Mrs. Lowther was a sister of Lord Lonsdale, unmarried, and of high repute. All middle-aged unmarried women were addressed as “Mrs.” in those days, just as wives of our own time look upon that title as their prerogative. She happened to be sitting at breakfast with a friend when a new footman—an awkward country lad—announced “there was one as begged to see her.”
“What is his name?” she inquired.
“Don’t know,” was the reply.
“What sort of a person is he—a gentleman?”
“Can’t say rightly.”
“Go and ask him his business.”
The footman disappeared and returned with a broad grin on his face:
“Why, Madam, he says as how—he says he is——”
“Well, what does he say, fool?”