people
in these United States."

"Didn't your mother object?"

"My mother! no, indeed; I wish you could have known my mother. It was
no small sacrifice to her and father. Not that they cared a penny for
the wine itself; but the poetry and hospitality of the thing, the fine
old cheery associations connected with it, were a real sacrifice. But
when we told my mother how it was, she never hesitated a moment. All
our cellar of fine old wines was sent round as presents to hospitals,
except a little that we keep for sickness."

"Well, really!" said Lillie, in a dry, cool tone, "I suppose it was
very good of you, perfectly saint-like and all that; but it does seem
a great pity. Why couldn't these people take care of themselves? I
don't see why you should go on denying yourself, just to keep them in
the ways of virtue."

"Oh, it's no self-denial now! I'm quite used to it," said John,
cheerily. "I am young and strong, and just as well as I can be, and
don't need wine; in fact, I never think of it. The Fergusons, who are
with us in the Spindlewood business, took just the same view of it,
and did just as we did; and the Wilcoxes joined us; in fact, all the
good old families of our set came into it."

"Well, couldn't you, just while the Follingsbees are here, do
differently?"

"No, Lillie; there's my pledge, you see. No; it's really impossible."

Lillie frowned and looked disconsolate.

"John, I really do think you are selfish; you don't seem to have any
consideration for me at all. It's going to make it so disagreeable and
uncomfortable for me. The Follingsbees are accustomed to wine every
day. I'm perfectly ashamed not to give it to them."

"Do 'em good to fast awhile, then," said John, laughing like a
hard-hearted monster. "You'll see they won't suffer materially.
Bridget makes splendid coffee."

"It's a shame to laugh at what troubles me, John. The Follingsbees are
my friends, and of course I want to treat them handsomely."

"We will treat them just as handsomely as we treat ourselves," said
John, "and mortal man or woman ought not to ask more."

"I don't care," said Lillie, after a pause. "I hate all these moral
movements and society questions. They are always in the way of
people's having a good time; and I believe the world would wag just as
well as it does, if nobody had ever thought of them. People will call
you a real muff, John."

"How very terrible!" said John, laughing. "What shall I do if I am
calle