As for Mrs. Shum, she was such a fine lady, that she did nothink
but lay on the drawing-room sophy, read novels, drink, scold,
scream, and go into hystarrix. Little Shum kep reading an old
newspaper from weeks' end to weeks' end, when he was not engaged in
teaching the children, or goin for the beer, or cleanin the shoes:
for they kep no servant. This house in John Street was in short a
regular Pandymony.

What could have brought Mr. Frederic Altamont to dwell in such a
place? The reason is hobvius: he adoared the fust Miss Shum.

And suttnly he did not show a bad taste; for though the other
daughters were as ugly as their hideous ma, Mary Shum was a pretty
little pink, modest creatur, with glossy black hair and tender blue
eyes, and a neck as white as plaster of Parish. She wore a dismal
old black gownd, which had grown too short for her, and too tight;
but it only served to show her pretty angles and feet, and bewchus
figger. Master, though he had looked rather low for the gal of his
art, had certainly looked in the right place. Never was one more
pretty or more hamiable. I gav her always the buttered toast left
from our brexfust, and a cup of tea or chocklate, as Altamont might
fancy: and the poor thing was glad enough of it, I can vouch; for
they had precious short commons up stairs, and she the least of
all.

For it seemed as if which of the Shum famly should try to snub the
poor thing most. There was the four Buckmaster girls always at
her. It was, Mary, git the coal-skittle; Mary, run down to the
public-house for the beer; Mary, I intend to wear your clean