to get fond of him, and then it would
be all right.

"I shan't have time," I said. "There'll be too much for me to think
about; and then I shall be going home."

"How long does it take an English girl to get fond of a man?" said he.

I told him I didn't know anything about that, as I wasn't out; but I
supposed it depended on the kind of girl.

"I guess it depends more on the man, in your climate, doesn't it?"
asked Potter. "But over here it's sometimes a question of hours, for
both sides. Why, a chum of mine went out to San Francisco on business
which was going to keep him just one day. He met a girl at dinner, fell
in love with her while she was eating her soup, and told her so before
dessert came along. She vacillated over the ice cream, but said yes
with the peaches and pears. Next day they got married and he brought
her back East for a wedding trip."

"What did they do about the Banns?"

"Oh, Americans have done away with Banns since the Revolution, I guess.
When we fellows fall in love we're in a hurry."

"Marry in haste, repent at leisure," I quoted primly.

"We don't repent. We just get a divorce. It saves worry.
Incompatibility of the affections, or fatty degeneration of the temper,
or something like that. But I don't need to talk of such things to you.
Nobody who got a prize-package like Lady Betty Bulkeley would part with
it while he had a button left on his coat."

"I don't see what buttons would have to do with it," I said, but as I
had always been sent out of the room at home directly anyone began even
to mention divorce, I thought I had better go upstairs and dress for
dinner at Coney Island. Mr. Parker begged me not, but I would; and
Vivace barked as if he were under the impression that he was a watch
dog; so thanks to him I got away without trouble.

V

ABOUT WEST POINT AND PROPOSALS

I could hardly have supposed that there were as many people in the
whole world put together, as at Coney Island; and most of them were in
pairs, like the animals on their way to the ark. They all seemed to be
engaged to each other, and delighted with each other's society, or else
married and dreadfully tired of it. Or else they had dyspepsia. Or else
they had brought too many of their children; for they had droves of
very small ones, who bellowed louder than any English children I ever
saw, and tyrannised over their parents in the most unbridled way.

But Coney Island was fun, and I felt more than ev