"

"Certainly. By 'good family' you mean--?"

"Everybody knows what I mean."

"Possibly Tom does not."

"I mean, a girl that one knows about, and that everybody knows about;
that has good blood in her veins."

"The blood of respectable and respected ancestors," Philip said.

"Yes! that is what I mean. I mean, that have been respectable and
respected for a long time back--for years and years."

"You believe in inheritance."

"I don't know about that," said Mrs. Caruthers. "I believe in family."

"Well, _I_ believe in inheritance. But what proof is there that the
young lady of whom we were speaking has no family?"

Julia raised herself up from her reclining position, and Mrs. Caruthers
sat suddenly forward in her chair.

"Why, she is nobody!" cried the first. "Nobody knows her, nor anything
about her."

"_Here_--" said Philip.

"Here! Of course. Where else?"

"Yes, just listen to that!" Tom broke in. "I xxow should anybody know
her here, where she has never lived! But that's the way--"

"I suppose a Sandwich Islander's family is known in the Sandwich
Islands," said Mrs. Caruthers. "But what good is that to us?"

"Then you mean, the family must be a New York family?"

"N--o," said Mrs. Caruthers hesitatingly; "I don't mean that exactly.
There are good Southern families--"

"And good Eastern families!" put in Tom.

"But nobody knows anything about this girl's family," said the ladies
both in a breath.

"Mrs. Wishart does," said Philip. "She has even told me. The family
dates back to the beginning of the colony, and boasts of extreme
respectability. I forget how many judges and ministers it can count up;
and at least one governor of the colony; and there is no spot or stain
upon it anywhere."

There was silence.

"Go on, Mrs. Caruthers. What else should Tom look for in a wife?"

"It is not merely what a family has been, but what its associations
have been," said Mrs. Caruthers.

"These have evidently been respectable."

"But it is not that only, Philip. We want the associations of good
society; and we want position. I want Tom to marry a woman of good
position."

"Hm!" said Philip. "This lady has not been accustomed to anything that
you would call 'society,' and 'position'--But your son has position
enough, Mrs. Caruthers. He can stand without much help."

"Now, Philip, don't you go to encourage Tom in this mad fancy. It's
just a fancy. The girl has nothing; and Tom's wife ought to be-- I