Jacques--with whom money was an object--had, of course,
to maintain her for the rest of her life.
Likewise, Sir Charles Brimpton, in jumping out of the top window of
his house, besides pulverizing himself, pulverized, too, Lady
Brimpton's pet Pekingese "Waller," without whom, she declared, life
wasn't worth living; and Lord Snipping, in setting fire to himself,
set fire to Lady Snipping's boudoir (which he had been secretly
visiting), and thereby destroyed treasures which she tearfully
declared were quite priceless, and could never be replaced.
Crowds of young married women were anxious to get rid of their rich
old relatives, who clung on to life with a tenacity that was "most
wearying."
"Can you give me a spell that will make my grandmother go off
suddenly?" a girl with beautiful, sad eyes said plaintively to Kelson.
"Don't think me very wicked, but we are not at all well off--and she
has lived such a long time--such a very long time."
"You don't want her to be ill first, I suppose," Kelson inquired.
"Oh, no!" the girl replied, "she lives with us and we could never
endure the worry and trouble of nursing her. It must be something very
sudden."
"This will do it," Kelson said, giving her a locket containing the
mumia or essence of life of a mad dog; "fasten it round the old lady's
neck, and you will be astonished how soon it acts."
"And what is your fee?" the girl asked, her eyes brimming over with
joyous anticipation.
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