“I’m all right as it is, but I do like a tender steak. And I think we’d quit something of our enthusiasm for Boston baked beans, though I’ve got quite to enjoy them. Still, it’s a sort of acquired patriotism—and, like most forms of patriotism, popular because it’s inexpensive. Then we wouldn’t have frankfurters so often. And we could begin to cultivate a taste for paté de fois gras instead—although I think it looks hateful.”
“Yes, and we’d have enough table napkins for unexpected callers.” “And ones for everyday, too.” “You shouldn’t speak so loud about such things in the crowd. I’m sure that woman heard you—she stared so hard. Oh, and we’d have silver rings for them!”
“Better get married again and see if we couldn’t get a stock of silver this time. Generous folk always load the rich down with plenty of silver. At poor people’s weddings one sees nothing but cake baskets.” “We got a brass lamp and some napkin rings.” “Did we? I don’t remember; we must have lost the rings.” “No; they turned brassy, and I didn’t dare to put them on the table any longer.
“Oh, I tell you what I should have, and I’m sure I need it badly enough to get it immediately.”
“Humph!” “Yes; you know, you guessed it—a new dress—right away. And it should have silk linings, finer on the inside than the out, and real hair cloth, and—yes!” with a rising inflection, “four godets in it! There! I should buy no more Monday bargain coats.”
“And I believe I would have my suits made to order, and I should like some of those English imported ties—the ‘purple moment’ ones.”
“I should only wear the very finest silk stockings.” “You should—and red ones at that, to gratify my aesthetic love of a flash of color.”
“Another thing; I have enough to do as guide, counsellor and friend; we’d get a girl to help in the housework.”
“But we wouldn’t move into a larger house. There is too much stuff in the cellar to dream of moving, and we couldn’t abandon it—or I couldn’t. Yes, by Jove! we’d move. I’d begin to collect Posters and first editions, and I guess we’d want more room.”