"Well, as I was saying, socially, the old New England element is at the top
of the heap here. That's so everywhere. The people that are on the ground
first, it don't matter much who they are, have to manage pretty badly not
to leave their descendants in social ascendency over all newer comers for
ever. Why, I can see it in my own case. I can see that I was a sort of
fetich to the bedevilled fancy of the people here when I was seen drunk in
the streets every day, just because I was one of the old Hatboro' Putneys;
and when I began to hold up, there wasn't a man in the community that
wasn't proud and flattered to help me. Curious, isn't it? It made me sick
of myself and ashamed of them, and I just made up my mind, as soon as I got
straight again, I'd give all my help to the men that hadn't a tradition.
That's what I've done, Annie. There isn't any low, friendless rapscallion
in this town that hasn't got me for his friend--and Ellen. We've been in
all the strikes with the men, and all their fool boycottings and kicking
over the traces generally. Anybody else would have been turned out of
respectable society for one-half that I've done, but it tolerates me
because I'm one of the old Hatboro' Putneys. You're one of the old Hatboro'
Kilburns, and if you want to have a mind of your own and a heart of your
own, all you've got to do is to have it. They'll like it; they'll think
it's original. That's the reason South Hatboro' got after you with that
Social Union scheme. They were right in thinking you would have a great
deal of influence. I was sorry you had to throw it against Brother Peck."
Annie felt herself jump at this climax, as if she had been touched on
an exposed nerve. She grew red, and tried to be angry, but she was only
ashamed and tempted to lie out of the part she had taken. "Mrs. Munger,"
she said, "gave that a very unfair turn. I didn't mean to ridicule Mr.
Peck. I think he was perfectly sincere. The scheme of the invited dance and
supper has been entirely given up. And I don't care for the project of the
Social Union at all."
"Well, I'm glad to hear it," said Putney, indifferently, and he resumed his
analysis of Hatboro'-"We've got all the modern improvements here, Annie. I suppose you'd
find the modern improvements, most of 'em, in Sheol: electric light,
Bell telephone, asphalt sidewalks, and city water--though I don't know
about the water; and I presume they haven't got a public library or an
opera-house--perhaps they _have_ got an opera-house in Sheol: you see
I use the Revised Version, it don't sound so much like swearing. But, as
I was saying--"