Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed.
MR. BURTON COULD HARDLY BEAR TO PART WITH HER.
TOO CLOSE FISTED,
And Other Stories.
BY RUTH LAMB,
AUTHOR OF
"THE LONGEST WAY ROUND FOR THE SHORTEST," ETC.
THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY
56, PATERNOSTER ROW; 65, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD;
AND 164, PICCADILLY.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER II. MISTAKEN KINDNESS.
CHAPTER III. NEW ARRIVALS AT "THE NEST."
CHAPTER I. THE BEST KIND OF HELP.
CHAPTER II. LEARNING WISE LESSONS.
NOTHING BEATS TRYING BUT DOING.
TOO CLOSE FISTED.
CHAPTER I.
LOOKS AND WAYS.
"MR. BURTON and Mr. James are not a bit like brothers. They are asdifferent as dark and light. Folks do say that you never find twoalike in a family, however many there may be."
Mr. Duff, the baker, was very fond of talking about his neighbours,and he liked his listeners to say they agreed with him. He had a greatopinion of himself, and could hardly understand that his customer,kind-hearted Mrs. Brown, could possibly have any decided ideas of herown which differed from those he thought fit to express.
If she had! Well, Mr. Duff would have said she was to be pitied; for,like most individuals who are constantly sitting in judgment on theirneighbours, he felt quite certain that he was right, and whoeverthought otherwise was in the wrong.
Mrs. Brown's reply was irritating. "I always think Mr. Burton andMr. James favour one another in looks."
"Tut, tut! Looks are not of much account. People's ways are more thanfaces. It was their ways I was thinking of, Mrs. Brown."
"But you mentioned looks too, and it was looks I spoke about. As toways, they are very unlike one another."
"Ay, you have it right this time. Mr. Burton is the elder brother withlarge means. Mr. James is the younger with far less means, though hemust have a tidy income too. See how Mr. Burton uses his. Lives insuch a quiet way, keeps very litt