The Paying Guest

The Paying Guest is a satirical novella by George Gissing. It relates the experiences of the Mumfords, a middle-class family who welcome a "paying guest" into their home to augment their income. Excerpt: "'Runnymede' (so the Mumfords' house was named) stood on its own little plot of ground in one of the tree-shadowed roads which persuade the inhabitants of Sutton that they live in the country. It was of red brick, and double-fronted, with a porch of wood and stucco; bay windows on one side of the entrance, and flat on the other, made a contrast pleasing to the suburban eye."