Part 4 (2/2)
”No, thank you.”
”Have you scruples?” said the young lady, with a half smile.
Lois a.s.sented.
”Why? what's the harm?”
”We all have scruples at Shampuashuh.”
”About drinking wine?”
”Or cider, or beer, or anything of the sort.”
”Do tell me why.”
”It does so much mischief.”
”Among low people,” said Miss Caruthers, opening her eyes; ”but not among respectable people.”
”We are willing to hinder mischief anywhere,” said Lois with a smile of some fun.
”But what good does _your_ not drinking it do? That will not hinder them.”
”It does hinder them, though,” said Lois; ”for we will not have liquor shops. And so, we have no crime in the town. We could leave our doors unlocked, with perfect safety, if it were not for the people that come wandering through from the next towns, where liquor is sold. We have no crime, and no poverty; or next to none.”
”Bless me! what an agreeable state of things! But that need not hinder your taking a gla.s.s of champagne _here?_ Everybody here has no scruple, and there are liquor shops at every corner; there is no use in setting an example.”
But Lois declined the wine.
”A cup of coffee then?”
Lois accepted the coffee.
”I think you know my brother?” observed Miss Caruthers then, making her observations as she spoke.
”Mr. Caruthers? yes; I believe he is your brother.”
”I have heard him speak of you. He has seen you at Mrs. Wishart's, I think.”
”At Mrs. Wishart's--yes.”
Lois spoke naturally, yet Miss Caruthers fancied she could discern a certain check to the flow of her words.
”You could not be in a better place for seeing what New York is like, for everybody goes to Mrs. Wishart's; that is, everybody who is anybody.”
This did not seem to Lois to require any answer. Her eye went over the long tableful; went from face to face. Everybody was talking, nearly everybody was smiling. Why not? If enjoyment would make them smile, where could more means of enjoyment be heaped up, than at this feast?
Yet Lois could not help thinking that the tokens of real pleasure-taking were not unequivocal. _She_ was having a very good time; full of amus.e.m.e.nt; to the others it was an old story. Of what use, then?
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