"If dear mamma had only some other weakness--cards or wine or clothes or anything else.

It's queer, with all her pride, how little social backbone she has.

Now to hear her talk, you would imagine that that vulgar snob, whose father kept hotels and married one of his chambermaids, had conferred an honour by inviting her to dinner.

And the funniest part is that, for all her good breeding, and her family portraits, and her titled ancestors, mother hasn't half so much respect for the genuine New Yorkers--I mean the New Yorkers whose names really mean something--as she has for these mushroom plutocrats.

She had set her heart on George marrying one of them, you know, but it's a jolly good thing he didn't." "That's the girl he told me about," said Gabriella.