“Ah me! so far as that? That’s on the coast of Guinea, ain’t it?”
“No; Brazil, South America.”
“Well, Lord knows that’s far enough. I did hope as the Kitty would be coming home soon, and Roland could get a berth ’long o’ Capting Grandiere. But there’s nothing but disappointment in this world, sez I!”
“The worst case of disappointment I know of is that of poor young Leonidas Force!” said Mrs. Hedge.
“Now ain’t it, though” chimed in Miss Sibby.
“To come home to meet his sweetheart, and find her just about to be married to another man!”
“And him a furriner! That’s what makes me sick! A furriner! Them as has the least to do with furriners, sez I, comes the best off, sez I! It’s all the gal’s fault, too! She fell in love along of this furriner! And her father, he give in to her, ’cause she cried and took on! But, Lor’! what could you expect of the young thing, sez I? ‘Trot sire, trot dam,’ sez I, ‘the colt will never pace,’ sez I! And you may take my word for that.”
“What do you mean, Miss Sibby? How do you apply the proverb to this case?” inquired Miss Grandiere.
“Why, don’t you see? What did her daddy do? ’Stead o’ marrying of some old neighbor’s darter, like you, Miss Sukey——”
“No, I thank you!” put in Miss Grandiere.