I have done the same myself with--a different chair." "He is _always_ doing it," continued Aurelia, unmollified.

"I have told him about it before.

He made me drop a piece of bread and butter on the carpet only yesterday." "I ate it afterwards," humbly suggested Ralph, still on his knees, "and there were hairs in it.

There were, indeed, Aurelia." "And now it is my tea-gown," continued Aurelia, giving way to the prettiest little outburst of temper imaginable.

"I wish you would get up and go away, Ralph, and not come back.