"A book of poetry."
"Whose poetry?"
"I am sure I've forgotten," replied Uncle Dozie, taking a look askance at the title, as it half-projected from his pocket. "It's Coleridge's Ancient Mariner," he added.
{"Coleridge's…" = "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (1798) by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834). A number of chapter epigraphs in "Elinor Wyllys" are taken from this famous poem}
"What in the world are you going to do with it?" said his brother, with increasing surprise.
"I wanted a volume of poetry."
"You—Jem Hubbard! Why, I thought Yankee-Doodle was the only poetry you cared for!"
"I don't care for it, but she does."
"She!—What SHE?" asked Uncle Josie, with lively curiosity, but very little tact, it would seem.
"Mrs. Wyllys," was the laconic reply.