Tom always declined to go more than once during his holidays to see either of them.

Both his uncles tipped him that once, of course; but at his aunt Pullet's there were a great many toads to pelt in the cellar-area, so that he preferred the visit to her.

Maggie shuddered at the toads, and dreamed of them horribly, but she liked her uncle Pullet's musical snuff-box.

Still, it was agreed by the sisters, in Mrs.Tulliver's absence, that the Tulliver blood did not mix well with the Dodson blood; that, in fact, poor Bessy's children were Tullivers, and that Tom, notwithstanding he had the Dodson complexion, was likely to be as "contrairy" as his father.

As for Maggie, she was the picture of her aunt Moss, Mr.
Tulliver's sister,--a large-boned woman, who had married as poorly as could be; had no china, and had a husband who had much ado to pay his rent.