"The
missis gave me a pipe, and Florrie gave me half a pound of tobacco. And
I bought a bottle of port wine myself, for all of us."
He pointed to a bottle that stood on the supper-table, and, the ladies
retiring to the kitchen to bring in the supper, rose and placed chairs.
A piece of roast beef was placed before him, and, motioning Mr. Sharp to
a seat opposite Florrie, he began to carve.
"Just a nice comfortable party," he said, genially, as he finished.
"Help yourself to the ale, Bert."
Mr. Sharp, ignoring the surprise on the faces of the ladies, complied,
and passed the bottle to Mr. Culpepper. They drank to each other, and
again a flicker of surprise appeared on the faces of Mrs. Culpepper and
her niece. Mr. Culpepper, noticing it, shook his head waggishly at Mr.
Sharp.
"He drinks it as if he likes it," he remarked.
"I do," asserted Mr. Sharp, and, raising his glass, emptied it, and
resumed the attack on his plate. Mr. Culpepper unscrewed the top of
another bottle, and the reckless Mr. Sharp, after helping himself, made a
short and feeling speech, in which he wished Mr. Culpepper long life and
happiness. "If you ain't happy with Mrs. Culpepper," he concluded,
gallantly, "you ought to be.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25