A Fair Fraud — page 42: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A Fair Fraud 31 then I told the old lady: ske ought to learn, just to see what she'd say. And did you hear her reply? “JT am afraid I am too old for such undignified proceedings, Miss Lane. Bicycles are only suitable for young people.” That was a slap at you, mummy. I am sure © she thinks you a “disgrace to your sex,’ as the newspapers say. The more I talked ahout the inoffensive and useful bike, the more dis- agreeable they both became.’ ‘Then why on earth did you talk about it?’ snapped Mrs Lane. ‘Why did you go out of your way to annoy them? Why couldn't you talk about something to suit them—politics or gardening, er something of that kind? You really are the most aggravating girl on earth, Hetty! What is the use of my toiling and slaving for you when you go and undo every- thing? Didn’t you hear me holding forth on poultry to Mrs Drury? and: you know I don't know a Cochin China cock from a Spanish pullet, and yet there | was jawing away about the last Crystal Palace poultry show exactly as if | had been there! One should always assimilate oneself to people’s peculiarities. Listen to their jargon and pick up what they say, and then repeat their own words back again to them twisted round another way. | That's the great secret of pleasing peaple, and making them like you in this world, and it’s ElOOO© 4 (G' O)