I set to work to change that, I can tell you. I used to go
around to see him, and scratch his back and tickle him and make him
feel good. Of course the family went wild--my, how they hated me!
They set old Ellis to work to keep me off--have you met Judge
Ellis?"
"I have," said Montague.
"Well, there's a pussy-footed old hypocrite for you," said Mrs.
Billy. "In those days he was Waiting's business lackey--used to pass
the money to the legislators and keep the wheels of the machine
greased. One of the first things I said to the old man was that I
didn't ask him to entertain my butler, and he mustn't ask me to
entertain his valet--and so I forbid Ellis to enter my house. And
when I found that he was trying to get between the old man and me, I
flew into a rage and boxed his ears and chased him out of the room!"
Mrs. Billy paused, and laughed heartily over the recollection. "Of
course that tickled the old man to death," she continued. "The
Wallings never could make out how I managed to get round him as I
did; but it was simply because I was honest with him.
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