his young arms and rippling out on his sunburnt
shoulders. . . . What a son to have made! And what
sons he would make, in his turn, when he gave his
old father grandchildren!

Jouse got up abruptly and went to the drawer
where his wife kept her pen and ink and notepaper:
'Messieurs/ he wrote in his thin sprawling hand,
*I desire to purchase the very best suit that your firm
can provide for my son's First Communion, I shall
also require a fine linen shirt and the kind of collar
that the English call It-ton, and a white fiottant tie
of very good silk, and a white ribbon badge to be worn
on the sleeve, and a pair of first quality black woollen4
stockings. I shall also require patent leather shoes
of the sort I have seen displayed in your window.
Messieurs, should you know of anything else that is
now being worn on this solemn occasion — know of
any small extras that would add elegance — then I
beg that you will at once inform me. Meanwhile
kindly send me a measurement card — my son is
nearly eleven years old but large for his age, having
very broad shoulders. His mother will fill in the card
with great care and return it to you at the earliest
moment. . . .' Then he added some pompous cour-
tesies and finally signed his name with a flourish.

'Allons3 he muttered, wagging his head as he wiped
the pen on the seat of his trousers, 'allons, we will
see if a son of mine cannot go suitably clothed to
Jesus/

186