Nitschkan drank at all hours of the day and night,
raised herself at the utterance of these revolutionary sentiments and
looked at Gallito in grieved and bewildered surprise; but Mrs.
Nitschkan, who had been pouring cream into the cup of steaming coffee
which Jose had just handed to her, first took a long draught and then
remarked with cool impartiality:
"The trouble with you, Gallito, is that you can't bear for nobody, man,
woman, child or devil, to get ahead of you. I guess I know somep'n'
about the bringin' up of young ones myself."
Here Mrs. Thomas sighed and shook her head with that exasperated
incomprehension which all women displayed when the subject of Mrs.
Nitschkan's children came up for discussion. Educators discourse much
upon the proper environment and training of the young of the human
species, but theories aside, practical results seem rather in favor of
casting the bantling on the rocks. For, in spite of Mrs. Nitschkan's
joyous lack of responsibility, her daughters had grown up the antitheses
of herself, thoroughly feminine little creatures, already famous for
those womanly accomplishments for which their mother had ever shown a
marked distaste, while the sons were steady, hard-working, reputable
young fellows, always to be depended upon by their employers.
"It's nothing but your pizen luck, Sadie," murmured Mrs. Thomas.
"We must allow that Providence has been kinder to you than most,"
remarked Gallito sardonically.
"It's a reward," said Mrs.
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