When he spoke again , it was with the calmness of repressed emotion , a calmness more touching to his mates than the most passionate outbreak , the most pathetic lamentation ; for the coarse camp-phrases seemed to drop from his vocabulary ; more than once his softened voice grew tremulous , and to the words `` my little girl , '' there went a tenderness that proved how dear a place she still retained in that deep heart of his . `` Boys , I 've gone so far ; I may as well finish ; and you 'll see I 'm not without some cause for my stern looks and ways ; you 'll pity me , and from you I 'll take the comfort of it . It 's only the old story , -- I married her , worked for her , lived for her , and kept my little girl like a lady . I should have known that I was too old and sober for a young thing like that , for the life she led before the pinch came just suited her . She liked to be admired , to dress and dance and make herself pretty for all the world to see ; not to keep house for a quiet man like me . Idleness was n't good for her , it bred discontent ; then some of her old friends , who 'd left her in her trouble , found her out when better times came round , and tried to get her back again . I was away all day , I did n't know how things were going , and she was n't open with me , afraid she said ; I was so grave , and hated theatres so . She got courage finally to tell me that she was n't happy ; that she wanted to dance again , and asked me if she might n't . I 'd rather have had her ask me to put her in a fire , for I did hate theatres , and was bred to ; others think they 're no harm . I do ; and knew it was a bad life for a girl like mine . It pampers vanity , and vanity is the Devil 's help with such ; so I said No , kindly at first , sharp and stern when she kept on teasing . That roused her spirit . ' I will go ! ' she said , one day . ` Not while you are my wife , ' I answered back ; and neither said any more , but she gave me a look I did n't think she could , and I resolved to take her away from temptation before worse came of it . `` I did n't tell her my plan ; but I resigned my place , spent a week or more finding and fixing a little home for her out in the wholesome country , where she 'd be safe from theatres and disreputable friends , and maybe learn to love me better when she saw how much she was to me . It was coming summer , and I made things look as home-like and as pretty as I could . She liked flowers , and I fixed a garden for her ; she was fond of pets , and I got her a bird , a kitten , and a dog to play with her ; she fancied gay colors and tasty little matters , so I filled her rooms with all the handsome things I could afford , and when it was done , I was as pleased as any boy , thinking what happy times we 'd have together and how pleased she 'd be . Boys , when I went to tell her and to take her to her little home , she was gone . '' `` Who with ? ''
`` With those cursed friends of her ; a party of them XXXXX the city just then ; she was wild to go ; she had money now , and all her good looks back again .
Devil Idleness camp-phrases day fire first help house left week