"Now even my own father would not know me, and my wife would no longer render me obedience!"
"Your wife!" cried Rob. "What do you mean? You can't have a wife! Why, you aren't any older than I am."
"Certainly, I have a wife," replied Jo, composedly. "We were selected for each other when I was ten years of age; and, as my father wanted a person to look after his house, we were married the day before I left home."
"But she must be a little girl," objected Rob.
"Oh no. She is older than I, and quite grown up."
"Is she pretty?" persisted the other, curiously, "and are you very fond of her?"
"No, I am not fond of her at all; for, you see, I don't know her; and I don't think she even is good-looking. Of course I can't tell, though, for I have seen her only once, and then her face was so hidden by the wedding-paint that I have no idea how she would look without it."
"Well!" exclaimed Rob; "you Chinese certainly are funny!"