Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: August 13, 2024
Years ago there was a young Bilkins, one Pendexter Bilkins a sad losel, we fear who ran away to try his fortunes before the mast, and fell overboard in a gale off Hatteras. "Lost at sea," says the chubby marble slab in the Old South Burying-Ground, "ætat. 18." Perhaps that is why no blue-jacket, sober or drunk, was ever repulsed from the door of the Bilkins mansion. Of course Mrs.
Bilkins, as that lady was adroitly sounding her on the ice question "d' ye think I 'd condescind to take up wid the likes o' him, or the baker either, afther sich a man as Larry?" The rectified and clarified O'Rourke was a permanent wonder to Mr. Bilkins, who bore up under the bereavement with noticeable resignation.
He has not many opportunities of wearing the ribbon and the star; but he describes himself on his visiting cards and at the head of his business note paper as "Sir Timothy Bilkins, K.C.O.P.V.M." Nobody knows what the letters stand for, and it is generally believed that Bilkins has been knighted in the regular way for services rendered to the country during the war.
"His wife!" she thought; "it's a mother the poor boy stands in need of." "Me wife," repeated Mr. O'Rourke, "for betther or for worse." "You had better go away," said Mrs. Bilkins, bridling up, "or it will be the worse for you." "To have and to howld," continued Mr.
Bilkins swept across the hall, and opened the door with a jerk.
By an effort that testified to the excellent condition of his muscles, the person instantly righted himself, and stood swaying unsteadily on his toes and heels, and smiling rather vaguely on Mrs. Bilkins. It was a slightly-built but well-knitted young fellow, in the not unpicturesque garb of our marine service.
Happily it has escaped so well, being only in our French watering-place, that you may like it of your own accord in a natural manner, without being required to go into convulsions about it. We regard it as one of the later blessings of our life, that BILKINS, the only authority on Taste, never took any notice that we can find out, of our French watering-place.
Further than keeping the poor creature up waiting for him until ever so much o'clock at night, it did not appear that he treated her with personal cruelty. If he had beaten her, perhaps she would have worshipped him. It needed only that. Revolving Margaret's troubles in his thoughts as he walked homeward, Mr. Bilkins struck upon a plan by which he could help her.
"That's so," said Gorman. "I don't suppose a certificate from me would be much good either. Bilkins' own idea he feels his position a good deal is that if he could get a title knighthood for instance or even an O.B.E., it would set him up again; but they won't give him a thing.
His first name was Larry." Margaret nodded, as one should say, There's a many Larrys in the world. "But the oddest part of it," continued Mr. Bilkins, in a carelessly sepulchral voice, "is the man's last name." Something in the tone of his voice made Margaret look at him, and something in the expression of his face caused the blood to fly from Margaret's cheek.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking