She can go to more pains to scrub around a table leg than
any one I ever knowed."
But in spite of her scoffing, Myrtella was impressed. For many years
she had considered a visit to a spiritualist, or clairvoyant, one of
her wildest and most extravagant dissipations. The possibility of
having a medium in the family was a luxury not to be lightly
dismissed.
"Where'd you git the money fer the lessons?" she demanded suddenly.
Phineas hesitated and was lost.
"You spent Chick's! He's as ragged as a scarecrow. Looks like he don't
get enough food to push his ribs out. I ketch you spendin' the money I
give him on sperrits, livin' or dead, an' I'll never give you another
cent!"
"Now, Sis, hold on! You didn't lemme finish. I'm thinkin' some of
running a undertaker's business, along in conjunction with the see-
ances. We could keep tab on the customers then, and build up a good
trade. All on earth we need is just a little capital, an' we'd be a
self-supportin' couple inside a week."
So convincing were Phineas' arguments, that in the end Myrtella
consented to act as _deus ex machina_ for the new psychical venture,
on condition that Chick should be properly clothed, and fed, and made
to go to school.
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