And I
could have offered only politics."
With an arm about each he pushed them to the door, saying that his wife
and daughter were waiting below. When Harlan turned from his respectful
greeting of the mother, whom he knew, he found Miss Presson looking at
him with frank and smiling interest. He had heard vague reports that
Madeleine Presson had blossomed into beautiful womanhood since he had
seen her. He had been prepared to meet a rather vain and pampered young
lady, conscious of her charms and attainments. He assumed a bit of
reserve as armor for his sensitiveness. But this attitude responded so
ill to her good-humored ease in renewing their acquaintanceship that he
was momentarily embarrassed, remembering what he had said to his
grandfather a few hours before.
"I think I have a most distinct recollection of Mr. Harlan Thornton.
When I was ten years old you brought me some lumps of spruce-gum in a
birch-bark box and I declined it, saying that young ladies did not chew
gum. But I took it when you looked so sad, and I carried it away to
boarding-school, and I found out that young ladies do chew gum--when no
one is watching them.
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