Oscar's boyhood or The sailor's son Author:Daniel Wise Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. POOE PLTPCT8 FATE. EEING a light in the kitchen, and in no other part of the house, except a dim one in his mother's chamber, Oscar rushe... more »d into that room, and, while gasping for breath, said to Priscilla,— ' How's—my mother—ah!' Priscilla, who had just been relieved from her post at Mrs. Douglas's bedside by the coming of Lois Nettle, and was busily washing up the tea-things, turned round very suddenly on hearing Oscar's abrupt question, and quietly surveyed him from head to foot. Her silence very naturally irritated the excited, panting boy, and he angrily asked,— ' Why don't you answer my question ? ' ' Marcy sakes! where have yer been ? Ter looks like a drownded rat.' 'Never you mind how I look. Tell me about my mother!' ' Ef yer had staid tew hum, as yer mother wanted yer tew, yer wouldn't hev had to ask that ere question, nor kumed tew hum lookin' so pesky queer as yer du neow,'replied Priscilla, who had been nursing her spleen against Oscar for the previous half hour on account of his absence. Her censures were very ill-timed, however, and only served to irritate the boy, whose whole manner showed that, whatever he had been doing previously, he was now seriously concerned about his mother. 'Well,' said he, after a moment's pause, 'if you won't tell me how she is, I'll go and see for myself.' These words were followed by a movement towards the inner door. Priscilla was too quick for him. Placing her hand, dripping with greasy water, upon his arm, she held him in her powerful grasp, and, with an earnestness which quelled his anger and excited his fears, said,— ' Du yer want tew kill yer mother, agoin' tew her bedside in them ere pesky wet clothes ? ' ' Well, then, tell me what ails my mother,' pleaded Oscar, looking up beseechingly int...« less