when you are enthusiastically enumerating her many lovable attributes,
if the member of the household with the fiendish memory strikes in
with--

"Oh, then you have changed your mind about her? You remember you once
said that you considered her the most affected mortal whom you had
ever met."

Under such provocation does not murder assume the guise of justifiable
homicide?

There is no more bitter diet than to be forced to eat one's own words.
Never tell one of an opinion which he once held, if he has since had
reason to alter his views. There is no sin or weakness in changing
one's mind. It is a thing which all of us--if we except a few victims
to pig-headed prejudice--do daily. And, as a rule, we hate to be
reminded of the fact. Then why call the attention of others to the
circumstances that they are guilty of the same weakness, if such it
be? Again I ask, _cui bono?_




CHAPTER IX.

SHALL, I PASS IT ON?


"Me refrunce, mum!"