The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-01-12
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DICKENSss NEW STORY.
A HOUSE TO LET.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.
OVER THE WAY.

had been living at Tunbridge Wells and
nowhere else, going on for ten years, when my
medical man-very clever in his profession,
and the prettiest player 1 ever saw in my life
of a hand at Long Whist, which was a noble
and princely game before Short was heard Of
said to me- one day, as he sat feeling my pulse
on the actual sofa which my poor dear sister
Jane worked before her spine came On, and
laid her on board for fifteen months at a
streteh-the most upright woman that ever
lived-said to me, "What we want, ma am, is
flip" 80
"Good gracious, goodness gracious, Doctor
Towers Hassays j, quite startled at the man, Tor
he was so christceed himself: stdon't talk as ii
you were alluding TO peoples names; butsay
what you mean" lre
e"I mean, my dear ma'am, that we want a
little change of air and scene"
Bless the man!' said / "dees he mean
we or me p
81 mean you, maam."
"Then Lard forgive you, Doctor Towers" !"
1 said why don't you get into habit of ex-
pressing yourself in a straight forward manner
ike a loyal subject of our gracious Queen Vic
toria, and member of the Church of Eng
land :"
Towers laughed, as he generally does when
he has fdgetted me into any Of my impatient
ways-one of my states, as I call them-ond
then he began
t'Tone, ma am, Tone, is all you require v'-
He appealed to Trottle, who just then came in
with the coalscuttle, looking, in his nice black
suit, ike an amiable man putting on Goals from
motives of beneVolenee. - -l
Trottle (whom always call my right hand)
has been in my service two and thirty years
He entered my service, far away from England.
He is the best of creatures, and the most re-
spectacle of men, but opinionated.
"What you want, ma am,'' says Trottie, ma
king up the fire in his quiet and skilfal wey,
"is Tone" --T
sMLard forgive you both % says I, bursting
out a-laughing; 81 see you are in a conspiracy
against me, so suppose you must do what you
like with me, and take me to London for a
change"
For some weeks Towers had limited at Lon
don, and consequently was prepared for him
When we had got to this point we got op-so
expeditiously that Trottle was packedroh to
London next day but one, to find ~~Ome sort OF
place for me to lay my troublesome oid heao
Trottle came bacL5to me at the Wells after
two days absepse, with accounts of charm
ing place t1at could be taken for six months
certais,~ with liberty to renew on the same
terms for another six, and which really did af-
ford every accommodation that wanted.
"Could you really find no fault at all in the
rooms, Trottle?" asked him.
"Not single one ma'am. They are exactly
suitable to you. There is only one fault in
them.
sAnd what's that?"
@Fhey are opposite House to Let"
SOP said, considering of it. "But is that
such very great objection"
''I think it my duty to mention it, ma'am.
1t is dull object to look at. Otherwise, 1 was
so greatly pleased with the lodging that l
should have closed with the terms at once, as
1 had your authority to do"
Trottle thinking so highly of the place, in
my interest, 1 wished not to disappoint him
Consequently 1 said:
t.The empty Heuse may let perhaps"
40, dear, no. ma am" said Trottle, shaking
his head with decision; sit won't let. 1t new
er does let ma'am." z
"Mercy mel Why not ?'
"Nobody knows, ma'am. All have tomen-
ton is, ma am, that the House won't letp
Chow long has this unfortunate House been
to let, in the name Of fortune" said 1.
,"Ever so long" said Trottle. ''Years."
ais it in ruins?"
"It's good deal out of repair, ma'am, but
it's not in ruins"
The long and the short of this business was,
that next day had pair of post-horses put
to my chariot--for, / never travel by railway;
not that have anything to say against rail
ways, except that they came in when was too
old to take to them; and that they made ducks
and brakes of few turnpike-bonds l had
and so went up myself, with Trottle, in the
rumble, to look at the inside of this same lode-