this Current of Blue Blood racing in her Veins, Florine was supposed
to be a trifle Classy and Mother was always afraid that she might get
Thumb-Marks on the Family Escutcheon. Therefore Florine was forbidden
to work up a Calling Acquaintance with any of the Hoi Polloi, which is
Greek for Selling-Platers. According to Mother, there were only about
8 Families in Town that really belonged and some of them didn't Belong
enough to hurt. Florine found herself cut out of many a Good Time
because the Chaperon for the Occasion chanced to be related to some
one who had been in the Liquor Business.

Florine was up against it ever so Hard. She had to go out in the Grape
Arbor when she wanted to chew Gum, and she kept her Reading Matter
under the Mattress. Nearly every high-speed Bachelor in Town had been
forbidden the Premises because of the Stories that were going around.
The kind that Mother approved were of the Lilac Division with White
Puff Ties and their Hair glued down. They talked about Choir Practice
and sometimes, when they were sufficiently wrought up, they played
Charades.

The only Chance that Florine had to mingle with the Popular Boys was
to go down Town in the Afternoon and just happen to meet one of them
at the Ice-Cream Parlor. Florine learned to be quite a Happener. But
on the way home she would have to fix up a few Jules Vernes for the
Old Lady in the Watch Tower. Mother knew that it didn't take 4 Hours
to be measured for a Shirt Waist.

"Wait until I get Married," Florine would say. "I'll make that 20-hour
Flyer look like a Steam-Roller. If Mother doesn't let up on me, I'll
learn to smoke Cigarettes."