everybody's seen you in the gutter; that's the only advantage I've got over
my fellow-citizens, and of course I abuse it; that's nature, you know. When
I began to pull up I found that tobacco helped me; I smoked and chewed
both; now I only chew. Well," he said, dropping the pathetic simplicity
with which he had spoken, and turning with a fierce jocularity from the
shocked and pitying look in Annie's face to Mrs. Munger, "what do you
propose to do? Brother Peck's head seems to be pretty level, in the
abstract."

"Yes," said Mrs. Munger, willing to put the case impartially; "and I should
be perfectly willing to drop the invited dance and supper, if it was
thought best, though I must say I don't at all agree with Mr. Peck in
principle. I don't see what would become of society."

"You ought to be in politics, Mrs. Munger," said Putney. "Your readiness to
sacrifice principle to expediency shows what a reform will be wrought when
you ladies get the suffrage. What does Brother Gerrish think?"

"No, no," said Mrs. Munger. "We want an impartial opinion."

"I always think as Brother Gerrish thinks," said Putney. "I guess you
better give up the fandango; hey, Billy?"

"No, sir; no, Mr. Putney," answered the merchant nervously. "I can't agree
with you. And I will tell you why, sir."

He gave his reasons, with some abatement of pomp and detail, and with the
tremulous eagerness of a solemn man who expects a sarcastic rejoinder. "It
would be a bad precedent. This town is full now of a class of persons who
are using every opportunity to--to abuse their privileges. And this would