'Well, I never!'
" 'Then you won't let me stay, Mary?'
" 'No, no.'
"With slow and sad strides Thomas Tubbs left the house. The world
seemed dark enough to the poor fellow. Not only was he disowned
by his wife and children, but he could not tell how he should
ever earn enough to keep him alive, with the frightful appetite
which he now possessed. 'I don't know,' he thought, 'but the best
way is to drown myself at once.' So he walked to the river, but
found it was not deep enough to drown him.
"As he emerged from the river uncomfortably wet, he saw a man
timidly approaching him. It proved to be the manager of the show.
" 'Hello!' said he hesitatingly.
" 'Hello!' returned Tubbs disconsolately.
" 'Would you like to enter into a business engagement with me?'
" 'Of what sort?' asked Tubbs, brightening up.
" 'To be exhibited,' was the reply. 'You're the largest man
living in the world. We could make a pretty penny together.'
"Tubbs was glad enough to accept this proposition, which came to
him like a plank to a drowning man.
Pages:
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189