“Tariff-reform, I think,” said Tom.
“What is tariff-reform?” asked Winona. “I never could understand it exactly.”
“Don’t ask me to say it all over again!” begged Tom. “I was getting anxious by that time for fear I wouldn’t have subjects enough left to use on Elsie. You know she isn’t much of a talker. But I had to say something, and Mrs. Davis didn’t, and I couldn’t think of anything but this foolish book. Mrs. Davis didn’t seem to care much about tariff-reform, either, so I gave that up and looked at the list again, and chose ‘Weather.’ She did warm up a little at that. But the best weather won’t last forever, and you could just hear the silence bump every little while.
“Then I got desperate, and used up Politics and Canoeing and the California Fair, and all the rest. Folks, I finished off every last thing I was going to talk to Elsie about, before she ever appeared! Except about trimming hats—that seemed such a foolish thing to ask a woman that old about.”
“They discussed Measles and Mice, and Music, and everything else that began with an M,” quoted Louise from her favorite Alice in Wonderland.
“Don’t mind her,” said Billy as soberly as he could. “Just go on. Did Elsie Davis ever come down at all?”
“Yes,” said Tom, “she did. Just as I finished my last subject, if you please! She seemed to be dressed for a party, but she said she wasn’t. She sat down at the other end of the room, and tried to see if she couldn’t keep as still as her mother. Mrs. Davis stayed right there, too, and smiled like an alligator—and there was I without an idea in my head or on the memorandum!”
“Didn’t they even show you the photograph album?” inquired Louise, forgetting to be offended.
“They wouldn’t talk, I tell you!”
“Well, what did you do?” asked Louise.