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Spires and Gargoyles
ScurryingbacktoMinneapolistoseeagirlhehadknownasachildseemedtheinterestingandromanticthingtodo,sowithoutcompunctionhewiredhismothernottoexpecthim...satinthetrain,andthoughtabouthimselfforthirty-sixhours.
"PETTING"
OntheTriangletripAmoryhadcomeintoconstantcontactwiththatgreatcurrentAmericanphenomenon,the"pettingparty."
NoneoftheVictorianmothers—andmostofthemotherswereVictorian—hadanyideahowcasuallytheirdaughterswereaccustomedtobekissed."Servant-girlsarethatway,"saysMrs.Huston-Carmelitetoherpopulardaughter."Theyarekissedfirstandproposedtoafterward."
ButthePopularDaughterbecomesengagedeverysixmonthsbetweensixteenandtwenty-two,whenshearrangesamatchwithyoungHambell,ofCambell&Hambell,whofatuouslyconsidershimselfherfirstlove,andbetweenengagementstheP.D.(sheisselectedbythecut-insystematdances,whichfavorsthesurvivalofthefittest)hasothersentimentallastkissesinthemoonlight,orthefirelight,ortheouterdarkness.
Amorysawgirlsdoingthingsthateveninhismemorywouldhavebeenimpossible:eatingthree-o’clock,after-dancesuppersinimpossiblecafes,talkingofeverysideoflifewithanairhalfofearnestness,halfofmockery,yetwithafurtiveexcitementthatAmoryconsideredstoodforarealmorallet-down.Butheneverrealizedhowwide-spreaditwasuntilhesawthecitiesbetweenNewYorkandChicagoasonevastjuvenileintrigue.
