“Seein’ she’s a member and wears plain, it wouldn’t cost wery expensive to furnish fur her, fur she hasn’t the dare to have nothin’ stylish like a organ or gilt-framed landscapes or sich stuffed furniture that way.”

“The room’s good enough the way it is,” repeated Mr. Getz.  “I don’t see no use spendin’ on it.”

“It needs new paper and carpet.  Pop, it’ll get put out if you don’t furnish fur her.  The neighbors’ll talk how you’re so close with your own child after she worked fur you so good still.  I don’t like it so well, pop, havin’ the neighbors talk.”

“Leave ’em talk.  Their talkin’ don’t cost me nothin’.  I ain’t furnishin’!” His tone was obstinate and angry.

His wife rubbed him down with a crash towel as vigorously as she had washed him, then fastened his shirt, dipped the family comb in the soapy water and began with artistic care to part and comb his hair.

“Absalom Puntz he’s a nice party, pop.  He’ll be well-fixed till his pop’s passed away a’ready.”

“You think!  Well, now look here, mom!” Mr. Getz spoke with stern decision.  “Tillie ain’t got the dare to keep comp’ny Sundays!  It made her a whole hour late with the washin’ this mornin’.  I’m tellin’ her she’s got to tell Absalom Puntz he can’t come no more.”

Mrs. Getz paused with comb poised in air, and her feeble jaw dropped in astonishment.

“Why, pop!” she said.  “Ain’t you leavin’ Tillie keep comp’ny?”

“No,” affirmed Mr. Getz.  “I ain’t.  What does a body go to the bother of raisin’ childern fur?  Just to lose ’em as soon as they are growed enough to help earn a little?  I ain’t leavin’ Tillie get married!  She’s stayin’ at home to help her pop and mom—­ except in winter when they ain’t so much work, and mebbe then I’m hirin’ her out to Aunty Em at the hotel where she can earn a little, too, to help along.  She can easy earn enough to buy the children’s winter clo’es and gums and school-books.”

“When she comes eighteen, pop, she’ll have the right to get married whether or no you’d conceited you wouldn’t give her the dare.”

“If I say I ain’t buyin’ her her aus styer, Absalom Puntz nor no other feller would take her.”

An “aus styer” is the household outfit always given to a bride by her father.

“Well, to be sure,” granted Mrs. Getz, “I’d like keepin’ Tillie home to help me out with the work still.  I didn’t see how I was ever goin’ to get through without her.  But I thought when Absalom Puntz begin to come Sundays, certainly you’d be fur her havin’ him.  I was sayin’ to her only this mornin’ that if she didn’t want to dishearten Absalom from comin’ to set up with her, she’d have to take more notice to him and not act so dopplig with him—­like as if she didn’t care whether or no he made up to her.  I tole her I’d think, now, she’d be wonderful pleased at his wantin’ her, and him so well-fixed.  Certainly I never conceited you’d be ag’in’ it.  Tillie she didn’t answer nothin’.  Sometimes I do now think Tillie’s some different to what other girls is.”