You see," added he, to Horace, "we used to meet at a good lady's house who kept a day school.

She let us go there one evening a week, and read aloud to us, for us to take it down in shorthand.

She's gone now, bad luck to her, and the worst of it is we're bound to get a lady to take us in, as we've got ladies in our class, you see." At the mention of ladies Booms groaned deeply.
"Why, I tell you what," said Horace, struck by a brilliant idea.

"What should you say to my mother?
I think she would be delighted; and if you want a good reader aloud, she's the very woman for you." Waterford clapped his friend enthusiastically on the back.
"You're a trump, Cruden, to lend us your mother; isn't he, Booms ?" "Oh yes," said Booms.

"I've seen her, and--" here he appeared to undergo a mental struggle--"I like her." "At any rate, I'll sound her on the matter.