The Three Chums: A Tale Of london Everyday Life
Anonymous
CHAPTER I
The Young Man from the Country
Charles Warner, the son of a wealthy squire who owned a large estate in the Midlands, had just arrived in town, and taken up his apartments in Gower Street, for the purpose of becoming a medical student, as of course being only a younger son, and the freehold property all entailed, his jolly parent could think of nothing better in which his sharpest boy, as he called Charlie, would be so likely to make his way in the world.
"Be a good lad, Charlie; stick to your profession, and I'll set you up with ten thousand when you marry a girl with some tin; that's the only thing a younger son can do. Should I die before that it's left you in my will. Your allowance is?300 a year, to be?500 when you come of age; but mind, if you disgrace me or get into debt, I will turn you adrift without a penny, or pay your passage to Australia to get rid of you. My boy," he finally added, a tear in his eye and a slight quiver of the lip, as he said tremulously, "you have always been a favourite; your old dad reckons on you to keep away from the girls and bad companions."
He was thinking over these last parting words of his father as he sat by the fireside after tea awaiting the call of his two cousins, Harry and Frank Mortimer, who had written to say they would call to take him out, and see how he liked the rooms they had found for him.
He presently rang the bell to have the table cleared, and a remarkably pretty maid servant answered his summons.
"And what is your name? As I am going to live in the house and should like to know how to call you. I'm so glad Mrs.
Letsam has a pretty girl to attend on the lodgers."
"Fanny, Sir," replied the girl, blushing up to her eyes. "I have to wait on all the gentlemen, and a hard time I have of it running up and down stairs all day long."
"Well," said Charlie, "I shan't ring for you more than I can help, although it is not at all strange if some of them trouble you so often, if only for the pleasure of seeing a pretty face.