uch excitement.

"That was the first rude beginning of The Basket and Wheelbarrow
Brigade in Pointview, of which I shall tell you later. And now I shall
explain my generosity--it can generally be explained--and how I came
by the Smollett."

VI

IN WHICH BETSEY COMMITS AN INDISCRETION

"Christmas was approaching, and Betsey said to me one day that she had
been guilty of a great extravagance.

"'I know you will forgive me just this once,' she went on. 'My love
for you is so extravagant that I had to keep pace with it. You've
simply got to accept something very grand.'

"'I can't think of anything that I need unless it's a new jack-knife,'
I said.

"'Nonsense!' she exclaimed. 'You've got to let me spend some money for
you. I've been held down in the expression of my affections as long as
I can stand it. I've doubled my charities since we were married, as a
token of my gratitude, and now I've a right to do something to please
myself.'

"'All right! We'll lift the lid,' I said. 'We can lie about it, I
suppose, and cover up our folly.'

"'Well, of course we don't have to tell what it cost,' said Betsey;
'and, Socrates, you can't expect to reform me in a year. It's taken
half a lifetime to acquire my follies.'

"That's one trouble with the whole problem. You can't tear down a
structure which has been slowly rising for half a century in a day, or
in many days.

"Christmas arrived, and Betsey went down-stairs with me and covered my
eyes in the hall and led me to the grand piano. Then I was permitted
to look, and there was the most gorgeous set of books that my eyes
ever beheld--a set of Smollett, in lovely brown calf, decorated with
magnificent gold tooling! Yes, I love such things--who doesn't?--and
I gave Betsey a great hug, and we sat down with tears in our eyes to
look at the pages of vellum and the wonderful etchings which adorned
so many of them. They were charming. I knew that the books had cost at
least a thousand dollars. Grandpa Smead looked awfully stern in his
gold frame on the wall.

"'Now don't think too badly of me,' she urged. 'Every poor family
within twenty miles is eating dinner at my expense this Christmas
Day.'

"'You are the dearest girl in all the land!' I said. 'There's nobody
like you.'

"'I knew that you were fond of the classics,' said Betsey, 'so I
consulted Harry Delance, and he suggested that I should give you a set
of Smollett; said it would renew your youth. You know h