The Argosy — page 143: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

126 “Fohn Smith, Fusnor.”’ “TI know them to be unspeakably good, honest, hard-working and unselfish,” was the answer. “Oh, I daresay,” she replied, with a little supercilious shrug of the shoulders, “‘ but they haven’t an ‘H’ between them, and I don’t believe he has an idea outside ‘Smith and ‘Trewson,’ or she one beyond her ‘ Johnny ’—— ” ‘She is one of the best of mothers !” Frances only replied by another expressive movement, one of the affectations her sister so much despised, which she had picked up at that foreign ‘‘ Ladies’ Finishing School.” ‘JT am sorry that you judge so entirely by the outer man—and woman. I confess I am surprised too. JI understood that there was a very kindly feeling existing between your family and—and the Smiths.” “Oh, yes,” said Frances. ‘‘I only speak for myself. I don’t always share the views of my people. No, I admit, I shrink terribly from any want of refinement in my associates. And, perhaps,” she went on, feeling rather nettled that he seemed to disagree with, and, indeed, disapprove of her remarks, “‘as we are on the subject, I may as well confess that I can’t see very much to admire in the son— although he is your dearest friend. Everyone seems to find him wonderfully charming and clever and—and all that, but I don’t.” “Oh,” he returned at once, in a decidedly more cheerful manner, ‘“‘Jack’s a good fellow. He has brains too, and will make his mark, depend upon it.” ‘‘Perhaps ; but his name is against him. Has it ever occurred to you to wonder what becomes of all the ‘John Smiths’ in the world ? There must have been a great many, yet I never heard of one who did anything worth mentioning. You cannot imagine ‘ John Smith, Junior’ a great statesman, or soldier, or author, or painter, or anything. No, no, the name is too utterly distinctive of the common-place.” He joined faintly in the merriment with which she uttered this sally, and then remarked : ‘“T allow the name has its drawbacks. For instance, it has struck me—more than once—lately—that a man ought to hesitate before asking a beautiful young lady if she could consent, for his sake, to become Mrs. John Smith, Junior.” The colour rushed into her face, but she laughed derisively: ‘‘ Oh, dreadful !—she couldn’t—I’m sure, she couldn’t!” “Yet Jack Smith can afford to give his wife nearly everything that the heart of woman can desire.” ‘“Ah, money is a great temptation to some poor silly girls, I know.’ ‘“ But to you?” ‘“Tt counts for nothing. How can you ask me such a question, » Mr. Josselyn—I thought you knew me better.” Her voice softened as she ended, she glanced up at him timidly, and was shocked to see that there was hardly a vestige of colour in his face. Gomilcbooks. co | an \ m