TO ONE PIECE OF DARK PIAZZA ADD A LITTLE MOONLIGHT--TAKE FOR GRANTED TWO PEOPLE. PRESS IN TWO STRONG ONES A SMALL, SOFT HAND. SIFT LIGHTLY TWO OUNCES OF ATTRACTION, ONE OF ROMANCE; ADD A LARGE MEASURE OF FOLLY; STIR IN A FLOATING RUFFLE AND ONE OR TWO WHISPERS. DISSOLVE HALF A DOZEN GLANCES IN A WELL OF SILENCE; DUST IN A SMALL QUANTITY OF HESITATION, ONE OUNCE OF RESISTANCE, TWO OF YIELDING; PLACE THE KISSES ON A FLUSHED CHEEK OR TWO LIPS; FLAVOR WITH A SLIGHT SCREAM, AND SET ASIDE TO COOL. THIS WILL SUCCEED IN ANY CLIMATE, IF DIRECTIONS ARE CAREFULLY FOLLOWED.] [Illustration: ONE DIFFICULTY OF THE GAME. KEEPING YOUR EYE ON THE BALL.] [Illustration: ON THE FERRY.] [Illustration: “ON THE SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK.”] [Illustration: THE MORNING NOTE.] [Illustration: THE MAY QUEEN.] [Illustration: AFTER THE PERFORMANCE.] [Illustration: THE ELEVENTH INNING.] [Illustration: BREAKFAST--OATMEAL AND THE MORNING PAPER.] [Illustration: WAITING FOR BREAD.] [Illustration: LUNCHEON.] [Illustration: WAITING FOR TABLES.] [Illustration: AN ELEVATED STATION.] [Illustration: SOME PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE.] [Illustration: “I OFTEN WONDER WHY YOU DON’T GET MARRIED.” “BECAUSE I’M TOO FOND OF MEN’S SOCIETY.”] [Illustration: THE CABLE CAR.] [Illustration: THE PROPER EDUCATION. _Daughter_ (_home from a seminary_): WE NO SOONER LEARN A LITTLE ABOUT ONE SUBJECT. MAMMA. THAN WE STOP AND TURN TO ANOTHER. “YOU MUST REMEMBER, DEAR, THAT I AM FITTING YOU TO ENTER SOCIETY.”] [Illustration: _Charles_ (_loquitur_): IT IS QUITE TRUE, FATHER, AS YOU SAY, THAT OUR RELIGIOUS DUTIES ARE OF SIGNAL MOMENT. BUT THEY ARE OFTEN PERPLEXING, AND SOME OF THEM OFTEN SEEM TO ME TO CONFLICT WITH OTHERS. PERHAPS YOU AND I COULD COVER THE GROUND BETTER IF WE USED SOME JUDICIOUS PLAN OF CO-OPERATION. SUPPOSE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT YOU OBEY THE INJUNCTION “GIVE TO HIM THAT ASKETH,” AND LEAVE ME TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR EFFORTS BY TAKING NO THOUGHT FOR THE MORROW.] [Illustration: NO WONDER THE SEA SERPENT FREQUENTS OUR COAST.] [Illustration: _The Nobleman_: EVERY MAN HAS HIS PRICE, YOU KNOW. “OH, THIS IS SO SUDDEN!”] [Illustration: AWFUL PREDICAMENT. THE TRIPLETS FIND THEY ARE ALL ENGAGED TO THE SAME MAN.] HE DOUBTED IT. _Mrs. Henrypeck_: YOU HAVE BEEN VERY AGGRAVATING AT TIMES, AND WE HAVE NOT ALWAYS GOT ALONG VERY WELL TOGETHER; BUT STILL, IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN, I’D MARRY YOU JUST THE SAME. _MR. H._ (_under his breath_): I’M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT. [Illustration: HONEYMOONING. THE MAN WHO MARRIED FOR A HOME.] [Illustration: THE NURSERY.] [Illustration: SCHOOL DAYS.] [Illustration: THE DEBUTANTE.] [Illustration: THE MOTHER.] [Illustration: INDIAN SUMMER.] [Illustration: THE CHAPERONE.] [Illustration: THE EVENING.] [Illustration] [Illustration: THE FALLEN STAR. “FOND MEMORY BRINGS THE LIGHT OF OTHER DAYS----.”] [Illustration] End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Americans, by Charles Dana Gibson