Silas Weir Mitchell
Published: 2013-09
Total Pages: 122
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ...half a million and more to come. But, my dear, you know Susan! She just is n't one bit like most of our girls. She honestly expects those men to amuse her. They just don't. She has n't any talk in her: A man says, "Do you like it here in the season?" and Sue says, "Not awful much," and shuts up like scissors. Then he says, "Awful jolly at Hurlingham; ever been there?" and she says, "You just ought to see Chicago." Usually that man collapses, and they dance, or don't. What can I do?' The other woman said, 'I do think there should be some one to teach conversation.' 'Dear me! I would give ten pounds, oh, guineas a week to find some one to do that. Susan is incredible. Up comes a man, oh, a right nice one, too, --Sir John or Lord Somebody, --and in about two minutes the talk just pines away.' Here was my chance, so I said, 'Pardon me; I can teach conversation, madam.' Indeed, I had had to teach children in a way. 'How much is twice two?' and so on. 'Railly!' She said it very well, and quite like us. She put up a pair of gold eye-glasses and regarded me. 'It would have to be a lady, ' she said. I 'That is, ' I returned, 'a woman of--well--accustomed to society.' 'Yes, that 's about it.' It was good fun, so I went on and said grandly, 'I am a relative of the Earl of C--.' I am, but he is only a second cousin, and I never in my life have seen him, except in 'Punch.' 'He is in the cabinet, ' I added. This answered very well, and with some rather clever fencing as to who and what I was and had been, we came to a conclusion. I...