It isn't like England, where in five cases out of six he might as well go and cut his throat as get married.

It saves him money here, and children are a blessing, as Nature meant them to be, and not a burden, as civilisation has made them.

Lord, how my tongue does run on! It isn't delicate to talk about children when you have only been engaged a couple of weeks; but, you see, that's what it comes to after all.

She's a pretty girl, Bessie, and a good one too--I don't know her much--though she hasn't got the brains of Jess here.

That reminds me; as you are engaged to Bessie, of course you can look after Jess, and nobody will think anything of it.