But, alas! like that of many queens, the felicity did not last
long; before morning, I heard her saying to her sister, in a doleful
tone, 'Soffy, will you have my vesicatory?' 'Oh, yes, just lend it to
me for a tiny moment.' At this I hurried to the spot, and, as you may
readily suppose, opposed the transfer."
"Poor Sophia!"
"Yes; she was quite heart-broken, and said, sobbing, 'It is always
Mary that gets everything, nobody ever gives anything to me.'"
Next day, Willis laid hold of his sou'-wester, and was starting off on
his customary pilgrimage, when Becker stopped him.
"Willis," said he, "have you any objections to state what the
engagements are, that require you to leave us at pretty much the same
hour every day?"
"I merely go for a walk, Mr. Becker."
"Ah!"
"You see I require to take a turn just after dinner for the sake of my
health."
"A habit that you contracted on board ship; eh, Willis?"
"On board ship; yes Mr. Becker, that is to say--"
"Just so," observed Mrs. Wolston; "and by the way, Willis, I regret
that you do not smoke now; they say there is plenty of tobacco on the
island."
"Smoke!" cried Willis, raising his ears like a war-horse at the sound
of the trumpet, "why so, Mrs. Wolston?"
"Because we are dreadfully tormented with those horrid mosquitoes, and
you might help us to get rid of them.
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