“To visit yer ’lations, den?”
“No.”
“Well, what on de face ob de yeth is yer gwine for?” bluntly inquired the stewardess.
“On business,” good-humoredly replied the girl.
“Oh!” said the woman.
There was silence for a few minutes, and then the woman began to murmur, partly to herself:
“Now, I wonder what business can call a young gal to town at this unlawful season ob de wintry wedder in a cold steamboat?”
As the young lady did not reply to this, the woman felt driven to say, more decidedly:
“You looks moughty youngish for de like ob sich, and I’d eben fink as yer ma or aunt would be goin’ wid you; but is yer gwine to buy yer weddin’ close?”
“Perhaps,” said Gloria.