idiot all that while trying to steal my daughter away from me!"
In an access of wrath at the idea Armorer wrenched off the picket that
he clutched, at which he laughed and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Why, Meg, the papers and magazines are always howling
that women won't marry," cried he, with a fresh sense
of grievance; "now, two of my girls have married, that's enough;
there was no reason for me to expect any more of them would!
There isn't one d---- bit of need for Esther to marry!"

"But if she loves the young fellow and he loves her, won't you
let them be happy?"

"He won't make her happy."

"He is a very good fellow, truly and really, 'Raish. And he comes
of a good family ----"

"I don't care for his family; and as to his being moral
and all that, I know several young fellows that could skin him
alive in a bargain that are moral as you please. I have been
a moral man, myself. But the trouble with this Lossing (I told
Esther I didn't know anything about him, but I do), the trouble
with him is that he is chock full of all kinds of principles!
Just as father was. Don't you remember how he lost parish after
parish because he couldn't smooth over the big men in them?
Lossing is every bit as pig-headed. I am not going
to have my daughter lead the kind of life my mother did.
I want a son-in-law who ain't going to think himself so much
better than I am, and be rowing me for my way of doing business.