oughit.Wot'aveyoudonewithyourweek'smoney,Liza?'
'Oh,I'veputitawy,'answeredLizaquietly.
'Where?'askedhermother.
'Whereit'llbesafe.'
'Where'sthat?'
Lizawasdrivenintoacorner.
'Whyd'youwantterknow?'sheasked.
'Whyshouldn'tIknowd'youthinkIwantterstealitfromyer?'
'Na,notthet.'
'Well,whywon'tyoutellme?'
'Oh,athing'ssiferwhenonlyonepersonknowswhereitis.'
Thiswasaverydiscreetremark,butitsetMrs.Kempinawhirlwindofpassion.Sheraisedherselfandsatupinthebed,flourishingherclenchedfistatherdaughter.
'Iknowwotyermean,you——you!'Herlanguagewasemphatic,herepithetspicturesque,buttooforcibleforreproduction.'YouthinkI'dstealit,'shewenton.'Iknowyer!D'yerthinkI'dgoan'tikeyerdirtymoney?'
'Well,mother,'saidLiza,'whenI'vetoldyerbefore,themoney'sperspiredlike.'
'Wotd'yermean?'
'Itgotless.'
'Well,Ican't'elpthet,canI?Anyonecancomein'ereandtikethemoney.'
'Ifit's'iddenawy,theycan't,canthey,mother?'saidLiza.
Mrs.Kempshookherfist.
'Youdirtyslut,you,'shesaid,'yerthinkItikeyermoney!Why,yououghttergiveitmeeveryweekinsteadofsavin'itupandspendin'itonallsortsofmuck,whileI'avetergrindmyverybonesdowntokeepyer.'
'Yerknow,mother,ifIdidn't'avealittlebitsavedup,weshouldberathershortwhenyou'redahninyerluck.'
Mrs.Kemp'smoneyalwaysranoutonTuesday,andLizahadtokeepthingsgoingtillthefollowingSaturday.
'Oh,don'ttalkterme!'proceededMrs.Kemp.'WhenIwasagirlIgiveallmymoneytermymother.Shenever'adteraskmefornothin'.OnSaturdaywhenIcome'omewithmywiges,Igiveit'ereveryfarthin'.That'swotadaughteroughtterdo.Icansaythisformyself,Ibe'avedbymymotherlikeagalshould.Noneofyourprodigalsonsforme!Shedidn't'aveteraskmeforthree'apencetergetadropofbeer.'
Lizawaswiseinhergenerations