feast, the bride and the groom each struggle to be first to sit on
the robe of the other; the idea is that the winner will
thenceforth rule. As the Chinese have been many ages at the
business of living, the custom should not be dismissed too
summarily as mere vain and heathenish superstition. At any rate,
Margaret had reasoned it out that she must get the advantage in
the impending initial grapple and tussle of their individualities,
or choose between slavery and divorce. With him handicapped by awe
of her, by almost groveling respect for her ideas and feelings in
all man and woman matters, domestic and social, it seemed to her
that she could be worsted only by a miracle of stupidity on her
part.

Never had he been so nearly "like an ordinary man--like a
gentleman"--as when they set out for the Adirondacks. She could
scarcely believe her own eyes, and she warmed to him and felt that
she had been greatly overestimating her task. He had on one of the
suits he had bought ready made that morning. It was of rough blue
cloth--dark blue--most becoming and well draped to show to
advantage his lithe, powerful frame, its sinews so much more
manly-looking than the muscularity of artificially got
protuberances usually seen in the prosperous classes in our
Eastern cities. Grant had selected the suit, had selected all the
suits, and had superintended the fittings. Grant had also selected
the negligee shirt and the fashionable collar, and the bright, yet
not gaudy, tie, and Grant had selected the shoes that made his
feet look like feet; and Grant had conducted him to a proper
barber, who had reduced the mop of hair to proportion and order,
and had restored its natural color and look of vitality by a
thorough shampooing. In brief, Grant had taken a gloomy pleasure