Then he come here. And now he's a-saving up to treat himself, afore
he dies, to one small purchase--it's nothing to speak of. Only his own
daughter; that's all!' cried Mr Tapley, becoming excited. 'Liberty for
ever! Hurrah! Hail, Columbia!'
'Hush!' cried Martin, clapping his hand upon his mouth; 'and don't be an
idiot. What is he doing here?'
'Waiting to take our luggage off upon a truck,' said Mark. 'He'd have
come for it by-and-bye, but I engaged him for a very reasonable charge
(out of my own pocket) to sit along with me and make me jolly; and I
am jolly; and if I was rich enough to contract with him to wait upon me
once a day, to be looked at, I'd never be anything else.'
The fact may cause a solemn impeachment of Mark's veracity, but it must
be admitted nevertheless, that there was that in his face and manner at
the moment, which militated strongly against this emphatic declaration
of his state of mind.
'Lord love you, sir,' he added, 'they're so fond of Liberty in this part
of the globe, that they buy her and sell her and carry her to market
with 'em. They've such a passion for Liberty, that they can't help
taking liberties with her.
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