Neith Boyce

“ Bertha's eyes sparkled.
"But Frederick and I will want, of course, to do something for you."
"Oh, you dears! How nice everything is—I'm so happy!" Bertha whirled round before the mirror and contemplated her radiant image. "How do you do, Mrs. Seton? I'm very glad to see you. How is your husband?" she said mincingly with her head on one side. "Are husbands awful nuisances, Cis?"
"Oh, no, not if you manage them well," Cecilia said with an attempt at lightness. ”

“ Of course, I should like my wife to sympathize with some of my tastes, and I think Bertha would. I think she might be happy with me. What do you think, Mrs. Hawley?"
"I don't know," murmured Cecilia, looking very grave. "It does seem rather early for Bertha. I thought she might have a year or so more in school."
"But isn't the world the best school, after all? Surely you wouldn't shut her up for two years more!—a girl as full of life as she is! ”

“ I don't think a woman ought to wait till she's past her youth and beauty.
"Then, Mrs. Hawley, I can give her a lot of things that women care for. Mr. Hawley can tell you about my position. He'll tell you, I think, that I'm pretty safe and solid in a business way. And—I don't think he'll tell you anything against me—in other ways—at least, to a man, I don't think my character would seem a bad one. I——"
He hesitated, and Cecilia stirred uneasily.
"I've lived a free life," he went on, looking directly at her, "but I haven't any entanglements. Everything's straight in that way. ”