same time you are wild."

"Oh, I pride myself on that," said Kitty in her frankest of voices.

"But I wish you would not, Kitty, for it really isn't nice."

"Not nice! Now what may you be meaning by that, aroon?"

"Well, there is a sort of dignity which I think a really well brought-up
girl ought to possess."

"Oh, my! dignity is it?" said Kitty. She stepped away from her
companion, drew down her face to a ridiculous length, nearly closed her
eyes, and folded her hands demurely across her breast.

"Is that pleasing you, mavourneen?" she said. "Is it dignified and sober
enough poor Kitty Malone looks now?"

"Oh, Kitty, you will joke about everything."

Kitty immediately changed her mood.

"No, I won't," she said. "I am really awfully obliged to you. You don't
know what all this has been to me. Father said I was growing too
wild--yes, the darling dad did; he agrees with you down to the core of
his heart, and he said I must go to England and be taught manners. But,
bless you, they'll have a job. I told him so when I was going. I said,
'Dad, it's the hearts of the teachers I'll be breaking;' and dad said,
'Oh, no, you won't, Kitty, aroon. You'll be a good girl, and you'll try
to please your old dad and you'll come back a beautiful, perfect lady!'