“O Mus’ Doubleday,” she laughed, “’ow may that be? I were a liddle baby once, an’ looked younger then, I rackon.”
“I wish,” said the Corporal bitterly—“I wish that you—no, I wish that I had been—but what’s the use o’ wishing? Only ... if you had only been a ... bit older ... if only you had——”
“Aye, an’ what then, sir?” she questioned eagerly.
“No matter, mam.”
“But, Mus’ Doubleday, I du be a-growin’ older an’ older every day!”
“Aye,” groaned the Corporal, “so am I!”
“An’ yonder comes grandfer along o’ Mrs. Rose! She be rarely ’andsome, don’t ’ee think?”
“So, so!” sighed the Corporal.
“O Mus’ Doubleday! I’m sure she’s the rarest beauty!”
“Maybe,” admitted the Corporal, “only I don’t ’appen to ha’ noticed.”