“Why didn’t you take them off? Didn’t you have another pair in your pocket?”
“I don’t like to wear woollen gloves. They ain’t stylish.”
“I am afraid, John, you are getting a little aristocratic,” said his father.
“Why shouldn’t I be?” said John.
“Now I am perfectly willing to wear woollen gloves,” said the general, who wanted to be popular, and so avoided putting on airs, “or no gloves at all,” looking around to observe the effect of his republican speech. “Kid gloves do not make a man any better.”
Meanwhile John had taken the vacant place. But it happened to be on the front seat, and so, of course, he had to ride backward. Now John fancied that he should prefer to sit on the back seat, as it would enable him to look out of the window, besides being on the whole more agreeable. Walter, having his choice of seats, had on entering taken one of the back ones. John conceived the idea of exchanging with him, without considering that our hero might possibly prefer to retain his, to which he was fairly entitled by prior possession.
“I don’t like to ride backward,” said John.
“Why not?” asked his father.
“I can’t look out of the window.” Then, addressing Walter, “Change seats with me, will you?”
“That is pretty cool,” thought Walter.