Page:Stella Dallas, a novel (IA stelladallasnove00prou).pdf/146

136 And once she had exclaimed, "Oh, my! Laurel, nice little girls don't talk about things of that sort!"

Until then Laurel had thought that perhaps she might ask her father. He liked talking about big things, about certain big things, that is—like beautiful music, and beautiful sunsets, and how wonderful nature is, and being honest and a good sportsman, and all that. But Laurel was shy with her father during the short periods she spent with him. She usually listened more than she talked. He always introduced the subjects of their conversations. She'd sooner die in ignorance than to ask him a question that wasn't "nice."