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Feature
How to Tell Bad News
William H. McGuffey
Characters: Mr. H. and the Steward
Mr. H. Ha! Steward, how are you, my old boy? How do things go on at home?
Steward. Bad enough, your honor; the magpie's dead.
H. Poor Mag! So he's gone. How came he to die?
S. Over-ate himself, sir.
H. Did he? A greedy dog; why, what did he get he liked so well?
S. Horseflesh, sir; he died of eating horseflesh,
H. How came he to get so much horseflesh?
S. All your father's horses, sir.
H. What! are they dead, too?
S. Ay, sir; they died of overwork.
H. And why were they overworked, pray?
S. To carry water, sir.
H. To carry water! and what were they carrying water for?
S. Sure, sir, to put out the fire.
H. Fire! what fire?
S. O, sir, your father's house is burned to the ground.
H. My father's house burned down! and how came it set on fire?
S. I think, sir, it must have been the torches.
H. Torches! what torches?
S. At your mother's funeral.
H. My mother dead!
S. Ah, poor lady! she never looked up, after it.
H. After what?
S. The loss of your father.
H. My father gone, too?
S. Yes, poor gentleman! he took to his bed as soon as he heard of it.
H. Heard of what?
S. The bad news, sir, and please your honor.
H. What! more miseries! more bad news!
S. Yes, sir; your bank has failed, and your credit is lost, and you are not worth a shilling in the world. I made bold, sir, to come to you about it, for I thought you would like to hear the news.
Question
Which words or phrases from the passage help the reader infer the meaning of the word "shilling"?
Responses
A "Bad enough, your honor; the magpie's dead.""Bad enough, your honor; the magpie's dead."
B "your bank has failed, and your credit is lost.""your bank has failed, and your credit is lost."
C "O, sir, your father's house is burned to the ground.""O, sir, your father's house is burned to the ground."
D "My father's house burned down! and how came it set on fire?"
1 answer