business. She came to us--was fresh and new. Her chance, looking at
it professionally, was as good as any amateur's; but what with her
relations here, and her bein' known, she didn't take. We lost money on
her! It's natural she should feel a little ugly. We all do when we get
sorter kicked back onto ourselves, and find we can't stand alone. Why,
you wouldn't believe it," he continued, with a moist twinkle of his
black eyes; "but the night I lost my little Rosey, of diphtheria in Gold
Hill, the child was down on the bills for a comic song; and I had to
drag Mrs. Sol on, cut up as she was, and filled up with that much of Old
Bourbon to keep her nerves stiff, so she could do an old gag with me
to gain time, and make up the 'variety.' Why, sir, when I came to the
front, I was ugly! And when one of the boys in the front row sang out,
'Don't expose that poor child to the night air, Sol,'--meaning Mrs.
Sol,--I acted ugly. No, sir, it's human nature; and it was quite natural
that Mornie, when she caught sight o' Mrs. Sol's face last night, should
rise up and cuss us both. Lord, if she'd only acted like that! But the
old lady got her quiet at last; and, as I said before, it's all right,
and we'll pull her through. But don't YOU thank us: it's a little matter
betwixt us and Mornie. We've got everything fixed, so that Mrs. Sol can
stay right along. We'll pull Mornie through, and get her away from this,
and her baby too, as soon as we can. You won't get mad if I tell you
something?" said Sol, with a half-apologetic laugh. "Mrs. Sol was
rather down on you the other day, hated you on sight, and preferred
your brother to you; but when she found he'd run off and left YOU,
you,--don't mind my sayin',--a 'mere boy,' to take what oughter be
HIS place, why, she just wheeled round agin' him. I suppose he
got flustered, and couldn't face the music. Never left a word of
explanation? Well, it wasn't exactly square, though I tell the old woman
it's human nature. He might have dropped a hint where he was goin'.
Well, there, I won't say a word more agin' him. I know how you feel.