Dorothy's Double. Volume 1 (of 3)Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
History
Dorothy's Double. Volume 1 (of 3)
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
Great Britain -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction
'It will make a difference in the way of food, though,' the girl said;
'I am a onener to eat: still I don't think you can get rid of the dumps
as well as I can. You got two months last time you tried it.'
'It ain't that, Sally, though I dare say you think it is, but I shall
feel lonesome, awful lonesome, without you to sit of an evening to talk
to. You have been like a child to me, though I ain't been much of a
mother to you, and you mayn't believe it, Sally, but it is gospel truth,
as I have been fond of you.'
'Have you now?' the girl said, leaning forward eagerly in her chair. 'I
allus thought you hated me. Why didn't you say so? I wouldn't have
'greed to go with that man if I had thought as you wanted me. I don't
care for the dresses and that sort of thing, though I should like to get
taught something, but I would give that up, and if you like I will go by
myself and meet him where he said, and give him back that ten pound, and
say I have changed my mind and I am going to stop with you.'
'No, it is better that you should go, Sally; this ain't no place for a
girl, and I ain't no woman to look after one. I have been a-thinking
some months it was time you went; it didn't matter so much as long as
you was a kid, but you are growing up now, and it ain't to be expected
as you would keep straight in such a place as this; besides, any day you
might get nabbed, and three months in quod would finish you altogether.
So you see, Sally, I am glad and I am sorry. Warbles ain't the man I
would put you in charge of if I had my way. He has told you hisself what
he means to do with you, and I would a lot rather you had been going out
into service; only of course no one would take you as you are, it ain't
likely. Still if you keep your eyes open, and you are a sharp girl, you
may make money by it; but mind me, Sally, money is no good by itself,
nor fine clothes, nor nothing.
'It was fine clothes and drink as brought me to what I am. I was a nice
tidy-looking girl when Warbles first knew me, and if it hadn't been for
clothes and drink I might have been a respectable woman, and perhaps
missus of a snug public now. Well, perhaps your chances will be as good
as mine was. I have two bits of advice to give yer. When you have
finished that pint of beer you make up your mind never to touch another
drop of it. The second is, don't you listen to what young swells say to
yer. You look out for an honest man who wants to make you his wife, and
you marry him and make him a good wife, Sally.'
The girl nodded. 'That is what I mean to do, and when I get a
comfortable home you shall come and live with us.'
'It wouldn't do, Sally; by that time I reckon I shall be lying in a
graveyard, but if I wasn't it would not do nohow. No man will put up
with a drunken woman in his house, and a drunken woman I shall be to the
end of my life--but there, them chops are ready, Sally, and it would be
a sin to let them spoil now you have got them.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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