Clara herself led me to the library and analyzed the situation to me, in
the profoundest manner.
"You dear, old, impracticable goose," she said with the wisdom of just
twenty, "what do you know about such things? How much do you suppose it
will cost us to furnish a house the way we want?"
I said airily, "Oh, about five hundred dollars."
"Take out your pencil," said Clara scornfully, "and write."
When she finished her dictation, and I had added up the items with a
groan, I was dumbfounded. I said:
"Clara, do you think it is wise--do you think we have any right to get
married?"
"Of course we have."
"Then we must make up our minds to boarding."
"Nonsense! we shall have everything just as we planned it."
"But how?"
"Wedding presents," said Clara triumphantly, "now do you see why it must
be a church wedding?"
I began to see.
"But isn't it a bit mercenary?" I said feebly. "Does every one do it?"
"Every one. It is a sort of tax on the unmarried," said Clara with a
determined shake of her head. "Quite right that it should be, too.
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