“Oh, for that—shocking!”
“I came down on the cars third-class. I want to get near the people while I am over here, and see for myself how their status compares to that of ours. I want to get a thorough idea of the economic condition of England, and see whether what David A. Wells claims for free trade is true.”
“Ah, yes—yes,” his father responded, dashed a little. But the boy’s voice was not unpleasant; his accent, considering whence he came, far better than could have been expected; and as for his locutions, his choice of words, “I must cure you of your Americanisms,” the hopeful parent added.
“Sir?” the son queried, staring.
“There, to begin with, don’t call me sir. Reserve that for Royalty. I said I must try to break you of some of your Americanisms.”
“Oh, I know. The English say railway for railroad, and box for trunk.”
“Ah, if it began and ended there!” sighed Weir.
“But I don’t see why our way isn’t as good as theirs. We’ve got a population of sixty millions to their thirty, and——”
“Oh come, now! Don’t confuse the argument by introducing figures.”
But at this Harold stared so hard that his father’s conscience smote him a little, and he asked sympathetically, “I’m afraid you take life rather seriously, don’t you?”