"The girls make such fun of their father's excitement about his building, and the way he talks it into everybody."
"Oh, indeed!" said Mrs. Corey, with civil misunderstanding and inquiry.
Penelope flushed, and her mother went on: "I tell him he's more of a child about it than any of them."
"Young people are very philosophical nowadays," remarked Mrs. Corey.
"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Lapham. "I tell them they've always had everything, so that nothing's a surprise to them. It was different with us in our young days."
"Yes," said Mrs. Corey, without assenting.
"I mean the Colonel and myself," explained Mrs. Lapham.
"Oh yes--yes!" said Mrs. Corey.
"I'm sure," the former went on, rather helplessly, "we had to work hard enough for everything we got. And so we appreciated it."
"So many things were not done for young people then," said Mrs. Corey, not recognising the early-hardships standpoint of Mrs. Lapham. "But I don't know that they are always the better for it now," she added vaguely, but with the satisfaction we all feel in uttering a just commonplace.