Some folks are never satisfied
unless they are trying to make gentlemen out of gutter snipes. If we
let such fellows get a foothold, there won't be any respectable society
after a while; it will be all stable boys and boot-blacks."
Later, when the visitors had said good-night and Amy and her mother
had entered the house, Frank said, "Father, I'll tell you one thing
about that man Falkner, you've got to watch him."
"What do you mean?" asked Adam.
"I mean Amy," replied the other, moving his chair nearer the old
gentleman and speaking in a guarded tone. "He takes every chance he
can to talk with her, and she is altogether too willing to listen."
"Pshaw," grunted the older man, "she never sees him."
"That's where you are mistaken, father. They met first last spring in
the printing office; and afterwards, when he had gotten in with that
soft fool, Charlie Bowen, they met again at the Young People's social.
He was all dressed up in a new suit of clothes and of course Amy didn't
know him. They were together all that evening, and since then, though
she has found out who he is, she talks with him at every opportunity.
They meet at the Society, at church, at picnics and parties, and
sometimes in the printing office. I tell you you'd better watch him.
He's doing his level best to get in with her, and just look how he's
working everybody else. Half the town is crazy over him."
Low spoken as were Frank's words, Amy heard every one, for she had not
retired as her brother supposed, but was lying on a couch just inside
the doorway of the darkened parlor.
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