“I declare! Who’d have thought it?” exclaimed Mrs. Peabody. “Be you related to the Middletons?”
“I don’t think I am,” said Tom hastily, for he could not tolerate such an idea even in joke.
“Be you goin’ to stay long?” asked the persevering questioner.
“That depends upon my spine,” said Tom gravely.
“You don’t mean to say you’ve got the spine complaint?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Did you ever try poultices?”
“Lots of ’em, but I had to give ’em up.”
“Why?”
“They made me crazy.”