Page 156 - sons-and-lovers

spend it on that dressed-up creature.’
‘She should have her own money if she’s so grand,’ said
Paul.
‘She should, but she hasn’t. I asked him. And I know he
doesn’t buy her a gold bangle for nothing. I wonder whoever
bought ME a gold bangle.’
William was succeeding with his ‘Gipsy’, as he called
her. He asked the girl—her name was Louisa Lily Denys
Western—for a photograph to send to his mother. The pho-
to came—a handsome brunette, taken in profile, smirking
slightly—and, it might be, quite naked, for on the photo-
graph not a scrap of clothing was to be seen, only a naked
bust.
‘Yes,’ wrote Mrs. Morel to her son, ‘the photograph of
Louie is very striking, and I can see she must be attractive.
But do you think, my boy, it was very good taste of a girl to
give her young man that photo to send to his mother—the
first? Certainly the shoulders are beautiful, as you say. But I
hardly expected to see so much of them at the first view.’
Morel found the photograph standing on the chiffonier
in the parlour. He came out with it between his thick thumb
and finger.
‘Who dost reckon this is?’ he asked of his wife.
‘It’s the girl our William is going with,’ replied Mrs. Mo-
rel.
‘H’m! ‘Er’s a bright spark, from th’ look on ‘er, an’ one as
wunna do him owermuch good neither. Who is she?’
‘Her name is Louisa Lily Denys Western.’
‘An’ come again to-morrer!’ exclaimed the miner. ‘An’ is

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