It would not be true to
say that he rejoiced greatly at the news. But there was no alternative
now; he must travel along the road he had chosen, even if married life
should prove to be anything but cheap.
"It's true," he thought, his face brightening, "the younger one will
inherit the baby-clothes of his elder brother. This will save a good
deal of expense, and there will be food enough for them--I shall be
able to feed them just as well as others."
And the second baby was born.
"You are going it," said a friend of his, who was a married man himself,
but father of one child only.
"What is a man to do?"
"Use his common-sense."
"Use his common-sense? But, my dear fellow, a man gets married in
order to ... I mean to say, not only in order to ... but yet in order
to.... Well, anyhow, we are married and that settles the matter."
"Not at all. Let me tell you something, my dear boy; if you are at all
hoping for promotion it is absolutely necessary that you should wear
clean linen, trousers which are not frayed at the bottom, and a hat
which is not of a rusty brown."
And the sensible man whispered sensible words into his ear. As the
result, the poor husband was put on short commons in the midst of
plenty.
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