A Social Meteor — page 141: what you’re looking at

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

A SOCIAL METEOR, 131 “I would as lief be dead as absolutely poor,” he observed. “What do you mean by ‘poor?’ asked Lee, somewhat amused. “Well, I mean by ‘poor,’ having to struggle for a bare existence; not to be able to buy the lux- uries of life—-to be obliged to strain every nerve to make both ends meet, and never to be above the bread-and-butter question. That’s what I call poor.” “And yet I can conceive of worse things than poverty,” remarked Lee. “Can you? I can’t. What could be worse than having to drudge, year in and year out, night and day, for a mere pittance, as some poor devils do, to support their families. Sick or well, rain or shine, it makes no difference, they must be up and away at daylight, hurrying, worrying all the time, uncertain as to where their next meal is to come from. No pleasures, scarcely a moment for recreation. What could be worse ?” Lee balanced a teaspoon thoughtfully on his forefinger, before he answered. Then, “Many things,” he replied. “A guilty con- science; a wife who disgraces your name; a child who is a continual source of trouble to you.” EORMICE OO) SS (E©)