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Page 12
"I think I would prefer it. Wouldn't you, Mamie?"
The man brought the same thing in a smooth finish, and looked
interrogatively at poppa.
"Oh, I prefer it, too," said he, with a profound assumption of
intelligent interest. "Were you thinking of having the pants made of the
same material, Augusta?"
The gentleman's outfitter suddenly turned his back, and stood thus for
an instant struggling with something like a spasm. Knowing that if
there's one thing in the world momma hates it's the exhibition of
poppa's sense of humour, I walked to the door. When I came back they
were measuring the Senator.
"Will you have the American shoulder, sir? Most of our customers prefer
it."
"Well, no. The English shoulder would be more of a novelty on me. You
see I come from the United States myself."
"Do you indeed, sir?"
The manners of some tailors might be emulated in England.
"Tails are a little longer than they were, sir, and waistcoats cut a
trifle higher. Not more than half an inch in both cases, sir, but it
does make a difference. Now, with reference to the coat, sir; will you
have it finished with braid or not? Silk braid, of course, sir."
"Augusta?" demanded the Senator.
"Is braid _de nouveau_?" asked momma.
"Not precisely, madam, but the Prince certainly has worn it this season
while he didn't last."
"Do you refer to Wales?" asked poppa.
"Yes, sir. He's very generally mentioned simply as 'The Prince.' His
Royal Highness is very conservative, so to speak, about such things, so
when he takes up a style we generally count on its lasting at least
through one season. I can assure you, sir, the Prince has appeared in
braid. You needn't be afraid to order it."
"I think," put in momma, "that braid would make a very neat finish,
love."
Poppa walked slowly towards the door, considering the matter. With his
hand on the knob he turned round.
"No," he said, "I don't think that's reason enough for me. We're both
men in public positions, but I've got nothing in common with Wales. I'll
have a plain hem."
CHAPTER IV.
"If there's one thing I hate," said Senator Wick several times in the
discussion of our plans, "it's to see a citizen of the United States
going round advertising himself. If you analyse it, it's a mean thing to
do, for it's no more a virtue to be born American than a fault to be
born anything else. I'm proud of my nationality and my income is a
source of satisfaction to me, but I don't intend to brandish either of
them in the face of Europe."
It was this principle that had induced poppa to buy tourist tickets
second class by rail, first class by steamer, all through, like ordinary
English people on eight or nine hundred a year. Momma and I thought it
rather noble of him and resolved to live up to it if possible, but when
he brought forth a large packet of hotel coupons, guaranteed to produce
everything, including the deepest respect of the proprietors, at ten
shillings and sixpence a day apiece, we thought he was making an
unnecessary sacrifice to the feelings of the non-American travelling
public.
"Two dollars and a half a day!" momma ejaculated. "Were there no more
expensive ones?"
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