"They was sayin' in the Sewin' Society 's he's goin' to marry Eliza Gr—" she said mildly.
Miss Clegg almost screamed.
"Eliza Gringer, as keeps house for him?"
Her friend nodded.
Miss Clegg drew in a sudden breath.
"Well! 'f I'd knowed that, I'd never 'a' paid fifty cents for that horse 'n' buggy! Eliza Gringer! why, she's older 'n' I am,—she was to 'Cat' when I was only to 'M.' 'N' he's goin' to marry her! Oh, well, I d'n' know 's it makes any difference to me. In my opinion a man as 'd be fool enough to be willin' to marry a woman 's ain't got nothin' but herself to give him, 's likelier to be happier bein' her fool 'n he ever would be bein' mine."
There was a pause.
"Your father's just the—" Mrs. Lathrop said at last.
"Same? Oh yes, he's just the same. Seems 't I can't remember when he wasn't just the same."
Then there was another pause.