Alice Duer Miller

“ When she had gone I intended to say just what I ordinarily would say, and caught myself in time as I was about to ask how Aunt Helen felt after yesterday's festivities. She spoke first.
“And how are you after all the excitements of the wedding?” she said.
I answered that I was well; and she?
“I feel wonderfully,” said my aunt. “Not tired at all. You know, Jim, I believe it does people good now and then to get out of the rut, to see younger people, and even”—she paused as if she were overstepping the limits of credibility—“and even to talk a little nonsense. ”

“ By that time Aunt Helen was considered to be old enough to live alone, and she had moved to a little house of her own, much to my regret; but I think my mother, who brought a good deal of robust common sense into the remote aristocracy of the Fenellons' point of view, had always suffered from Aunt Helen's perfection and was not sorry.
“I used to pity Helen's beaus,” my mother would say; “and she had quantities. They always began to feel sooner or later like chimney sweeps in the presence of a little white blossom. ”

“ Vitality is what I mean. Life seems vivid and interesting. I suppose it's all a reflection of dear Gertrude's happiness. How lovely she looked, Jim! And her husband—what a delightful young man! So friendly and sincere. In fact all the young people there impressed me very favorably. Sometimes I feel as if there were a barrier between me and the younger generation, but I did not feel it yesterday—quite the contrary. I hope your mother is not feeling sad to-day. I'm so fond of your mother, Jim. ”

“ His face was too large, anyhow, and it made it look enormous and very foolish. You can't love a person with a great big rolling face, can you? I must tell you this, because it will interest you, and I never told any one before. They all think I broke my engagement because he made love to me. Your mother, Jim—I love your mother, but she is a little bit crude, if you don't mind my saying so—she always thought I broke my engagement because he kissed me. Well”—she gave a short chuckle—“if that had been the reason I'd have broken it a good deal earlier.”
“I bet you would!” said Gray. ”

“ I said to myself, 'Good thing I did not have to spend my life with that man.' Jim's mother thinks I do nothing but regret him—my sister-in-law, you know; nice woman, but never quite knows how a lady feels. ”

“ She was my father's sister; and the Fenellons, who think a lot of themselves—from the point of view of family—believe in sticking together. She had read me stories from mythology, and I had pictured the goddess Diana in her image. ”