“Well, sir, I think it’s the very best thing I can do; if more should be necessary, I have saved a little besides, which Bramble takes care of. Well, then, I’ll see about it.”
A few days afterwards Mr Wilson told me that the house was to be had for five hundred and sixty pounds, and that he had closed the bargain.
“I thank you, sir,” replied I. “Since I have been with you I have been thinking about it, and I wish now you would make it over to my father for his life. You see, sir, my father does put my mother to some expense, and I should like him to be more independent of her. If the house belongs to him, the rent will more than meet any demands he may make upon her purse—and it will be pleasant for both parties—and my mother will pay more respect to my father.”
“I shall do it with pleasure, Tom. You deserve money, for you make a good use of it—I must say that. Come to me to-morrow.”
The next day I went to my father, and gave him the deed by which he was owner of my mother’s house. “Well, now, Tom,” said he, after I had explained why I did so, “this is the kindest thing that ever was done, and God bless you, boy, and a thousand thanks. I shan’t mind now calling for two extra pots of porter when I have friends—and I say, Tom, is the garden mine too?”
“Yes, and the summer-house, father, all your own property.”
“Well, then,” replied he, chuckling, “I have a bit of land of my own to stick my timber toe on after all. Well, I never did expect that. I must go up there, and stand upon it, and feel how I feel.”
I communicated to my mother that my father was in future her landlord, at which she expressed much surprise, until I told her how I became possessed of the money. When my father came in, which he did shortly after, she said rather sharply:—
“Well, Mr Saunders, I suppose I must pay you my rent now every quarter?”
“Pay me!” exclaimed my father; “come, not so bad as that, neither. Haven’t you found me in beer, without a grumble, for these many years, and do you think I’ve forgotten it? No, no! You’ve been a kind woman to me, after all, although things did go a little cross at first, and so here’s the paper for you to keep for me; and there’s an end of the matter, only—”