The White Wolf and Other Fireside Tales by Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch
page 263 of 345 (76%)
page 263 of 345 (76%)
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attendance was abnormally low. Yes, he admitted the fact, and thanked
the lady for having called attention to it, since it bore upon the subject now uppermost in our minds. He had here"--and he drew from his pocket a magazine article--"some statistics to which he would invite our attention. They showed the average school attendance in Cornwall to be lower than in any county of England or Wales. _But_"--and Mr. Hansombody raised his forefinger--"the same statistician in the very same paper proves the average of criminal prosecutions in Cornwall to be the lowest in England and Wales." "And you infer--" I began as he paused triumphantly. "I infer nothing, sir. I leave the inference to be drawn by our faddists in education, and I only hope they'll enjoy it." Well, apart from its bearing on Mr. Hansombody's position as Chairman of our Board (which we forbore to examine), this discovery consoled us somewhat and amused us a great deal until we reached Bodmin, when we hurried at once to the Assize Court. I have said that the action, Cox _v._ Pretyman, was for damages for Breach of Promise of Marriage. Both parties are natives and parishioners of Fowey, and attend the same place of worship. The plaintiff, Miss Rebecca Cox, earns her living as a dressmaker's assistant; the defendant is our watch-maker, and opened a shop of his own but a few months before approaching Miss Cox with proposals of marriage. This was fifteen years ago. I may mention that some kind of counter-claim was put in "for goods delivered"; the goods in question being a musical-box and sundry small articles for parlour amusement, such as a solitaire-tray, two packs of "Patience" cards, a race-game, |
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