The Von Toodleburgs; Or, The History of a Very Distinguished FamilyAdams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
General
The Von Toodleburgs; Or, The History of a Very Distinguished Family
Adams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
Families -- Fiction; New York (State) -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Treasure troves -- Fiction
"Never had even a little quarrel?" resumed Mrs. Chapman, inquiringly. "I
have heard married people say it was so nice to have a little quarrel
now and then. But my dear husband is such a good husband, Mrs.
Toodleburg. Just like yours." Here she turned toward and dropped
Angeline a bow. "I never want to live to see the day when I shall have
to marry a second husband." Here she turned and dropped a bow to her
dear Chapman. "I should be always praising you, my dear. And unless my
dear second husband was a saint there would be trouble in the house, you
know. My dear, let us drop this subject. It is not pleasant to look to
far into the future." Here she turned to Angeline, who had proceeded to
get some strawberries and cream for her guests.
"You are so nice and comfortable here," she resumed; "it takes one back
to the good old times, when everything was true and simple." Mrs.
Chapman gave quicker motion to her tongue. "You have your loom, and your
spinning-wheel, and homespun made by your own hands. How delightful."
"My dear, my dear," interrupted Chapman; "what a homily on the beauties
of economy you are reading our friends--"
"Don't interrupt me, my dear," resumed Mrs. Chapman, and she again
turned to Angeline. "Do you know, Mrs. Toodlebug, that I have always
felt that we ought to be the best of friends?"
"You are very kind," said Angeline, "very kind. We are very plain
people."
"That's why I like you all the better," Mrs. Chapman resumed, with an
air of condescension. "My husband and your husband must also be the best
of friends. They can make a fortune by it, you know. You see, my husband
proposes to make your husband's fortune. He is the greatest man to make
other people's fortunes. Yes, he is. My husband's head is full of great
progressive ideas. And he has made the fortunes of so many men." Here
Mrs. Chapman lowered her voice to a whisper, and drew her chair a little
nearer to Angeline. "There is another little matter that should make us
firm friends. I would not mention it, you know; but I feel that it is no
secret." Here she dropped one of her most significant bows. "I have
taken such a liking to your son. Such a promising young man, he is. That
voyage will make a man of him; who knows but he may come home with a
large fortune. I have known stranger things than that. I have been
encouraging a little love affair between him and my daughter Mattie. You
have seen my Mattie? She is clever, wonderfully smart, handsome, too;
and if she gets the right kind of a husband, will shine in society."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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