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Reade, Charles, 1814-1884

"A Woman-Hater"


"I'll make you a nice hot supper, miss, in half an hour," said the woman,
maternally, as if she were going to _give_ it her.
"No, thank you. Bring me a two-penny loaf, and a scuttle of coals."
"La, miss, no more than that--out of a sov'?"
"Yes--THE CHANGE."
Having shown Mrs. Grip her father was a Yankee, she darted upstairs, with
her candles. Zoe came to meet her, and literally dazzled her.
Rhoda stared at her with amazement and growing rapture. "Oh, you beauty!"
she cried, and drank her in from head to foot.
"Well," said she, drawing a long breath, "Nature, you have turned out a
_com-_plete article this time, I reckon." Then, as Severne laughed
merrily at this, she turned her candle and her eyes full on him very
briskly. She looked at him for a moment, with a gratified eye at his
comeliness; then she started. "Oh!" she cried.
He received the inspection merrily, till she uttered that ejaculation,
then he started a little, and stared at her.
"We have met before," said she, almost tenderly.
"Have we?" said he, putting on a mystified air.
She fixed him, and looked him through and through.
"You--don't--remember--me?" asked she.


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