“Eighteen last month. And girls aren’t as grown up now as they used to be.”
“Oh, yes, they are. They just go to school longer. Well, Mother, I’d rather this hadn’t happened right now, of course. On the other hand, this young fellow has the qualities that would always appeal to Lilian; he is a good, clean boy, and will have means enough to support her. A father always has to think of that, you know. He is going into business with his father, unless that war over in Europe finally gets all our young men. It looks as if we should be in it pretty soon. How do you think Lilian would feel if she were not engaged to Philip and he goes to France?”
“She would probably be better satisfied to be openly engaged to him, for she seems to care for him so much. But how is one to know!”
“How does anybody know? How old were you when we were married, Mother?”
“Twenty.”
“And we had been engaged a year. This is not so much worse, is it?”
“No, I suppose not.”
“You talk it over with Lilian, Mother. Whatever you decide is acceptable to me. I like the young man and the family, and we do not want to spoil Lilian’s happiness. On the other hand, I do not like long engagements, if they can be avoided. Lilian has two or three years of school, Philip this one, and then business—or war.”
“So the learned judge wants his wife to decide after all.”
“Yes. I get enough experience in that line.”