When
anybody under thirty insults me, I give her a piece of my mind if she is
a woman, and a taste of my horsewhip if he is a man. But between thirty
and fifty, I am very careful about my resentments, because people are
then very likely to be cracked or damaged in some way or other, either in
body or mind, and unless I am very cautious, I may do more injury than I
intend. But toward folks over fifty, especially when they are old
friends, I have no resentments at all. I simply button up my coat and
turn up my collar, and let the storm pelt; and when it is fine weather
again, I generally find that I have forgotten that it ever rained."
"And when a person is in the neighborhood of seventy-five, I suppose you
thank her kindly for a good slap in the face."
The doctor laughed heartily.
"Precisely," said he. "And now tell me what has happened. You are all
right, I see. How are the Cobhurst people getting on?"
"Oh, well enough," said Miss Panney. "The young man and that Cicely Drane
of yours have agreed to marry each other, and I suppose the old lady
will live with them, and Miriam will have to get down from her high horse
and agree to play second fiddle, or go to school again.
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