I wonder what it's worth now ?" "Yes, but you and Father are worth more, too," remarked Stella acutely.
"In fact, all the elder members of the family have approximated in value, Stella," said her brother, "and you may too, in time." "I'll take my chance with the country," she retorted.

They were all permeated with the question of the day; even Stella, after holding haughtily aloof for some time, had been obliged to get into step, as she described it, with the silly old Empire.

Whatever it was in England, here it was a family affair; I mean in the town of Elgin, in the shops and the offices, up and down the tree-bordered streets as men went to and from their business, atomic creatures building the reef of the future, but conscious, and wanting to know what they were about.
Political parties had long declared themselves, the Hampden Debating Society had had several grand field nights.

Prospective lifelong friendships, male and female in every form of "the Collegiate," had been put to this touchstone, sometimes with shattering effect.

If you would not serve with Wallingham the greatness of Britain you were held to favour going over to the United States; there was no middle course.
It became a personal matter in the ward schools and small boys pursued small boys with hateful cries of "Annexationist!" The subject even trickled about the apple-barrels and potato-bags of the market square.
Here it should have raged, pregnant as it was with bucolic blessing; but our agricultural friends expect nothing readily except adverse weather, least of all a measure of economic benefit to themselves.