“Well, I’m sure they’ve had advantages enough,” Mrs. Burrell grumbled. “I don’t see why they don’t get more attention, though.”
Burrell’s eyes sparkled with irritation. “Well, they get attention enough when they’re to home. That’s where they ought to be.”
“I just hate to hear you talk like that, father. You don’t seem to have no ambition for the children.”
“I’ve brought ’em up respectable, an’ I’ve given ’em enough to eat an’ drink, an’ I’ve expected ’em to marry decent fellers in their own station in life. I married a farmer’s daughter, an’ I ain’t had no call to regret it; an’ what’s good enough for me is good enough for them.”
Mrs. Burrell refused to be mollified by the compliment. “Well, times are changed since then, an’ I guess I ain’t a-goin’ to have those girls’ education wasted. What did we come here to Washington for, anyway?”
“Well, that’s the very question I’ve been askin’ myself ever since we landed here. What in hell did we come here for? I wish I’d stayed down in Maine, where I belong. I’m somebody down there. But here the’ ain’t hardly anybody thinks I’m worth speakin’ to. There’s not a man here that’s asked me to have a drink with him to-night.”
Mrs. Burrell rose from her seat with quiet dignity. “If you’re goin’ to begin to talk like that,” she said, in a low voice, “I’m goin’ home. I declare, these parties are only an aggravation, anyway. Come on, girls.” She walked toward the little Frenchman and offered her hand. “Good-night, musseer,” she said, with a large smile.
The Frenchman bowed low again. “Good-night, madame.” He touched the tips of her fingers with his small, gloved hand.
“I don’t believe I like those Frenchmen,” whispered Mrs. Burrell, as the family started to leave the room. “You never can tell whether they’re laughin’ at you or not.”
“I guess nearly everybody’s beginning to go,” said Carrie Cora, briskly. “Let’s hurry up, or they’ll think we want to be put out. Oh, say, look out there, will you? There’s that Mr. West, that they say is so attentive to Mrs. Briggs. He’s been drinking champagne and punch all the evening. See how red his face is!”