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Theirearmarksareallgood。We’venosuchnotionshereastheyhave。“
“ThankGodforsomuch，atanyrate，“saidmother。“HowoldEnglandwouldriseupandexultifshehadamaninlinewithLaddie’sbody，bloodandbrain，tosetonherthrone。Thistalkaboutclassandsocialpositionmakesmesick。Menaremen，andLaddieisasmuchabovethecustomarytimberfoundinkingsandprinces，physicallyandmentally，astheskyisabovetheearth。
Talkmenotalkaboutclass！IfIcatchitcomingfromanyofmine，saveyou，Iwillbeatitoutofthem。Hehasadmittedhe’sinlovewiththegirl；therealquestionis，whethershe’sfittobehiswife。“
“Ishouldsaysheappearsso，“saidfather。
“Dratappearances！“criedmother。“Whenit’saquestionoflifetimemisery，andthesoul’ssalvationofmyson，ifthingsgowrong，I’venotimeforappearances。Iwanttoknow！“
Hemighthaveknownhewouldmakeherangrywhenhelaughed。Shepunchedthepillow，andwouldn’tsayanotherword；soIwenttosleep，anddidn’tmissanythingthattime。
NextmorningatbreakfastLaddiewasbeaming，andfatherhardlywaitedtoasktheblessingbeforeheinquired：“Well，howdidyoumakeit，son？“
Laddielaughedandanswered：“Altogether，itmighthavebeenmuchworse。“
ThatwasallhewouldsayuntilMissAmeliastartedtoschool，thenhetookmeonhislapandtalkedashebuttonedmycoat。
“Thomasmetmeatthegate，“hesaid，“andheldmyhorsewhileI
wenttothedoor。Oneoftheirwomenopenedit，andIinquiredforMr。Pryor。Shesaidhewasinthefieldlookingatthehorses，soIaskedforMissPryor。Shecameinaminute，soI
gaveherthebranch，toldheraboutit，andofferedthejellyandcakeforhermother。ThePrincessinvitedmetoenter。ItoldherIcouldn’twithoutherfather’spermission，soIwenttothefieldtoseehim。Thedogswerewithhimandhehadthesurpriseofhislifewhenhisman-eatersrolledatmyfeet，andlickedmyhands。“
“Whatdidhesay？“chuckledfather。
“ToldThomasthey’dbeenoverfedanddidn’tamounttoabrassfarthing；totakethemtothewoodsandshootthem。Thomassaidhe’dseetoittheveryfirstthinginthemorning，andthenMr。
Pryortoldhimhewouldshoothimifhedid。“
“Charmingmantoworkfor，“saidmother。
“ThenItoldhimI’dbeenatthehousetocarryalittlegifttohiswifeanddaughter，andtoinquireifImightvisitanhour，andashewasnotthere，Ihadcometothefieldtoaskhim。
ThenIlookedhimintheeyeandsaid：`MayI？’
“`I’llwarrantthewomenaskedyoutocomein，’hesaid。
“`MissPryorwassokind，’Ianswered，`butIenternoman’shousewithouthispermission。MayItalkwithyourdaughteranhour，andyourwife，ifshecarestoseeme？’
“`Itmakesnoearthlydifferencetome，’hesaid，whichwasnotgracious，butmighthavebeenworse，soIthankedhim，andwentbacktothehouse。WhenIknockedthesecondtime，thePrincesscame，andItoldherthewordwasthatitmade`nodifferencetoherfather’ifIcamein，sosheopenedthedoorwidely，tookmyhatandofferedmeaseat。Thenshewenttothenextroomandsaid：`Mother，fatherhasgivenMr。Stantonpermissiontopayusacall。Doyoufeelabletomeethim？’Shecameatonce，offeringherhandandsaying：`IhavealreadymetMr。Stantonsooften，really，weshouldhavetheprivilegeofspeaking。’“
“Whatdidshemeanbythat？“askedmother。
“ShemeantthatIhavehauntedtheroadpassingtheirplacefortwoyears，andshe’dseenmesofrequentlythatshecametorecognizeme。“
“Umph！“saidmother。
“Laddietellon！“Ibegged。
“Well，IsharpenedallthewitsIhadandwenttowork。Inevertriedsohardinmylifetobeentertaining。OfcourseIhadtofeelmyway。I’dnoideawhatwouldinterestadelicate，high-
bredlady“——mothersniffedagain——“soIhadtosearchandprobe，andgobyguessuntilIsawashadeofinterest，thenIworkedinmoreofthesame。ItwaseasyenoughtotalktothePrincess——
allyoungfolkshavealotincommon，wecouldgetalongonfiftytopics；itwasdifferentwiththehouseboundmother。Ididmybest，andafterawhileMr。Pryorcamein。Iaskedhimifanyofhishorseshadbeenattackedwiththetroublesomeoftheneighbourswerehaving，andtoldhimwhatitwas。Hehadthegracetothankme。HesaidhewouldtellThomasnottotiehishorseatthepublichitchingrackwhenhewenttotown，andoncehegotstarted，hewaswildtotalkwithaman，andI’dnochancetosayawordtothewomen。Hewasinterestedinourcolleges，state，andnationallaws，inlanddevelopment，andeverythingthatalllivemenare。WhenamaidannounceddinnerIapologizedforhavingstayedsolong，andexcusedmyself，becauseIhadbeensointerested，butMrs。Pryormerelysaid：`I’mwaitingtobeofferedyourarm。’
“Well，youshouldhaveseenmedropmyhatandstepup。Id
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