a sympathetic group.
"For fifteen year I've been at ut," she was lamenting
as I entered, "and grudging the babes the very milk--
more shame to me!--to pay their dhirty assessments.
And now, my dears, I should be a lady, and driving in
my coach, if all had their rights; and a sorrow on that
man Dodd! As soon as I set eyes on him, I seen the
divil was in the house."
It was upon these words that I made my entrance, which
was therefore dramatic enough, though nothing to what
followed. For when it appeared that I was come to
restore the lost fortune, and when Mrs. Speedy (after
copiously weeping on my bosom) had refused the
restitution, and when Mr. Speedy (summoned to that end
from a camp of the Grand Army of the Republic) had
added his refusal, and when I had insisted, and they
had insisted, and the neighbours had applauded and
supported each of us in turn; and when at last it was
agreed we were to hold the stock together, and share
the proceeds in three parts--one for me, one for Mr.
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