"It's no more the Mecca of women than Wall Street is the Jerusalem of men. What you are all going to do in Heaven without Wall Street, I don't see." Mr. Allen gave his significant shrug and said, "I don't meet notes till they are due," which was his way of saying: "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." "The salons of Paris!" said Edith, with some disdain. "Think of the scenery, the orange-groves, and vineyards that we shall see, the Alpine flowers--" "I declare," interrupted Zell, "I believe that Edith would rather see a grape-vine and orange-tree than all the toilets of Paris." "I shall enjoy seeing both," was the reply, "and so have the advantage of you in having two strings to my bow." "By the way, that reminds me to ask how many beaux you now have on the string," said the father. Edith tossed her head with a pretty blush and said: "Pity me, my father; you know I am always poor at arithmetic." "You will take up with a crooked stick after all. Now Laura is a sensible girl, like her mother, and has picked out one of the richest, longest-headed fellows on the street." "Indeed!" said his wife. "I do not see but you are paying yourself a greater compliment than either Laura or me." "Oh, no, a mere business statement. Laura means business, and so does Mr. Goulden." Laura looked annoyed and said: "Pa, I thought you never talked business at home." "Oh, this is a feminine phase that women understand. I want your sisters to profit by your good example." "I shall marry an Italian count," cried Zell. "Who will turn out a fourth-rate Italian barber, and I shall have to support you both. But I won't do it. You would have to help him shave." "No, I should transform him into a leader of banditti, and we would live in princely state in the Apennines. Then we would capture you, papa, and carry you off to the mountains, and I would be your jailer, and give you nothing but turtle-soup, champagne, and kisses till you paid a ransom that would break Wall Street." "I would not pay a cent, but stay and eat you out of house and home." "I never expect to marry," said Edith, "but some day I am going to commence saving my money--now don't laugh, papa, for I could be economical if I once made up my mind"--and the pretty head gave a decisive little nod. "I am going to save my money and buy a beautiful place in the country and make it as near like the garden of Eden as possible." "Snakes will get into it as of old," was Mrs. Allen's cynical remark. "Yes, that is woman's experience with a garden," said her husband with a mock sigh.