“I don't know what you mean by likely,” Maria said, impertinently, in her shame and defiance.
“Don't know what I mean by likely?”
“No, I don't. People in New Jersey don't say likely.”
“Why, I mean he is a good young man, and likely to turn out well,” responded Eunice, rather helplessly. She was a very gentle woman, and had all her life been more or less intimidated by her husband's and sister-in-laws' more strenuous natures; and, if the truth were told, she stood in a little awe of this blooming young niece, with her self-possession and clothes of the New York fashion.
“I don't see why he is more likely, as you call it, than any other young man,” Maria returned, pitilessly. “I should call him a very ordinary young man.”
“He isn't called so generally,” Eunice said, feebly.
They were about half an hour reaching Westbridge. Eunice by that time had plucked up a little spirit. She reflected that Maria knew almost nothing about the shopping district, and she herself had shopped there all her life since she had been of shopping age. Eunice had a great respect for the Westbridge stores, and considered them distinctly superior to those of Boston. She was horrified when Maria observed, shortly before they got off the car, that she supposed they could have done much better in Boston.
“I guess you will find that Adams & Wood's is as good a store as any you could go to in New York,” said Eunice. “Then there is the Boston Store, too, and Collins & Green's. All of them are very good, and they have a good assortment. Hardly anybody in Amity goes anywhere else shopping, they think the Westbridge stores so much better.”
“Of course it is cheaper to come here,” said Maria, as they got off the car in front of Adams & Wood's.
“That isn't the reason,” said Eunice, eagerly. “Why, Mrs. Judge Saunders buys 'most everything here; says she can do enough sight better than she can anywhere else.”