it! Now listen to me: The way to make love
to any girl is to treat her just like you'd like to treat Ellen. If
anything on earth is going to make Ellen wake up, it'll be just that.
And the very things you know how to do are the very things I was going
to tell you to do! A bag of peanuts is plenty for a walk and that's only
five cents. Then a night when you go to the movies would be ten cents
and, if it was hot, you'd probably want ten cents more for an ice-cream
soda afterwards and that would make twenty cents. If you took a car ride
and back, that would be twenty cents and a treat would be another ten
cents. And you'd be getting your money's worth while you were doing it
and perhaps you'd get Ellen, too."

George was not very happy over the prospect. "As you've got everything
else fixed up for me," he grumbled, "I suppose you've got the girl
picked out, too. But I tell you one thing: I won't take after one of
them Slattery girls, no matter what you say! If a fellow was to give one
of them an ice-cream soda once, he'd have to marry her!"

Rosie put out a quieting hand. "Now, Jarge, don't be silly! You don't
have to take one of the Slattery girls or any other girl that you don't
want to take. You can just suit yourself and no one's going to say a
word to you.... What kind of girl do you think you'd like? Do you want a
blonde? Well, there's Aggie Kearney, she's a blonde."

"Aw, cut out Aggie Kearney! What do you think I am!"

"Well, maybe you want a brunette. What about Polly Russell?"

"Aw, cut out Polly Russell, too! You know what I think of that whole
Russell bunch!"

Rosie looked a little hurt. "I must say, Jarge, even if you don't want
Polly, you needn't snap my head off. Make your own choice! I'm sure
there are enough girls right in this neighbourhood for any man to pick
from. How do you like 'em? Do you like 'em fat or do you like 'em thin?
Or maybe you don't want an American girl. Well, there are those Italians
around the corner and down further there's that nest of Yiddish. All
you've got to do is make up your mind about the kind of girl you want.
There's plenty of all kinds."

"Aw, get out! I tell you I don't want any of them!" By this time George
had grown very red in the face and his voice had risen to a volume
better suited to the outdoors than to a small room.

Rosie looked distressed. "You needn't talk so loud, Jarge. I'm not
deaf.... I must say, though, after all the trouble I've taken, ... And
po