"Pert, not Perk," hinted Alice, gently.
"Perk or Pert, what difference does it make?" said the old lady. "We live not by the letter of the law, but by its spirituous consultation. I have known many candidates who have fought hard for their own ends, but none whose motives are so absolutely Flinnathropic."
"Philanthropic," suggested Alice, in a whisper.
"Please don't interrogate so much," said the old lady, but still without losing her temper. "When I meet a public man who is so ready to capitalize his own interests to those of his country—"
"Sacri—" Alice started to say, but caught herself in time.
"Why, then," went on the old lady, "he ought to have as many terms as he likes. If two are not enough he should have a third term, if only by Hannalogy. Now I hope I got that right," she said, turning defiantly to Alice.
But Alice's feelings were hurt, and she said nothing.
"And so," concluded the old lady, "I hope that you will succeed in keeping up your spontaneous consumption of public interest and that you won't let them take away your Southern renegades—"
"Delega—" said Alice before she could stop herself.