'
"'Well, I know it ain't decent,' said I, 'but you said you would do
it, and I just remonstrated a little, that's all.'
"'You was saying about London and Paris,' said she, 'being no place
for educating young ladies in.'
"'Yes,' sais I, 'that painful story of my two poor dear wives (which
is 'all in my eye,' as plain as it was then), illustrates my theory of
education in those two capitals. In London, females, who are a great
deal in society in the season, like a man who drinks, can't stop, they
are at it all the time, and like him, sometimes forget the way home
again. In Paris, galls are kept so much at home before marriage, when
they once get out, they don't want to enter the cage again. They are
the two extremes. If ever I marry, I'll tell you how I will lay down
the law. Pleasure shall be the recreation and not the business of life
with her. Home the rule--parties the exception. Duty first, amusement
second. Her head-quarters shall always be in her own house, but the
outposts will never be neglected.'
"'Nothin' like an American woman for an American man, is there?' said
she, and she drew nearer, lookin' up in my face to read the answer,
and didn't rock so hard.
"'It depends upon how they are brought up,' said I, looking wise.
'But, Liddy,' sais I, 'without joking, what an amazin' small foot that
is of yours. It always was, and wunst when it slipt through a branch
of the cherry-tree, do you recollect my saying, Well I vow that calf
was suckled by two cows? now don't you, Liddy?'
"'No, Sir,' said she, 'I don't, though children may say many things
that when they grow up they are ashamed to repeat; but I recollect
now, wunst when you and I went through the long grass to the
cherry-tree, your mother said, 'Liddy, beware you are not bit by a
garter-snake, and I never knew her meanin' till now;' and she rose up
and said, 'Mr Slick, I must bid you good morning.
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