“Hum,—­yes—­natural enough, I suppose.  But it wasn’t dignified, and why do you suppose I have been practising dignity these last ten years?”

CHAPTER III

A BABY IN BUSINESS

“Centerville, Iowa.

“Dear Carol and David—­

“Please do not call me the baby of the family any more.  I am in business, and babies have no business in business.  Very good, wasn’t it?  I am practising verbosity for the book I am going to write some day.  Verbosity is what I want to say, isn’t it?  I am never sure whether it is that or obesity.  But you know what I mean.

“To begin at the beginning, then, you would be surprised how sensible father is turning out.  I can hardly understand it.  You remember when I insisted on studying stenography, Aunt Grace and Prue, yes, and all the rest of you, were properly shocked and horrified, and thought I ought to teach school because it is more ministerial.  But I knew I should need the stenography in my writing, and father looked at me, and thought a while, and came right out on my side.  And that settled it.

“Of course, when I wanted to cut college after my second year so I could get to work, father talked me out of it.  But I am really convinced he was right that time, even though he wasn’t on my side.  But after I finished college, when they offered me the English Department in the High School in Mount Mark at seventy-five per, and when I insisted on coming down here to Centerville to take this stenographic job with Messrs. Nesbitt and Orchard, at eight a week, well, the serene atmosphere of our quiet home was decidedly murky for a while.  I said I needed the experience, both stenographic and literary, and this was my opportunity.

“Aunt Grace was speechless.  Prudence wept over me.  Fairy laughed at me.  Lark said she just wished you were home to take charge of me and teach me a few things.  But father looked at me again, and thought very seriously for a while, and said he believed I was right.

“Consequently, I am at Centerville.

“Isn’t it dear of father?  And so surprising.  The girls think he needs medical attention, and honestly I am a little worried over him myself.  It was so unexpected.  Really, I half thought he would ’put his foot down,’ as the Ladies Aiders used to want Prudence to do with us.  He was always resigned, father was, about giving the girls up in marriage, but every one always said he would draw the line there.  He is developing, I guess.

“Do you remember Nesbitt and Orchard?  Mr. Nesbitt was a member of the church when we lived here, but it was before I was born, so I don’t feel especially well acquainted on that account.  But he calls me Connie and acts very fatherly.