.'" Mrs.Morel sat down in her rocking-chair.
"Well, NOW," she cried, "let him stop!" "Yes," said Paul, "let him stop." There was silence.

The mother sat with her hands folded in her apron, her face set, thinking.
"If I'm not SICK!" she cried suddenly.

"Sick!" "Now," said Paul, beginning to frown, "you're not going to worry your soul out about this, do you hear." "I suppose I'm to take it as a blessing," she flashed, turning on her son.
"You're not going to mount it up to a tragedy, so there," he retorted.
"The FOOL!--the young fool!" she cried.
"He'll look well in uniform," said Paul irritatingly.
His mother turned on him like a fury.
"Oh, will he!" she cried.

"Not in my eyes!" "He should get in a cavalry regiment; he'll have the time of his life, and will look an awful swell." "Swell!--SWELL!--a mighty swell idea indeed!--a common soldier!" "Well," said Paul, "what am I but a common clerk ?" "A good deal, my boy!" cried his mother, stung.
"What ?" "At any rate, a MAN, and not a thing in a red coat." "I shouldn't mind being in a red coat--or dark blue, that would suit me better--if they didn't boss me about too much." But his mother had ceased to listen.
"Just as he was getting on, or might have been getting on, at his job--a young nuisance--here he goes and ruins himself for life.

What good will he be, do you think, after THIS ?" "It may lick him into shape beautifully," said Paul.
"Lick him into shape!--lick what marrow there WAS out of his bones.