The Man in Possession — page 110: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 105 abolition of ‘ Bitter,’ not to mention Double and Single ‘X’ it will doubtless afford you the keenest delight.” ‘‘OQh, sure now, Miss O’Brien, you mustn't vex yourself about such things atall. The people will have their drink, take my word for it. It's like many other bad things in this bad world. They’ve got used to it, and you can't eradicate a habit any more than you can a weed—pluck it from one place, ‘twill come up in another.” ‘‘Well, as Miss O’Brien has been already initiated into the uses and abuses of the Family Brewery, may I ask why you have sought her again, most worthy of aunts?” — ‘‘Ah, cease joking, Tom. ‘Tis but a poor, witless popinjay Miss O’Brien will think you. I came to give you a message from Lady Jocelyn.” . ‘*You’ve been a long time delivering it,” said her nephew. ‘‘ What is it?” ‘‘Something about the thayatricals, or the cos- tumes. Would you give her your opinion?” ‘‘My opinion,” said the young man, lazily, lean- ing back in his chair. ‘‘QOh, she’s had that, long ago. It:is embodied in a portion of the church service, for those of riper years. ~‘From emulation, strife and envy, good Lord deliver us.’ The three evils in that petition mean, in society parlance— simply private theatricals.” Kate laughed, but Miss Judy looked somewhat puzzled. ‘“Now get up, Tom, and go to her,” she said, coaxingly. ‘‘ You know your'e the life and soul of COMicloe (Sri C(O)