Nine MRS. PIERCE TALKS

In the little shop in the High Street Luke had bought a tin of cigarettes andtoday’s copy of Good Cheer, the enterprising little weekly which providedLord Whitfield with a good portion of his substantial income. Turning tothe football competition, Luke, with a groan¹, gave forth² the informationthat he had just failed to win a hundred and twenty pounds. Mrs. Piercewas roused at once to sympathy and explained similar disappointmentson the part of her husband. Friendly relations thus established, Lukefound no difficulty in prolonging the conversation.
“A great interest in football Mr. Pierce takes,” said Mr. Pierce’s spouse³.
“Turns to it first of all in the news, he does. And as I say, many a disap-pointment he’s had, but there, everybody can’t win, that’s what I say, andwhat I say is you can’t go against luck.”
Luke concurred⁴ heartily⁵ in these sentiments, and proceeded to advanceby an easy transition to a further profound statement that troubles nevercome singly.
“Ah, no, indeed, sir, that I do know.” Mrs. Pierce sighed. “And when awoman has a husband and eight children—six living and buried two, thatis—well, she knows what trouble is, as you may say.”
“I suppose she does—oh, undoubtedly,” said Luke. “You’ve—er—buriedtwo, you say?”
“One no longer than a month ago,” said Mrs. Pierce with a kind of mel-ancholy enjoyment⁶.
“Dear me, very sad.”
“It wasn’t only sad, sir. It was a shock—that’s what it was, a shock! Icame all over queer, I did, when they broke it to me. Never having expec-ted anything of that kind to happen to Tommy, as you might say, for whena boy’s a trouble to you it doesn’t come natural to think of him being took.
Now my Emma Jane, a sweet little mite⁷ she was. ‘You’ll never rear her.’

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