Having been born--or risen to--a
certain circle, we recognize the responsibilities attached to it. We ARE
careful with whom we associate; we have to be. As for dress, we dress as
others of our friends do."
"And maybe a little better, if you can, hey?"
"If we can--yes. I presume--" with crushing irony--"dress in South
Denboro counts but little."
"You wouldn't say that if you ever went to sewin' circle," with a
chuckle. "Still, compared to the folks at your meetin'-house this
morning, our congregation would look like a flock of blackbirds
alongside of a cage full of Birds of Paradise. But most of us--the women
folks especial--dress as well as we can."
"As well as you can!" triumphantly. "There! you see? And you live as
well as you can, don't you?"
"If you mean style, why, we don't set as much store by it as you do."
"Nonsense! We are obliged to be," with a slight shudder at the
vulgarism, "STYLISH. If we should lapse, if we should become shabby and
behind the fashion or live in that way, people would wonder and believe
it was because we could not afford to do otherwise."
"Well, s'pose they did, you'd know better yourselves. Can't you be
independent?"
"No. Not unless you are very, very rich; then it might be considered an
eccentricity.
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