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14 A SHABBY GENTEEL STORY
CHAPTER II
HOW MRS. GANN RECEIVED TWO LODGERS
IT was the winter season when the events recorded in this history
occurred; and as at that period not one out of a thousand
lodging-houses in Margate are let, Mrs. Gann, who generally
submitted to occupy her own first and second floors during this
cheerless season, considered herself more than ordinarily lucky when
circumstances occurred which brought no less than two lodgers to
her establishment.
She had to thank her daughters for the first inmate ; for, as
these two young ladies were walking one day down their own street,
talking of the joys of the last season, and the delight of the raffles
and singing at the libraries, and the intoxicating pleasures of the
Vauxhall balls, they were remarked and evidently admired by a
young gentleman who was sauntering listlessly up the street.
He stared, and it must be confessed that the fascinating girls
stared too, and put each other's head into each other's bonnet, and
giggled and said, " Lor' !" and then looked hard at the young
gentleman again. Their eyes were black, their cheeks were very
red. Fancy how Miss Bella's and Miss Linda's hearts beat when
the gentleman, dropping his glass out of his eye, actually stepped
across the street, and said, "Ladies, I am seeking for lodgings,
and should be glad to look at those which I see are to let in your
house."
" How did the conjurer know it was our house ?" thought Bella
and Linda (they always thought in couples). From the very simple
fact that Miss Bella had just thrust into the door a latch-key.
Most bitterly did Mrs. James Gann regret that she had not on
her best gown when a stranger—a stranger in February—actually
called to look at the lodgings. She made up, however, for the
slovenliness of her dress by the dignity of her demeanour ; and
asked the gentleman for references, informed him that she was a
gentlewoman, and that he would have peculiar advantages in her
establishment; and, finally, agreed to receive him at the rate of
twenty shillings per week. The bright eyes of the young ladies
had done the business ; but to this day Mrs. James Gann is con-