"And my Tom's that excited he couldn't eat no supper--oh, an' have ye
seen in t'night's paper, Ann, about Mulligan's?"

"No--what now?" enquired Mrs. Trapes, as though on the verge of
collapsing.

"Well, read that--right there!" and unfolding an evening paper, Mrs.
Bowker pointed to a paragraph tucked away into a corner, and, drawing a
deep breath, Mrs. Trapes read aloud as follows:

It is understood that Geoffrey Ravenslee, the well-known sportsman and
millionaire, winner of last year's International Automobile race and
holder of the world's long-distance speed record, has lately paid a
record price in a real estate deal. A certain tenement building off Tenth
Avenue has been purchased by him, the cost of which, it is rumoured, was
fabulous.

"Fab'lous!" repeated Mrs. Trapes, and sniffed. "Well, I never had
no use fer millionaires, anyway--they're generally fools or rogues--this
one's a fool sure--any one is as would give much fer a place like
Mulligan's--an' yet, come t' think of it again--'are warned as all rents
will be re-dooced fifty per cent. by order'--yes, come t' think of it
again, what I say is--God bless this millionaire, an' whatever he is,
Ann Angelina Trapes is sure goin' t' mention him before th' Throne this
night."