Зима тревоги нашей

           I’mgladI’mnotgoing."

           "Iamtoo.WheredoyougettheideathatI’manoldstork?"

           "Wellyouaren’told,butyou’retoooldforabowtie."

           "You’reanastylittleconformist."

           "Well,ifyouwanttobealaughingstork."

           "That’swhatIwanttobe.Mary,don’tyouwantmetobealaughingstork?"

           "Letyourfatheralone,hehastobathe.Ilaidashirtoutonthebed."

           Allensaid,"I’mhalfwaythroughmyILoveAmericaessay."

           "That’sgood,becausecomesummerI’mgoingtoputyoutowork."

           "Work?"

           "Inthestore."

           "Oh!"Hedidn’tseemtooenthusiastic.

           Ellengaveanopeninggaspbutwhenshehadourattentionshedidn’tsayanything.Maryrepeatedtheeighty-fivethingsthechildrenweretodoandnottodowhileweweregoneandIwentupstairsformytub.

           Iwastyingmydearbluepolka-dot,myonlybluepolka-dottiewhenEllenleanedinagainstthedoor."Itwouldn’tbesobadifyouwereyounger,"shesaidwithdreadfulfemininity.

           "You’regoingtogivesomehappyhusbandaroughtime,mydear."

           "Eventheseniorsinhighschoolwouldn’twearit."

           "PrimeMinisterMacmillandoes."

           "That’sdifferent.Daddy,isitcheatingtocopysomethingoutofabook?"

           "Explain!"

           "Well,ifaperson,ifIwaswritingmyessayandItookstuffoutofabook—howaboutthat?"

           "Itwoulddependonhowyoudidit."

           "Likeyousaid—explain."

           "Don’tyoumean‘asIsaid’?"

           "Yes."