I do not mean any harm by it, but would you mind telling me if you are any over eighteen ?--that is to say, will you tell me how old you are ?" "I was just nineteen the day of the storm we were talking about.

That was my birthday." That did not help matters, much, as I did not know the date of the storm.

I tried to think of some non-committal thing to say, to keep up my end of the talk, and render my poverty in the matter of reminiscences as little noticeable as possible, but I seemed to be about out of non-committal things.

I was about to say, "You haven't changed a bit since then"-- but that was risky.

I thought of saying, "You have improved ever so much since then"-- but that wouldn't answer, of course.