What's the news with you ?" answered Polly, feeling that something was coming and rather glad to have it over and done with.
"Nothing particular.

Trix treats Tom shamefully, and he bears it like a lamb.

I tell him to break his engagement, and not be worried so; but he won't, because she has been jilted once and he thinks it 's such a mean thing to do." "Perhaps she 'll jilt him." "I 've no doubt she will, if anything better comes along.

But Trix is getting passe, and I should n't wonder if she kept him to his word, just out of perversity, if nothing else." "Poor Tom, what a fate!" said Polly with what was meant to be a comical groan; but it sounded so tragical that she saw it would n't pass, and hastened to hide the failure by saying, with a laugh, "If you call Trix passe at twenty-three, what shall we all be at twenty-five ?" "Utterly done with, and laid upon the shelf.

I feel so already, for I don't get half the attention I used to have, and the other night I heard Maud and Grace wondering why those old girls 'did n't stay at home, and give them a chance.'" "How is Maudie ?" "Pretty well, but she worries me by her queer tastes and notions.