human
Have you reflected upon your ardent suitors' fist-fight of last night?
gpt
Yes, and it was so silly! I couldn't stop them, and I was just mortified when they insisted on fighting that way! Her face clouded.
human
Do you think they'll keep them in the guardhouse very long, Mother?
gpt
I suppose they'll be out before they're both old men. Barbara grinned, and said happily,
human
It's been such fun!
gpt
It would be, Emma admitted dryly,
human
Oh Mother, none of them are serious--it's really all fun!
gpt
I don't know about that. How many proposals have you had?
human
Only seven so far. Johnny Parr, Michael Dilling, and Pete Robbins want to come to Oregon just as soon as their enlistments are up. Albert Johnson asked me to go to Baltimore with him, after we're married of course! His father has a store there, and I can be a clerk in it. Rodney Burr, he's from Maine and he talks so strangely, has wonderful plans for starting a shipyard in San Francisco. Robert Smith and Dan Jankoski want to get married right here.
gpt
What did you tell them?
human
Mother, what _would_ I tell them? I don't want to marry any of them.
gpt
I hope you didn't hurt their feelings.
human
I refused as nicely as I could.