"I believe he doesn't like it," agreed Mr. Broderick, evasively.
"Why not, pray?" asked father, rousing from his reverie.
I always noticed that once he had been brought to arms upon the real interest of his life, he was the more ready to take fire upon secondary subjects, even remotely connected with it. No one answered him, and he repeated his question.
"Why not, pray? The Upjohns come of as good a stock as we do, though they haven't been so long upon the soil."
"To be sure," put in mother, quickly. "And I've been told she's as well schooled as any town miss. I don't mean to say she isn't good enough for the young squire, only I've heard say the old gentleman is so terribly particular."
"Yes, indeed, she's as well-behaved and pretty a young woman as you could find anywhere," declared Mr. Broderick, warmly. "Old Ingram can have no objection on anything but the score of connection."
"Connection! What's that?" exclaimed father. "If the girl comes of a different stock to the lad, why must it needs be of a worse one? Faith, if I were neighbor Upjohn, 'tis I would have the objection."
"Nonsense, Laban," said mother, half annoyed.
"No; I wouldn't let any girl of mine wed where it was made a favor to receive her," continued father, hotly.