He liked George Adams, and the wife had more than a talent for music, of which Harry was passionately fond.
She played wonderfully on Ida's well-tuned grand piano.
"I thought you might like it," said Ida, "and I spoke to Louisa as I was coming out of church." "You were very kind, sweetheart," Harry said, and again a flood of gratitude seemed to sweeten life for the man.
Ida took another step in her sequence.
"I think Maria had better stay up, if they do come," said she.

"She enjoys music so much.

She can keep on her new gown.

Maria is so careful of her gowns that I never feel any anxiety about her soiling them." "She is just like--" began Harry, then he stopped.

He had been about to state that Maria was just like her mother in that respect, but he had remembered suddenly that he was speaking to his second wife.
However, Ida finished his remark for him with perfect good-nature.
She had not the slightest jealousy of Harry's first wife, only a sort of contempt, that she had gotten so little where she herself had gotten so much.
"Maria's own mother was very particular, wasn't she, dear ?" she said.
"Very," replied Harry.
"Maria takes it from her, without any doubt," Ida said, smoothly.
"She looked so sweet in that new gown to-day, that I would like to have the Adamses see her without her coat to-night; and Maria looks even prettier without her hat, too, her hair grows so prettily on her temples.