Berty stood silently watching him. “Tom Everest,” she remarked, slowly, “I have two words to say to you.”
“Hush,” she said, severely, “and listen. The two words are, ‘Thank you.’”
“You’re welcome,” returned Tom, “or, as the French say, ‘There is nothing of what--’ Hello, Bonny, what’s the joke?”
Bonny, in a gentlemanly convulsion of laughter, was turning his face toward the wall in their direction.
The lad stopped, and while Berty and Tom stood silently admiring his almost beautiful face, which was just now as rosy as a girl’s, he grew composed.
“I call you to witness, friends,” he said, slightly upraising one hand, “that I never in my life before have laughed at dear Grandma.”
“You’ve been cross with her,” said Berty.
“Cross, yes, once or twice, but Grandma isn’t a person to laugh at, is she?”
“Well, not exactly,” said Berty. “I never saw anything funny about Grandma.”
“Well, she nearly finished me just now,” said Bonny. “I was standing near Selina, when gradually there came a break in the hand-shaking. The guests’ thoughts began to run luncheon-ward. Grandma was close to the bridal pair, and suddenly Selina turned and said, impulsively, ‘Mrs. Travers, you have had a great deal of experience. I want you to give me a motto to start out with on my wedding-day. Something that will be valuable to me, and will make me think of you whenever I repeat it.’ The joke of it was that Grandma didn’t want to give her a motto. She didn’t seem to have anything handy, but Selina insisted. At last Grandma said, in a shot-gun way, ‘Don’t nag!’ then she moved off.”
“Selina stared at the Mayor, and the Mayor stared over her shoulder at me. She didn’t see anything funny in it. We did. At last she said, meekly, ‘Peter, do you think I am inclined to nag?’
“He just rushed out a sentence at her--‘Upon my life I don’t!’
“‘Do you, Bonny?’ she asked, turning suddenly round on me.
“‘No, Selina, I don’t,’ I told her, but I couldn’t help laughing.
“Jimson grinned from ear to ear, and I started off, leaving Selina asking him what he was so amused about.”
Tom began to chuckle, but Berty said, “Well--I don’t see anything to laugh at.”
“She doesn’t see anything to laugh at,” repeated Bonny, idiotically, then he drew Tom out on the lawn where she could hear their bursts of laughter.