to me."

When Mr. Jeminy was told that Thomas Frye and Anna Barly were to be
married, he exclaimed: "What a shame.

"Yes," he continued with energy, "what a shame, Mrs. Grumble. They did
as they were bid. Now they know that love is a trap to catch the
young, and tie them up once and for all, close to the kitchen sink."

"No one bade them do what they'd no right to do," said Mrs. Grumble.

"They did," replied Mr. Jeminy sensibly, "only what they were meant to
do. Youth was not made for the chimney corner, Mrs. Grumble. And love
is not all one piece. We make it so, because we are timid and
indolent. We like to think that one rule fits everything; that
everything is simple and familiar. Even God, Mrs. Grumble, in your
opinion, is an old man, like myself."

"He is not," said Mrs. Grumble.

"Yes," continued Mr. Jeminy, "you believe that God is an old man,
insulted by everything. Now he has been insulted by Anna Barly, who
did as she had a mind to. Well, well . . ."

"No matter," said Mrs. Grumble comfortably, "there's the baby; you
can't get around that."

"Mrs. Grumble," said Mr. Jeminy earnestly, "I am going to Farmer Barly.
I am going to say to him, 'Let me have Anna's baby, and we'll say no
more about it.' Yes, that is what I am going to do."