"Is braid de nouveau?" asked momma.
"Not precisely, madam, but the Prince certainly has worn it this season while he didn't last."
"Do you refer to Wales?" asked poppa.
"Yes, sir. He's very generally mentioned simply as 'The Prince.' His Royal Highness is very conservative, so to speak, about such things, so when he takes up a style we generally count on its lasting at least through one season. I can assure you, sir, the Prince has appeared in braid. You needn't be afraid to order it."
"I think," put in momma, "that braid would make a very neat finish, love."
Poppa walked slowly towards the door, considering the matter. With his hand on the knob he turned round.
"No," he said, "I don't think that's reason enough for me. We're both men in public positions, but I've got nothing in common with Wales. I'll have a plain hem."
CHAPTER IV.
"If there's one thing I hate," said Senator Wick several times in the discussion of our plans, "it's to see a citizen of the United States going round advertising himself. If you analyse it, it's a mean thing to do, for it's no more a virtue to be born American than a fault to be born anything else. I'm proud of my nationality and my income is a source of satisfaction to me, but I don't intend to brandish either of them in the face of Europe."