"Philistines was what I called them, Sophia; and in doing so; I did not mean all of them, you know." "Well, Philistines, then, if that's a better word than Hottentots, which I doubt," Mrs.Van Buren retorted sharply.
Aunt Barbara's evident wish to smooth matters irritated her to say more than she might otherwise have done, and she went on: "I know you made exceptions, but if my memory serves me right, your opinion of Ethie's mother-in-law was not very complimentary to that lady.

A man has no business to take his wife to live with his mother when he knows how different they are." "But I did not know," Richard said; "that is, I had never thought much of the things which tried Ethie.

Mother was always a good mother to me, and I did not suppose she was so very different from other women." "You certainly must be very obtuse, then," Mrs.Van Buren replied: "for, if all accounts which I hear are true, your mother is not the person to make a daughter-in-law happy.

Neither, it seems, did you do what you could to please her.

You annoyed her terribly with your codger-like ways, if I may be allowed that term.