Then she went to the next room and said: 'Mother, father has given Mr.Stanton permission to pay us a call.

Do you feel able to meet him ?' She came at once, offering her hand and saying: 'I have already met Mr.Stanton so often, really, we should have the privilege of speaking.'" "What did she mean by that ?" asked mother.
"She meant that I have haunted the road passing their place for two years, and she'd seen me so frequently that she came to recognize me." "Umph!" said mother.
"Laddie tell on!" I begged.
"Well, I sharpened all the wits I had and went to work.

I never tried so hard in my life to be entertaining.

Of course I had to feel my way.
I'd no idea what would interest a delicate, high-bred lady"-- mother sniffed again--"so I had to search and probe, and go by guess until I saw a shade of interest, then I worked in more of the same.

It was easy enough to talk to the Princess--all young folks have a lot in common, we could get along on fifty topics; it was different with the housebound mother.