But, then, you can
easily do it; you have stacks of money; and you can fix everything
right off with money."
"Pray take a seat," and I offered her a chair, "and be kind enough
to tell me your name. I suppose you must live in the neighbourhood,
although I cannot perceive any dwelling near us."
"My name! So you want to know my name. I arn't ashamed of my own;
'tis Emily S - -. I am eldest daughter to the GENTLEMAN who owns
this house."
"What must the father be," thought I, "if he resembles the young
LADY, his daughter?"
Imagine a young lady, dressed in ragged petticoats, through whose
yawning rents peeped forth, from time to time, her bare red knees,
with uncombed elf-locks, and a face and hands that looked as if they
had been unwashed for a month - who did not know A from B, and
despised those who did. While these reflections, combined with a
thousand ludicrous images, were flitting through my mind, my strange
visitor suddenly exclaimed -
"Have you done with that 'ere decanter I brought across yesterday?"
"Oh, yes! I have no occasion for it." I rose, took it from the
shelf, and placed it in her hand.
"I guess you won't return it empty; that would be mean, father says.
He wants it filled with whiskey."
The mystery was solved, the riddle made clear.
