it a joke and let it go at that. I was only joking, and I certainly think you both ought to be able to take a joke. You used to be able to see a joke. What’s become of your sense of humor?”
“I see no humor in making a joke of sacred things,” said Mrs. Kingsley.
“The bunk! What’s sacred about what we were talking about, I’d like to know? We weren’t talking about religion.”
“You were talking about marriage!” said the lady coldly. “It is the most sacred relation on earth. It is the foundation of the family and of all right human relations.”
“Not anymore,” said the boy importantly. “Not since divorce has become so common, so almost universal. You can’t put over that old stuff about marriage being sacred. I tell you, it’s been clearly demonstrated today that marriage is what you want to make of it, and if the man is the head of the house, it’s his business to order what the marriage will be, see? So it’s up to the man! And I was just showing you that I understand my part in this arrangement.” He grinned affably at them as they sat there speechless, unable to believe their senses that their erstwhile friend could have so changed.
“And just what have you come here for?” asked the mother haughtily. “I thought when you first came in that you had come to apologize for all your rudeness, but you seem only to be adding more insult to what you have already said.”
Then the impish grin broke out on the boy’s face once more, an echo of the look he used to wear when he came to tell some joke after school when he was a child.
“Say, I was just kidding! Can’t you understand? I just came over to say so, and to tell you I really want to take Lisle to that football game. Come on, Lisle, forget it all and let’s have a swell time the way we used to do!”
“I don’t think that will be possible,” said Lisle with a haughty lift of her pretty chin. “I’m afraid I couldn’t forget some of the awful things you have been saying.”
“But haven’t I just told you I was only kidding?”
“Yes,” said the girl, with an understanding look in her young eyes that seemed suddenly to be looking deep into life and knowing many things that had hitherto been hidden. “I know you
say
you were only kidding, but I don’t believe that! I have known you a good many years, Victor, and I know pretty well when you are telling the truth and when you are only kidding, and I don’t believe that you are entirely amusing yourself by taking us for a ride. I am quite sure that you were trying out a new standard of life which you have recently acquired, and I don’t like it. I don’t want to have anything to do with it, and I won’t hear any more about it. And now if you will excuse me, I have a lesson to prepare for my Red Cross work this evening.”
Lisle rose and started toward the door, but suddenly Victor sprang to his feet and burst forth in his old impulsive way, walking over to her and grasping her wrists familiarly.
“Aw, don’t be that way, Lisle! Be a good sport and go with me to that game. I really want you, and I really came after you, and I swear I’ll make you have a good time. Come on and let me show you I mean it.”
Lisle drew away from him.
“No, Victor, I can’t go. I don’t want to go. I’m fed up with this whole subject, and I would much rather stay at home and work.”
“Aw, now, Lisle. You aren’t going to be a flat tire when I went to all the trouble to get these special tickets just for you. You might try me out just for one hour and let me prove to you that I’m not so black as you have tried to paint me. Come on, Lisle, for the sake of old times, and the days when you and I were pals! I can’t bear to have you this way. It isn’t like you. It isn’t according to your old code. You always were fair with everybody, and you’re not fair with me now when I’ve apologized for my thoughtlessness. I’m only asking another chance to prove to you that I’m
“I see no humor in making a joke of sacred things,” said Mrs. Kingsley.
“The bunk! What’s sacred about what we were talking about, I’d like to know? We weren’t talking about religion.”
“You were talking about marriage!” said the lady coldly. “It is the most sacred relation on earth. It is the foundation of the family and of all right human relations.”
“Not anymore,” said the boy importantly. “Not since divorce has become so common, so almost universal. You can’t put over that old stuff about marriage being sacred. I tell you, it’s been clearly demonstrated today that marriage is what you want to make of it, and if the man is the head of the house, it’s his business to order what the marriage will be, see? So it’s up to the man! And I was just showing you that I understand my part in this arrangement.” He grinned affably at them as they sat there speechless, unable to believe their senses that their erstwhile friend could have so changed.
“And just what have you come here for?” asked the mother haughtily. “I thought when you first came in that you had come to apologize for all your rudeness, but you seem only to be adding more insult to what you have already said.”
Then the impish grin broke out on the boy’s face once more, an echo of the look he used to wear when he came to tell some joke after school when he was a child.
“Say, I was just kidding! Can’t you understand? I just came over to say so, and to tell you I really want to take Lisle to that football game. Come on, Lisle, forget it all and let’s have a swell time the way we used to do!”
“I don’t think that will be possible,” said Lisle with a haughty lift of her pretty chin. “I’m afraid I couldn’t forget some of the awful things you have been saying.”
“But haven’t I just told you I was only kidding?”
“Yes,” said the girl, with an understanding look in her young eyes that seemed suddenly to be looking deep into life and knowing many things that had hitherto been hidden. “I know you
say
you were only kidding, but I don’t believe that! I have known you a good many years, Victor, and I know pretty well when you are telling the truth and when you are only kidding, and I don’t believe that you are entirely amusing yourself by taking us for a ride. I am quite sure that you were trying out a new standard of life which you have recently acquired, and I don’t like it. I don’t want to have anything to do with it, and I won’t hear any more about it. And now if you will excuse me, I have a lesson to prepare for my Red Cross work this evening.”
Lisle rose and started toward the door, but suddenly Victor sprang to his feet and burst forth in his old impulsive way, walking over to her and grasping her wrists familiarly.
“Aw, don’t be that way, Lisle! Be a good sport and go with me to that game. I really want you, and I really came after you, and I swear I’ll make you have a good time. Come on and let me show you I mean it.”
Lisle drew away from him.
“No, Victor, I can’t go. I don’t want to go. I’m fed up with this whole subject, and I would much rather stay at home and work.”
“Aw, now, Lisle. You aren’t going to be a flat tire when I went to all the trouble to get these special tickets just for you. You might try me out just for one hour and let me prove to you that I’m not so black as you have tried to paint me. Come on, Lisle, for the sake of old times, and the days when you and I were pals! I can’t bear to have you this way. It isn’t like you. It isn’t according to your old code. You always were fair with everybody, and you’re not fair with me now when I’ve apologized for my thoughtlessness. I’m only asking another chance to prove to you that I’m
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