Hills to fight to put Bill in. You know my old slogan:— ‘Man at a city’s front; woman at a cabin door.’”
And Nancy, fondly stroking his hand, said:
“Man at a city’s front! What a grand post for a man! A city, a big, rushing, dashing, slamming, banging, boiling mass of humanity! A city; with its bright, happy, sunny parks; and its sad, dark slums; its rich mansions and its shanty-town shacks; its shops, inns, shows, courts, airports, railway stations, hospitals, schools, church groups, social clubs, and,—and,— Oh! What a magic visualization of human thought it is! But it is as a small child. It looks for a strong arm to support its first toddlings; for adult minds to pilot it around many pitfalls; and onward, onward!! To a shining goal!!” and Nancy’s crown of rich brown hair sank lovingly in Gadsby’s lap.
During this outburst Gadsby had sat dumb; but finally saying, proudly:—
“So, ho! My baby girl has grown up! Dolls and sand-digging tools don’t call, as of old. And small, dirty paws, and a tiny smudgy chin, transform, almost in a twinkling into charming hands and a chin of maturity. My, my! It was but a month or two ago that you, in pig-tails and gingham”
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