“No, I will stay here. You may tell her there is a gentleman wishes to see her.”
Tom went down, and found the landlady.
“There’s a feller upstairs wants to see you,” she said. “He wouldn’t come down here. I asked him.”
“Good gracious! You didn’t invite him down into the kitchen?”
“Why not?” said Tom.
“You should have carried him into the parlor.”
“All right!” said Tom. “I’ll know better next time.”
Mrs. Merton smoothed her hair, and went upstairs to greet her visitor, who proved to be an applicant for board.
Only fifteen minutes later Tom had a chance to improve on her first mistake. Again the door-bell rang, and again Tom opened the door. A wrinkled old woman, with a large basket, stood before her.
“I’m a poor widder,” she whined, “with four childer that have nothing to ate. Can’t you give me a few pennies, and may the blessings of Heaven rest upon you!”