withregardtopostagestampsyoucan'twasteyourmoney.Nowjewellery,forinstance,getsold-fashioned,andchinabreaksbutyourunnoriskwithstamps.WhenIbuystamps,IreallyfeelthatI'masgoodasinvestingmymoneyinconsols."
"Well,how'sMarythismorning?"
"I'vebeenhavingalongtalkwithher."
"Settledthedayyet?"askedtheColonel,withaknowinglittlelaugh.
"No!"
"Uponmyword,Frances,Ithinkweshallhavetosettleitforthem.Thingsweren'tlikethiswhenwewereyoung.Why,Jamie,yourmotherandIgotmarriedsixweeksafterIwasintroducedtoheratacroquetparty."
"Weweremarriedinhaste,Richmond,"saidMrs.Parsons,laughing.
"Well,we'vetakenalongtimetorepentofit,mydear.It'soverthirtyyears."
"Ifancyit'stoolatenow."
TheColoneltookherhandandpattedit.
"IfyougetsuchagoodwifeasIhave,Jamie,Idon'tthinkyou'llhavereasontocomplain.Willhe,mydear?"
"It'snotformetosay,Richmond,"repliedMrs.Parsons,smilingcontentedly.
"Doyouwantmetogetmarriedverymuch,father?"
"OfcourseIdo.I'vesetmyheartuponit.IwanttoseewhatthenewgenerationsofParsonsarelikebeforeIdie."
"Listen,Richmond,Jamiehassomethingtotellus."
Mrs.Parsonshadbeenlookingatherson,andwasstruckatlastbytheagonyofhisexpression.
"Whatisit,Jamie?"sheasked.
"I'mafraidyou'llbedreadfullydisappointed.I'msosorry—MaryandIarenolongerengagedtobemarried."
Foraminutetherewassilenceintheroom.TheoldColonellookedhelplesslyfromwifetoson.
"Whatdoeshemean,Frances?"hesaidatlast.
Mrs.Parsonsdidnotanswer,andheturnedtoJames.
"You'renotinearnest,Jamie?You'rejokingwithus?"
Jameswentovertohisfather,astheweakerofthetwo,andputhisarmroundhisshoulders.
"I'mawfullysorrytohavetogrieveyou,father.It'squitetrue—worseluck!ItwasimpossibleformetomarryMary."
"D'youmeanthatyou'vebrokenyourengagementwithheraftershe'swaitedfiveyearsforyou?"saidMrs.Parsons.
"Icouldn'tdoanythingelse.IfoundInolongerlovedher.Weshouldbothhavebeenunhappyifwehadm