"Bill put down his fork an' turned an' stared at me. Mrs. Bill leaned back in her chair with a red look of surprise.
"'The gladdest, happiest papa in Connecticut,' I added.
"Mrs. Bill covered her face with her napkin an' began to shake.
"'S-Soc., have you fallen?' Bill stammered.
"'No, I've riz,' I said. 'Don't blame me, ol' man, I had to do it. I've adopted some orphans. I'm goin' to have an orphanage on the hill; but it will take a year to finish it. I'm goin' to have five children. They're beauties, an' I know that I'm goin' to love them. I propose to take them out of the atmosphere of indigence an' wholesale charity. They'll have a normal, pleasant home, an' a hired mother an' me to look after them—the personal touch, you know. I expect to have a lot of fun with them.'
"'But what a responsibility!' said Mrs. Bill.
"'I know, but I feel the need of it. Of course it's different with you—very different—you have all these dogs an' horses to be responsible for an' to give you amusement. I couldn't afford that. Then, too, I'm a little odd, I guess. I can get more fun out of one happy, human soul than out of all the dogs an' horses in creation.'
"'But children! Why, they're so subject to sickness and accident and death,' said Mrs. Bill.
"'An' they're subject, also, to health an' life an' safety,' I answered.
"'Yes, but you know—they'll be getting into all kinds of trouble.
They'll worry you.'