I offered Mrs. Colby the
two seventy-five, and told her I would send her the balance in a letter
as soon as I arrived at my destination. To my astonishment, she refused
to take it, saying that she would have the three dollars or nothing."
"If I had known that," said Quincy, "she would have got nothing."
"Oh! it's all right," remarked Rosa, with a smile. "I know the poor
woman has hard work to make a living, and I also know that she has lost
considerable money from persons failing to pay at all or paying part of
their bills and then not sending the balance, as they promised to do."
"And did she get up all that ugliness for a quarter of a dollar?"
inquired Quincy.
"Oh! that wasn't the reason at all," replied Rosa; "I've always paid her
promptly and in advance. She was mad because I was going away. If she
lets the room right off she will get double rent this coming week, for
it so happened my week ended last night."
"Lodging-house keepers," said Quincy, "seem to be a class by themselves,
and to have peculiar financial and moral codes. Here we are at the
station," he added, as the carriage came to a stop.
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