“Because it is my own Ran and Judy’s wedding, sure, and you are invited. And they would feel hurt by your absence,” replied Mike.
“Eh, Lorrd, I wouldn’t mind the church so much. Sure, ivirybody’s free to go into a church. But it’s the breakfast. Sure, an’ I nivir sat down to the table wid gentlefolks in all my life, and wouldn’t know more’n the babe just born how to behave myself, Lorrd! and if all tales be thrue, gentlefolks’ ways at table is that diffunt from our’n!” sighed Dandy.
“I suppose they eat, and drink, and talk, and laugh pretty much as other people do. Take courage, Dandy, old man. Just look at yourself in the glass! Why, you might be a Wall Street millionaire, or a college professor, or a United States Senator, to look at you,” laughed Longman.
“I know!” exclaimed Dandy with a self-satisfied smirk after glancing at the mirror. “Sure, ‘fine feathers make fine birds!’ And it is not how I look, at all, at all, but how I’m to behave, what I’m to say, and what I’m to do. That’s what bothers me.”
“Oh, bosh! You needn’t do anything nor say anything unless you like to. As for behaving, just watch other people and behave as they do.”
“Now, that’s a first-rate idea o’ your’n, Longman—first-rate. And I’ll jist be guided by that. I’ll watch the gentry, and behave jist as they do, and thin I can’t do amiss!” exclaimed Dandy, brightening up.
A very dangerous rule, with many unsuspected exceptions.
“And now put on your overcoats and draw your woolen mittens over your white kids, and come along, you two, or we shall be late,” said Longman, who had already put on all his outer garments and stood ready to march.
When the three men were quite ready they went downstairs together, walked over to the Fourth Avenue cars, boarded one and rode uptown; got out at Blank Street, and walked to the church.
There was no sign about the building to indicate a wedding for that morning. The doors were closed, and there was not a carriage nor a human being near the sacred building.