available by ,cornell ,university       
,digital ,collections74          ,,the  
,,atlantic ,,monthly4  ,a ,,magazine    
,,of ,,literature1 ,,art1 ,,and         
,,politics4  ,,vol4 ,v4--,,february1    
#ahfj4--,,no4 ,,xxviii4                 
,transcriber's ,note3 ,minor typos have 
been corrected4 ,footnotes have been    
moved to the end of the article4        
,,counting ,,and ,,measuring4   ,though1
 from the rapid action of the eye and   
the mind1 grouping and counting by      
groups appear to be a single operation1 
yet1 as things can be seen in succession
 only1 however rapidly1 the counting of 
things1 whether ideal or real1 is       
necessarily one by one4 ,this is the    
first step of the art4 ,the second step 
is grouping4 ,the use of grouping is to 
economize speech in numeration1 and     
writing in notation1 by the exercise of 
the memory4 ,the memorizing of groups   
is1 therefore1 a part of the primary    
education of every individual4 ,until   
this art is attained1 to a certain      

extent1 it is very convenient to use the
 fingers as representatives of the      
individuals of which the groups are     
composed4 ,this practice led to the     
general adoption of a group derived from
 the fingers of the left hand4 ,the     
adoption of this group was the first    
distinct step toward mental arithmetic4 
,previous groupings were for particular 
numerations2 this for numeration in     
general2 being1 in fact1 the first      
numeric base1--the quinary4 ,as men     
advanced in the use of numbers1 they    
adopted a group derived from the fingers
 of both hands2 thus ten became the base
 of numeration4  ,notation1 like        
numeration1 began with ones1 advanced to
 fives1 then to tens1 etc4 ,roman       
notation consisted of a series of signs 
signifying #a1 #e1 #aj1 #ej1 #ajj1 #ejj1
 #ajjj1 etc41--a series evidently the   
result of counting by the five fingers  
and the two hands1 the numbers signified
 being the products of continued        
multiplication by five and by two       

alternately4 ,the ,romans adhered to    
their mode1 nor is it entirely out of   
use at the present day1 being revered   
for its antiquity1 admired for its      
beauty1 and practised for its           
convenience4  ,the ancient ,greek series
 corresponded to that of the ,romans1   
though primarily the signs for #ej1 #ejj
 and #ejjj had no place4 ,ultimately1   
however1 those places were supplied by  
means of compound signs4  ,the ,greeks  
abandoned their ancient mode in favor of
 the alphabetic1 which1 as it signified 
by a single letter each number of the   
arithmetical series from one to nine    
separately1 and also in union by        
multiplication with the successive      
powers of the base of numeration1 was a 
decided improvement2 yet1 as it         
consisted of signs which by their number
 were difficult to remember1 and by     
their resemblance easy to mistake1 it   
was far from being perfect4  ,doubtless1
 strenuous efforts were made to remedy  
these defects1 and1 apparently as the   

result of those efforts1 the ,arabic or 
,indian mode appeared2 which1 signifying
 the powers of the base by position1    
reduced the number of signs to that of  
the arithmetical series1 beginning with 
nought and ending with a number of the  
value of the base less one4  ,the       
peculiarity of the ,arabic mode1        
therefore1 in comparison with the       
,greek1 the ,roman1 or the alphabetic1  
is place value2 the value of a          
combination by either of these being    
simply equal to the sum of its elements4
 ,by that1 the value of the successive  
places1 counting from right to left1    
being equal to the successive powers of 
the base1 beginning with the noughth    
power1 each figure in the combination is
 multiplied in value by the power of the
 base proper to its place1 and the value
 of the whole is equal to the sum of    
those products4  ,the ,arabic mode is   
justly esteemed one of the happiest     
results of human intelligence2 and      
though the most complex ever practised1 

its efficiency1 as an arithmetical      
means1 has obtained for it the          
reputation of great simplicity1--a      
reputation that extends even to the     
present base1 which1 from its intimate  
and habitual association with the mode1 
is taken to be a part of the mode       
itself4  ,with regard to this impression
 it may be remarked1 that the qualities 
proper to a mode bear no resemblance to 
those proper to a base4 ,the qualities  
of the present mode are well known and  
well accepted4 ,those of the present    
base are accepted with the mode1 but    
those proper to a base remain to be     
determined4 ,in attempting to ascertain 
these1 it will be necessary to consider 
the uses of numeration and of notation4 
,these may be arranged in three         
divisions1--scientific1 mechanical1 and 
commercial4 ,the first is limited1 being
 confined to a few2 the second is       
general1 being common to many2 the third
 is universal1 being necessary to all4  
,commercial use1 therefore1 will govern 

the present inquiry4  ,commerce1 being  
the exchange of property1 requires real 
quantity to be determined1 and this in  
such proportions as are most readily    
obtained and most frequently required4  
,this can be done only by the adoption  
of a unit of quantity that is both real 
and constant1 and such multiples and    
divisions of it as are consistent with  
the nature of things and the            
requirements of use3 real1 because      
property1 being real1 can be measured by
 real measures only2 constant1 because  
the determination of quantity requires a
 standard of comparison that is         
invariable2 conveniently proportioned1  
because both time and labor are         
precious4 ,these rules being acted on1  
the result will be a system of real1    
constant1 and convenient weights1       
measures1 and coins4 ,consequently1 the 
numeration and notation best suited to  
commerce will be those which agree best 
with such a system4  ,from the earliest 
periods1 special attention has been paid

 to units of quantity1 and1 in the      
ignorance of more constant quantities1  
the governors of men have offered their 
own persons as measures2 hence the      
fathom1 yard1 pace1 cubit1 foot1 span1  
hand1 digit1 pound1 and pint4 ,it is    
quite probable that the ,egyptians first
 gave to such measures the permanent    
form of government standards1 and that  
copies of them were carried by commerce1
 and otherwise1 to surrounding nations4 
,in time1 these became vitiated1 and    
should have been verified by their      
originals2 but for distant nations this 
was not convenient2 moreover1 the       
governors of those nations had a variety
 of reasons for preferring to verify    
them by their own persons4 ,thus they   
became doubly vitiated2 yet1 as they    
were not duly enforced1 the people      
pleased themselves1 so that almost every
 market-town and fair had its own       
weights and measures2 and as1 in the    
regulation of coins1 governments1 like  
the people1 pleased themselves1 so that 

almost every nation had a peculiar      
currency1 the general result was1 that  
with the laws and the practices of the  
governors and the governed1 neither of  
whom pursued a legitimate course1       
confusion reigned supreme4 ,indeed1 a   
system of weights1 measures1 and coins1 
with a constant and real standard1 and  
corresponding multiples and divisions1  
though indulged in as a day-dream by a  
few1 has never yet been presented to the
 world in a definite form2 and as1 in   
the absence of such a system1 a         
corresponding system of numeration and  
notation can be of no real use1 the     
probability is1 that neither the one nor
 the other has ever been fully          
idealized4 ,on the contrary1 the present
 base is taken to be a fixed fact1 of   
the order of the laws of the ,medes and 
,persians2 so much so1 that1 when the   
great question is asked1 one of the     
leading questions of the age1--,how is  
this mass of confusion to be brought    
into harmony8--the reply is1--,it is    

only necessary to adopt one constant and
 real standard1 with decimal multiples  
and divisions1 and a corresponding      
nomenclature1 and the work is done3 a   
reply that is still persisted in1 though
 the proposition has been fairly tried1 
and clearly proved to be impracticable4 
,ever since commerce began1 merchants1  
and governments for them1 have1 from    
time to time1 established multiples and 
divisions of given standards2 yet1 for  
some reason1 they have seldom chosen the
 number ten as a base4 ,from the        
long-continued and intimate connection  
of decimal numeration and notation with 
the quantities commerce requires1 may   
not the fact1 that it has not been so   
used more frequently1 be considered as  
sufficient evidence that this use is not
 proper to it8 ,that it is not may be   
shown thus3--,a thing may be divided    
directly into equal parts only by first 
dividing it into two1 then dividing each
 of the parts into two1 etc41 producing 
#b1 #d1 #h1 #af1 etc41 equal parts1 but 

ten never4 ,this results from the fact1 
that doubling or folding is the only    
direct mode of dividing real quantities 
into equal parts1 and that balancing is 
the nearest indirect mode1--two facts   
that go far to prove binary division to 
be proper to weights1 measures1 and     
coins4 ,moreover1 use evidently requires
 things to be divided by two more       
frequently than by any other number1--a 
fact apparently due to a natural        
agreement between men and things4 ,thus 
it appears the binary division of things
 is not only most readily obtained1 but 
also most frequently required4 ,indeed1 
it is to some extent necessary2 and     
though it may be set aside in part1 with
 proportionate inconvenience1 it can    
never be set aside entirely1 as has been
 proved by experience4 ,that men have   
set it aside in part1 to their own loss1
 is sufficiently evidenced4 ,witness the
 heterogeneous mass of irregularities   
already pointed out4 ,of these our own  
coins present a familiar example4 ,for  

the reasons above stated1 coins1 to be  
practical1 should represent the powers  
of two2 yet1 on examination1 it will be 
found1 that1 of our twelve grades of    
coins1 only one-half are obtained by    
binary division1 and these not in a     
regular series4 ,do not these six       
grades1 irregular as they are1 give to  
our coins their principal convenience8  
,then why do we claim that our coins are
 decimal8 ,are not their gradations     
produced by the following               
multiplications3 #a x #e x #b x #b-a_/b 
x #b x #b x #b-a_/b x #b x #b x #b1 and 
#a x #c x #ajj8 ,are any of these       
decimal8 ,we might have decimal coins by
 dropping all but cents1 dimes1 dollars1
 and eagles2 but the question is not1   
,what we might have1 but1 ,what have we8
 ,certainly we have not decimal coins4  
,a purely decimal system of coins would 
be an intolerable nuisance1 because it  
would require a greatly increased number
 of small coins4 ,this may be           
illustrated by means of the ancient     

,greek notation1 using the simple signs 
only1 with the exception of the second  
sign1 to make it purely decimal4 ,to    
express #i4ii by such a notation1 only  
three signs can be used2 consequently   
nine repetitions of each are required1  
making a total of twenty-seven signs4   
,to pay it in decimal coins1 the same   
number of pieces are required4          
,including the second ,greek sign1      
twenty-three signs are required2        
including the compound signs also1 only 
fifteen4 ,by ,roman notation1 without   
subtraction1 fifteen2 with subtraction1 
nine4 ,by alphabetic notation1 three    
signs without repetition4 ,by the       
,arabic1 one sign thrice repeated4 ,by  
,federal coins1 nine pieces1 one of them
 being a repetition4 ,by dual coins1 six
 pieces without a repetition1 a fraction
 remaining4  ,in the gradation of real  
weights1 measures1 and coins1 it is     
important to adopt those grades which   
are most convenient1 which require the  
least expense of capital1 time1 and     

labor1 and which are least likely to be 
mistaken for each other4 ,what1 then1 is
 the most convenient gradation8 ,the    
base two gives a series of seven weights
 that may be used3 #a1 #b1 #d1 #h1 #af1 
#cb1 #fd lbs4 ,by these any weight from 
one to one hundred and twenty-seven     
pounds may be weighed4 ,this is1        
perhaps1 the smallest number of weights 
or of coins with which those several    
quantities of pounds or of dollars may  
be weighed or paid4 ,with the same      
number of weights1 representing the     
arithmetical series from one to seven1  
only from one to twenty-eight pounds may
 be weighed2 and though a more extended 
series may be used1 this will only add  
to their inconvenience2 moreover1 from  
similarity of size1 such weights will be
 readily mistaken4 ,the base ten gives  
only two weights that may be used4 ,the 
base three gives a series of weights1   
#a1 #c1 #i1 #bg1 etc41 which has a great
 promise of convenience2 but as only    
four may be used1 the fifth being too   

heavy to handle1 and as their use       
requires subtraction as well as         
addition1 they have neither the         
convenience nor the capability of binary
 weights2 moreover1 the necessity for   
subtraction renders this series         
peculiarly unfit for coins4  ,the       
legitimate inference from the foregoing 
seems to be1 that a perfectly practical 
system of weights1 measures1 and coins1 
one not practical only1 but also        
agreeable and convenient1 because       
requiring the smallest possible number  
of pieces1 and these not readily        
mistaken for each other1 and because    
agreeing with the natural division of   
things1 and therefore commercially      
proper1 and avoiding much fractional    
calculation1 is that1 and that only1 the
 successive grades of which represent   
the successive powers of two4  ,that    
much fractional calculation may thus be 
avoided is evident from the fact that   
the system will be homogeneous4 ,thus1  
as binary gradation supplies one coin   

for every binary division of the dollar1
 down to the sixty-fourth part1 and     
farther1 if necessary1 any of those     
divisions may be paid without a         
remainder4 ,on the contrary1 ,federal   
gradation1 though in part binary1 gives 
one coin for each of the first two      
divisions only4 ,of the remaining four  
divisions1 one requires two coins1 and  
another three1 and not one of them can  
be paid in full4 ,thus it appears there 
are four divisions of the dollar that   
cannot be paid in ,federal coins1       
divisions that are constantly in use1   
and unavoidable1 because resulting from 
the natural division of things1 and from
 the popular division of the pound1     
gallon1 yard1 inch1 etc41 that has grown
 out of it4 ,those fractious that cannot
 be paid1 the proper result of a        
heterogeneous system1 are a constant    
source of jealousy1 and often produce   
disputes1 and sometimes bitter          
wrangling1 between buyer and seller4    
,the injury to public morals arising    

from this cause1 like the destructive   
effect of the constant dropping of      
water1 though too slow in its progress  
to be distinctly traced1 is not the less
 certain4 ,the economic value of binary 
gradation is1 in the aggregate1 immense2
 yet its moral value is not to be       
overlooked1 when a full estimate of its 
worth is required4  ,admitting binary   
gradation to be proper to weights1      
measures1 and coins1 it follows that a  
corresponding base of numeration and    
notation must be provided1 as that best 
suited to commerce4 ,for this purpose1  
the number two immediately presents     
itself2 but binary numeration and       
notation being too prolix for           
arithmetical practice1 it becomes       
necessary to select for a base a power  
of two that will afford a more          
comprehensive notation3 a power of two1 
because no other number will agree with 
binary gradation4 ,it is scarcely proper
 to say the third power has been        
selected1 for there was no              

alternative1--the second power being too
 small1 and the fourth too large4       
,happily1 the third is admirably suited 
to the purpose1 combining1 as it does1  
the comprehensiveness of eight with the 
simplicity of two4  ,it may be asked1   
how a number1 hitherto almost entirely  
overlooked as a base of numeration1 is  
suddenly found to be so well suited to  
the purpose4 ,the fact is1 the present  
base being accepted as proper for       
numeration1 however erroneously1 it is  
assumed to be proper for gradation also2
 and a very flattering assumption it is1
 promising a perfectly homogeneous      
system of weights1 measures1 coins1 and 
numbers1 than which nothing can be more 
desirable2 but1 siren-like1 it draws the
 mind away from a proper investigation  
of the subject1 and the basic qualities 
of numbers1 being unquestioned1 remain  
unknown4 ,when the natural order is     
adopted1 and the base of gradation is   
ascertained by its adaptation to things1
 and the base of numeration by its      

agreement with that of gradation1 then1 
the basic qualities of numbers being    
questioned1 two is found to be proper to
 the first use1 and eight to the second4
  ,the idea of changing the base of     
numeration will appear to most persons  
as absurd1 and its realization as       
impossible2 yet the probability is1 it  
will be done4 ,the question is one of   
time rather than of fact1 and there is  
plenty of time4 ,the diffusion of       
education will ultimately cause it to be
 demanded4 ,a change of notation is not 
an impossible thing4 ,the ,greeks       
changed theirs1 first for the           
alphabetic1 and afterwards1 with the    
rest of the civilized world1 for the    
,arabic1--both greater changes than that
 now proposed4 ,a change of numeration  
is truly a more serious matter1 yet the 
difficulty may not be as great as our   
apprehensions paint it4 ,its            
inauguration must not be compared with  
that of ,french gradation1 which1 though
 theoretically perfect1 is practically  

absurd4  ,decimal numeration grew out of
 the fact that each person has ten      
fingers and thumbs1 without reference to
 science1 art1 or commerce4 ,ultimately 
scientific men discovered that it was   
not the best for certain purposes1      
consequently that a change might be     
desirable2 but as they were not disposed
 to accommodate themselves to popular   
practices1 which they erroneously       
viewed1 not as necessary consequences1  
but simply as bad habits1 they suggested
 a base with reference not so much to   
commerce as to science4 ,the suggestion 
was never acted on1 however2 indeed1 it 
would have been in vain1 as ,delambre   
remarks1 for the ,french commission to  
have made the attempt1 not only for the 
reason he presents1 but also because it 
does not agree with natural division1   
and is therefore not suited to commerce2
 neither is it suited to the average    
capacity of mankind for numbers2 for1   
though some may be able to use          
duodecimal numeration and notation with 

ease1 the great majority find themselves
 equal to decimal only1 and some come   
short even of that1 except in its       
simplest use4 ,theoretically1 twelve    
should be preferred to ten1 because it  
agrees with circle measure at least1 and
 ten agrees with nothing2 besides1 it   
affords a more comprehensive notation1  
and is divisible by #f1 #d1 #c1 and #b  
without a fraction1 qualities that are  
theoretically valuable4  ,at first      
sight1 the universal use of decimal     
numeration seems to be an argument in   
its favor4 ,it appears as though ,nature
 had pointed directly to it1 on account 
of some peculiar fitness4 ,it is        
assumed1 indeed1 that this is the case1 
and habit confirms the assumption2 yet1 
when reflection has overcome habit1 it  
will be seen that its adoption was due  
to accident alone1--that it took place  
before any attention was paid to a      
general system1 in short1 without       
reflection1--and that its supposed      
perfection is a mere delusion2 for1 as a

 member of such a system1 it presents   
disagreements on every hand2 as has been
 said1 it has no agreement with         
anything1 unless it be allowable to say 
that it agrees with the ,arabic mode of 
notation4 ,this kind of agreement it    
has1 in common with every other base4   
,it is this that gives it character4 ,on
 this account alone it is believed by   
many to be the perfection of harmony4   
,they get the base of numeration and the
 mode of notation so mingled together1  
that they cannot separate them          
sufficiently to obtain a distinct idea  
of either2 and some are not conscious   
that they are distinct1 but see in the  
,arabic mode nothing save decimal       
notation1 and attribute to it all those 
high qualities that belong to the mode  
only4 ,the ,arabic mode is an invention 
of the highest merit1 not surpassed by  
any other2 but the admiration that      
belongs to it is thus bestowed upon a   
quite commonplace idea1 a               
misapplication1 which1 in this as in    

many other cases1 arises from the fact1 
that it is much easier to admire than to
 investigate4 ,this result of           
carelessness1 if isolated1 might be     
excused2 but all errors are productive1 
and it should be remembered that this   
one has produced that extraordinary     
perversion of truth to be found in the  
reply to the question1 ,how is all this 
confusion to be brought into harmony8   
,it has produced it not only in words1  
but in deed4 ,was it not this reply that
 led the ,french commission to extend   
the use of the present base from        
numeration to gradation also1 under the 
delusive hope of producing a perfectly  
homogeneous system1 that would be       
practical also8 ,was it not under its   
influence1 that1 adhering to the base to
 which the world had been so long       
accustomed1 instead of attempting to    
regulate ideal division by real1 which  
might have led to the adoption of the   
true base and a practical system1 they  
committed the one great error of        

endeavoring to reverse true order1 by   
forcing real division into conformity   
with a preconceived ideal8 ,this attempt
 was made at a time supposed by many to 
be peculiarly suited to the purpose1 a  
time of changes4 ,it was a time of      
changes1 truly2 but these were the      
result of high excitement1 not of quiet 
thought1 such as the subject            
requires1--a time for rushing forward1  
not for retracing misguided steps4      
,accordingly1 a system was produced     
which from its magnitude and importance 
was truly imposing1 and which1 to the   
present day1 is highly applauded by all 
those who1 under the influence of the   
error alluded to1 conceive decimal      
numeration to be a sacred truth3        
applauded1 not because of its adaptation
 to commerce1 but simply because of its 
beautiful proportions1 its elegant      
symmetry1 to say nothing of the array of
 learning and power engaged in its      
production and inauguration3 imposing1  
truly1 and alike on its authors and     

admirers2 for the qualities they so much
 admire are not peculiar to the decimal 
base1 but to the use of one and the same
 base for numeration1 notation1 and     
gradation4 ,but if the base ten agrees  
with nothing1 over1 on1 or under the    
earth1 can it be the best for scientific
 use8 can it be at all suited to        
commercial purposes8 ,if true order is  
the object to be attained1 and that for 
the sake of its utility1 then agreement 
between real and ideal division is the  
one thing needful1 the one essential    
change without which all other changes  
are vain1 the only change that will     
yield the greatest good to the greatest 
number1--a change1 which1 as volition is
 with the ideal1 and inertia with the   
real1 can be attained only by adaptation
 of the ideal to the real4  ,a full     
investigation of the existing           
heterogeneous or fragmentary system will
 lead to the discovery that it contains 
two elements which are at variance with 
natural division and with each other1   

and that the unsuccessful issue of every
 attempt at regulation hitherto made has
 been the proper result of the mistake  
of supposing agreement between those    
elements to be a possible thing4  ,the  
first element of discord to be          
considered is the division of things by 
personal proportion1 as by fathom1 yard1
 cubit1 foot1 etc4 ,it is obvious at a  
glance1 that these do not agree with    
binary division1 nor with decimal1 nor  
yet with each other4 ,it is this element
 that has suggested the duodecimal base1
 to which some adhere so tenaciously1   
apparently because they have not        
ascertained the essential quality of a  
base4  ,the second is the numeration of 
things by personal parts1 as fingers1   
hands1 etc41--suggesting a base of      
numeration that has no agreement with   
the binary1 nor with personal           
proportion1 neither can it have with any
 proper general system4 ,are there any  
things in ,nature that exist by tens1   
that associate by tens1 that separate   

into tenths8 ,are there any things that 
are sold by tens1 or by tenths8 ,even   
the fingers number eight1 and1 had there
 been any reflection used in the        
adoption of a base of numeration1 the   
thumbs would not have been included4    
,the ease with which the simplest       
arithmetical series may be continued led
 our fathers quietly to the adoption1   
first1 of the quinary1 and second1 of   
the decimal group2 and we have continued
 its use so quietly1 that its propriety 
has rarely been questioned2 indeed1 most
 persons are both surprised and         
offended1 when they hear it declared to 
be a purely artificial base1 proper only
 to abstract numbers4  ,the binary base1
 on the contrary1 is natural1 real1     
simple1 and accords with the tendency of
 the mind to simplify1 to individualize4
 ,in business1 who ever thinks of a half
 as two-fourths1 or three-sixths1 much  
less as two-and-a-half-fifths1 or       
three-and-a-half-sevenths8 ,for division
 by two produces a half at one          

operation2 but with any other divisor1  
the reduction is too great1 and must be 
followed by multiplication4 ,think of   
calling a half five-tenths1 a quarter   
twenty-five-hundredths1 an eighth       
one-hundred-and-twenty-five-thousandths6
 ,arithmetic is seldom used as a        
plaything4 ,it generally comes into use 
when the mind is too much occupied for  
sporting4 ,consequently1 the smallest   
divisor that will serve the purpose is  
always preferred4 ,a calculation is an  
appendage to a mercantile transaction1  
not a part of the transaction itself2 it
 is1 indeed1 a hindrance1 and in large  
business is performed by a distinct     
person4 ,but even with him1 simplicity1 
because necessary to speed1 is second in
 merit only to correctness4  ,the binary
 base is not only simple1 it is real4   
,accordingly1 it has large agreement    
with the popular divisions of weights1  
etc4 ,grocers' weights1 up to the       
four-pound piece1 and all their         
measures1 are binary2 so are the        

divisions of the yard1 the inch1 etc4   
,it is not only simple and real1 it is  
natural4 ,on every hand1 things may be  
found that are duplex in form1 that     
associate in pairs1 that separate into  
halves1 that may be divided into two    
equal parts4 ,things are continually    
sold in pairs1 in halves1 and in        
quantities produced by halving4  ,the   
binary base1 therefore1 is here         
proposed1 as the only proper base for   
gradation2 and the octonal1 as the true 
commercial base1 for numeration and     
notation3 two bases which in combination
 form a binoctonal system that is at    
once simple1 comprehensive1 and         
efficient4     ,,my ,,last ,,love4   ,i 
had counted many more in my girlhood1 in
 the first flush of blossoming1--and a  
few1 good men and true1 whom ,i never   
meet even now without an added color2   
for1 at one time or another1 ,i thought 
,i loved each of them4  ,why didn't ,i  
marry them1 then8  ,for the same reason 
that many another woman does not4 ,we   

are afraid to trust our own likings4    
,too many of them are but sunrise       
vapors1 very rosy to begin with1 but by 
mid-day as dingy as any old dead cloud  
with the rain all shed out of it4 ,i    
never see any of those old swains of    
mine1 without feeling profoundly        
thankful that ,i don't belong to him4 ,i
 shouldn't want to look over my         
husband's head in any sense4 ,so they   
all got wives and children1 and ,i lived
 an old maid1--although ,i was scarcely 
conscious of the state2 for1 if my own  
eyes or other people's testimony were to
 be trusted1 ,i didn't look old1 and    
,i'm quite sure ,i didn't feel so4 ,but 
,i came to myself on my thirty-second   
birthday1 an old maid most truly1       
without benefit of clergy4 ,and thereby 
hangs this tale2 for on that birthday ,i
 first made acquaintance with my last   
love4  ,something like a month before1  
there had come to ,huntsville two       
gentlemen in search of game and quiet   
quarters for the summer4 ,they soon     

found that a hotel in a country village 
affords little seclusion2 but the woods 
were full of game1 the mountain-brooks  
swarmed with trout too fine to be given 
up1 and they decided to take a house of 
their own4 ,after some search1 they     
fixed on an old house1 7,i've forgotten 
whose folly it was called17 full a mile 
and a half from town1 standing upon a   
mossy hill that bounded my fields1      
square and stiff and weather-beaten1 and
 without any protection except a ragged 
pine-tree that thrust its huge limbs    
beneath the empty windows1 as though it 
were running away with a stolen house   
under its arm4 ,the place was musty1    
rat-eaten1 and tenanted by a couple of  
ghosts1 who thought a fever1 once quite 
fatal within the walls1 no suitable     
discharge from the property1 and made   
themselves perfectly free of the        
quarters in properly weird seasons4 ,but
 money and labor cleared out all the    
cobwebs1 7for ghosts are but spiritual  
cobwebs1 you know17 and the old house   

soon wore a charming air of rustic      
comfort4  ,i used to look over          
sometimes1 for it was full in view from 
my chamber-windows1 and see the         
sportsmen going off by sunrise with     
their guns or fishing-rods1 or lying1   
after their late dinner1 stretched upon 
the grass in front of the house1 smoking
 and reading4 ,sometimes a fragment of a
 song would be dropped down from the    
lazy wings of the south wind1 sometimes 
a long laugh filled all the summer air  
and frightened the pinewood into echoes1
 and1 altogether1 the new neighbors     
seemed to live an enviable life4 ,they  
were very civil people1 too2 for1 though
 their nearest path out lay across my   
fields1 and close by the doorway1 and   
they often stopped to buy fruit or cream
 or butter1 we were never annoyed by an 
impertinent question or look4 ,once only
 ,i overheard a remark not altogether   
civil1 and that was on the evening      
before my birthday4 ,one of them1 the   
elder1 said1 as he went away from my    

house with a basket of cherries1 that he
 should like to get speech with that    
polyglot old maid1 who read1 and wrote1 
and made her own butter-pats4 ,the other
 answered1 that the butter was excellent
 at any rate1 and perhaps she had a     
classical cow2 and they went down the   
lane laughingly disputing about the     
matter1 not knowing that ,i was behind  
the currant-bushes4  ,polyglot old maid6
 ,i thought1 very indignantly1 as ,i    
went into the house4 ,i've a mind not to
 sell them another cake of my butter4   
,but ,i wonder if people call me an old 
maid4 ,i wonder if ,i am one4  ,i       
thought of it all the evening1 and      
dreamt of it all night1 waking the next 
morning with a new realization of the   
subject4 ,that first sense of a lost    
youth6 ,how sharp and strong it comes6  
,that suddenly opened north door of     
middle life1 through which the winter   
winds rush in1 sweeping out of the      
southern windows all the splendors of   
the earlier time2 it is like a sea-turn 

in late summer4 ,it has seemed to be    
,june all along1 and we thought it was  
,june1 until the wind went round to the 
east1 and the first red leaf admonished 
us4 ,by-and-by we close1 as well as we  
may1 that open door1 and look out again 
from the windows upon blooms1 beautiful 
in their way1 to which some birds yet   
sing2 but1 alas6 the wind is still from 
the east1 and blows as though1 far away1
 it had lain among icebergs4  ,so ,i    
mused all the morning1 watering the     
sentiment with a bit of a shower out of 
my cloud2 and when the shadows turned   
themselves1 ,i went out to see how old  
age would look to me in the fields and  
woods4 ,it was a delicious afternoon1   
more like a warm dream of hay-making1   
odorous1 misty1 sleepily musical1 than a
 waking reality1 on which the sun shone4
 ,tremulous blue clouds lay down all    
around upon the mountains1 and lazy     
white ones lost themselves in the       
waters2 and through the dozing air1 the 
faint chirp of robin or cricket1 and    

ding of bells in the woods1 and mellow  
cut of scythe1 melted into one song1 as 
though the heart-beat of the luscious   
midsummer-time had set itself to tune4  
,i walked on to loiter through the      
woods4 ,no dust-brush for brain or heart
 like the boughs of trees6 ,there dwells
 a truth1 and pure1 strong health within
 them1 an ever-returning youth1         
promising us a glorious leafage in some 
strange spring-time1 and a symmetry and 
sweetness that possess us until our     
thoughts grow skyward like them1 and    
wave and sing in some sunnier strata of 
soul-air4 ,in the woods ,i was a girl   
again1 and forgot the flow of the hours 
in their pleasant companionship4 ,i must
 have grown tired and sat down by a     
thicket of pines to rest1 though ,i have
 forgotten1 and perhaps ,i had fallen   
asleep2 for suddenly ,i became conscious
 of a sharp report1 and a sharper pain  
in my shoulder1 and1 tearing off my     
cape1 ,i found the blood was flowing    
from a wound just below the joint4 ,i   

remember little more1 for a sudden      
faintness came over me2 but ,i have an  
indistinct remembrance of people coming 
up1 of voices1 of being carried home1   
and of the consternation there1 and long
 delay in obtaining the surgeon4 ,the   
pain of an operation brought me fully to
 my senses2 and when that was over1 ,i  
was left alone to sleep1 or to think    
over my situation at leisure4 ,i'm      
afraid ,i had but little of a ,christian
 spirit then4 ,all my plans of labor and
 pleasure spoiled by this one piece of  
carelessness6 to call it by the mildest 
term4 ,all those nice little fancies    
that should have grown into real        
flesh-and-blood articles for my         
publisher1 hung up to dry and shrivel   
without shape or comeliness6 ,the       
garden1 the dairy1 the new bit of       
carriage-way through the beeches1--my   
pet scheme1--the new music1 the sewing1 
all laid upon the shelf for an          
indefinite time1 and ,i with no better  
employment than to watch the wall-paper1

 and to wonder if it wasn't almost      
dinner- or supper-time1 or nearly       
daylight6 ,to be sure1 ,i knew and      
thought of all the improving reflections
 of a sick-room2 but it was much like a 
mild-spoken person making peace among   
twenty quarrelsome ones4 ,you can see   
him making mouths1 but you don't hear a 
word he says4  ,a sick mind breeds fever
 fast in a sick body1 and by night ,i   
was in a high fever1 and for a day or   
two knew but little of what went on     
about me4 ,one of the first things ,i   
heard1 when ,i grew easier1 was1 that my
 neighbor1 the sportsman1 was waiting   
below to hear how ,i was4 ,it was the   
younger one whose gun had wounded me2   
and he had shown great solicitude1 they 
said1 coming several times each day to  
inquire for me4 ,he brought some birds  
to be cooked for me1 too1--and came     
again to bring some lilies he had gone a
 mile to fetch1 he told the girl4 ,every
 day he came to inquire1 or to bring    
some delicacy1 or a few flowers1 or a   

new magazine for me1 until the report of
 his visit came to be an expected       
excitement1 and varied the dull days    
wonderfully4 ,sickness and seclusion are
 a new birth to our senses1 oftentimes4 
,not only do we get a real glimpse of   
ourselves1 undecked and unclothed1 but  
the commonest habits of life1 and the   
things that have helped to shape them   
day by day1 put on a sort of            
strangeness1 and come to shake hands    
with us again1 and make us wonder that  
they should be just exactly what they   
are4 ,we get at the primitive meaning of
 them1 as if we rubbed off the nap of   
life1 and looked to see how the threads 
were woven2 and they come and go before 
us with a sort of old newness that      
affects us much as if we should meet our
 own ghost some time1 and wonder if we  
are really our own or some other        
person's housekeeper4  ,i went through  
all this1 and came out with a stock of  
small facts beside1--as1 that the       
paper-hanger had patched the hangings in

 my chamber very badly in certain dark  
spots1 7,i had got several headaches1   
making it out17--that the chimney was a 
little too much on one side1--that      
certain boards in the entry-floor       
creaked of their own accord in the      
night1--that ,neighbor ,brown had tucked
 a few new shingles into the roof of his
 barn1 so that it seemed to have broken 
out with them1--and any number of other 
things equally important4 ,at length ,i 
got down-stairs1 and was allowed to see 
a few friends4 ,of course there was an  
inundation of them2 and each one        
expected to hear my story1 and to tell a
 companion one1 something like mine1    
only a little more so4 ,it was          
astonishing1 the immense number of      
people that had been hurt with guns4 ,no
 wonder ,i was sick for a day or two    
afterward4 ,i was more prudent next     
time1 however1 and1 as the gossips had  
got all they wanted1 ,i saw only my     
particular friends4 ,among these my     
neighbor1 the sportsman1 insisted on    

being reckoned1 and after a little      
hesitation we were obliged to admit him4
 ,i say we1--for1 on hearing of my      
injury1 my good cousin1 ,mary ,mead1 had
 come to nurse and amuse me4 ,she was   
one of those safe1 serviceable1 amiable 
people1 made of just the stuff for a    
satellite1 and she proved invaluable to 
me4 ,she was immensely taken with ,mr4  
,ames1 too1 7,i speak of the younger1   
for1 after the first call of condolence1
 the elder sportsman never came17 and to
 her ,i left the task of entertaining   
him1 or rather of doing the honors of   
the house1--for the gentleman contrived 
to entertain himself and us4  ,now don't
 imagine the man a hero1 for he was no  
such thing4 ,he was very                
good-looking1--some might say           
handsome1--well-bred1 well educated1    
with plenty of common information picked
 up in a promiscuous intercourse with   
town and country people1 rather fine    
tastes1 and a great1 strong1            
magnanimous1 physical nature1 modest1   

but perfectly self-conscious4 ,that was 
his only charm for me4 ,i despise a mere
 animal2 but1 other things being equal1 
,i admire a man who is big and strong1  
and aware of his advantages2 and ,i     
think most women1 and very refined ones1
 too1 love physical beauty and strength 
much more than they are willing to      
acknowledge4 ,so ,i had the same        
admiration for ,mr4 ,ames that ,i should
 have had for any other finely          
proportioned thing1 and enjoyed him very
 much1 sitting quietly in my corner     
while he chatted with ,mary1 or told me 
stories of travel or hunting1 or read   
aloud1 which he soon fell into the way  
of doing4  ,we did try1 as much as      
hospitality permitted1 to confine his   
visits to a few ceremonious calls2 but  
he persisted in coming almost every day1
 and walked in past the girl with that  
quiet sort of authority which it is so  
difficult to resist4 ,in the same way he
 took possession of ,mary and me4 ,he   
was sure it must be very dull for both  

of us2 therefore he was going1 if we    
would pardon the liberty1 to offer his  
services as reader1 while my nurse went 
out for a ride or a walk4 ,couldn't ,i  
sit out under the shadow of the         
beech-trees1 as well as in that hot     
room8 ,he could lift the chair and me   
perfectly well1 and arrange all so that 
,i should be comfortable4 ,he would like
 to superintend the cooking of some     
birds he brought one day4 ,he noticed   
that the girl didn't do them quite as   
nicely as he had learned to do them in  
the woods4 ,and so in a thousand things 
he quietly made us do as he chose1      
without seeming to outrage any rule of  
propriety4 ,when ,i was able to sit in a
 carriage1 he persuaded me to drive with
 him2 and ,i had to lean on his arm1    
when ,i first went round the place to   
see how matters went on4  ,once ,i      
protested against his making himself so 
necessary to us1 and told him that ,i   
didn't care to furnish the gossips so   
much food as we were doing4  ,when ,i   

turned him out of doors1 he would       
certainly stay away1 he said2 but he    
thought1 that1 as long as ,i was an     
invalid1 ,i needed some one to think and
 act for me and save me the trouble1    
and1 as no one else seemed disposed to  
take the office1 he thought it was      
rather his duty and                     
privilege1--especially1 he added1 with a
 slight smile1 as he was quite sure that
 it was not very disagreeable to us4 ,as
 for the gossips1 he didn't think they  
would make much out of it1 with such an 
excellent duenna as ,cousin ,mary1--and1
 indeed1 he heard the other day that he 
was paying attention to her4  ,i thought
 it all over by myself1 when he had     
gone1 and came to the conclusion that it
 was not necessary for me to resign so  
great a pleasure as his society had     
become1 merely for the fear of what a   
few curious people might say4 ,even     
,mary1 cautious as she was1 protested   
against banishing him for such a reason2
 and1 after a little talking over of the

 matter among ourselves1 we decided to  
let ,mr4 ,ames come as often as he      
chose1 for the remaining month of his   
stay4  ,that month went rapidly enough1 
for ,i was well enough to ride and walk 
out1 and half the time had ,mr4 ,ames to
 accompany me4 ,i got to value him very 
much1 as ,i knew him better1 and as he  
grew acquainted with my peculiarities2  
and we were the best friends in the     
world1 without a thought of being more4 
,no one would have laughed at that more 
than we1 there was such an evident      
unsuitableness in the idea4 ,at length  
the time came for him to leave          
,huntsville2 his house was closed1      
except one room where he still preferred
 to remain1 and his friend was already  
gone4 ,he came to take tea with us for  
the last time1 and made himself as      
agreeable as ever1 although it evidently
 required some effort to do so4         
,soft-hearted ,cousin ,mary broke down  
and went off crying when he bade her    
good-bye1 after tea2 but ,i was not of  

such stuff1 and laughingly rallied him  
on the impression he had made4  ,get    
your bonnet1 and walk over to the stile 
with me1 ,miss ,rachel1 he said4 ,it    
isn't sunset quite yet1 and the         
afternoon is warm4 ,come6 it's the last 
walk we shall take together4  ,i        
followed him out1 and we went almost    
silently across the fields to the hill  
that overlooked the strip of meadow     
between our houses4 ,there was the stile
 over which ,i had looked to see him    
spring1 many a time4  ,sit down a       
moment1 until the sun is quite down1 he 
said1 making room for me beside him on  
the topmost step4 ,see how splendid that
 sky is6 a pavilion for the gods6  ,i   
should think they were airing all their 
finery1 ,i answered4 ,it looks more like
 a counter spread with bright goods than
 anything else ,i can think of4  ,that's
 a decidedly vulgar comparison1 and     
you're not in a spiritual mood at all1  
he said4 ,you've snubbed me two or three
 times to-night1 when ,i've tried to be 

sentimental4 ,what's amiss with you8 and
 he bent his eyes1 full of a saucy sort 
of triumph1 upon mine4  ,i don't like   
parting with friends2 it sets me all    
awry1 ,i said1 giving back his own      
self-assured look4 ,i was sorry to have 
him go2 but if he thought ,i was going  
to cry or blush1 he was mistaken4       
,you'll write to me1 ,miss ,rachel8 he  
asked4  ,no1 ,mr4 ,ames1--not at all1 ,i
 said4  ,not write8 ,why not8 he asked1 
in astonishment4  ,because ,i don't     
believe in galvanizing dead friendships1
 ,i answered4  ,dead friendships1 ,miss 
,rachel8 ,i hope ours has much life in  
it yet1 he said4  ,it's in the last     
agony1 ,sir4 ,it will be comfortably    
dead and buried before long1 with a neat
 little epitaph over it1--which is much 
the best way to dispose of them finally1
 ,i think4  ,you're harder than ,i      
thought you were1 he said4 ,is that the 
way you feel towards all your friends8  
,i love my friends as well as any one1  
,i answered4 ,but ,i never hold them    

when they wish to be gone4 ,my life-yarn
 spins against some other yarn1 catches 
the fibres1 and twists into the very    
heart----  ,so far8 he asked1 turning   
his eyes down to mine4  ,yes1 ,i said1  
coolly1--for the time being4 ,you don't 
play at your friendships1 do you8 ,if   
so1 ,i pity you4 ,as ,i was saying1     
they're like one thread4 ,by-and-by one 
spindle is moved1 the strands spin away 
from each other1 and become strange     
yarn4 ,what's the use of sending little 
locks of wool across to keep them       
acquainted8 ,they're two yarns from     
henceforth4 ,reach out for some other   
thread1--there's plenty near1--and spin 
into that4 ,we're made all up of little 
locks from other people1 ,mr4 ,ames4    
,won't it be strange1 in that great     
,hereafter1 to hunt up our own fibres1  
and return other people's8 ,it would    
take about forty-five degrees of an     
eternity to do that4  ,i shall never    
return mine1 he said4 ,i couldn't take  
myself to pieces in such a style4 ,but  

won't you write at all8  ,to what       
purpose8 ,you'll be glad of one         
letter1--possibly of two4 ,then it will 
be1 ',confound it6 here's a missive from
 that old maid6 ,what a bore6 ,now ,i   
suppose ,i must air my wits in her      
behalf2 but1 if you ever catch me       
again1'----,exit4  ,and you8 he asked1  
laughing4  ,i shall be as weary as you1 
and find it as difficult to keep warmth 
in the poor dying body4 ,no1 ,mr4 ,ames4
 ,let the poor thing die a natural      
death1 and we'll wear a bit of crape a  
little while1 and get a new friend for  
the old4  ,so you mean to forget me     
altogether8  ,no1 indeed6 ,i shall      
recollect you as a very pleasant tale   
that is told1--not a friend to hanker   
after4 ,isn't that good common sense8   
,it's all head-work1--mere cold         
calculation1 he said2 while ,i----,he   
stopped and colored4  ,your gods1 there1
 are downright turn-coats1 ,i said1     
coming down from the stile4 ,their red  
mantles are nothing but pearl-colored   

now1 and presently they'll be           
russet-gray4 ,that whippoorwill always  
brings the dew with him1 too2 so ,i must
 go home4 ,good-night1 and good-bye1    
,mr4 ,ames4  ,i scarcely know how to    
part with you1 he said1 taking my hand4 
,it's not so easy a thing to do4        
,people say1 ',good-bye1' or ',god bless
 you1' or some such civil phrase1       
usually1 ,i said1 with just the least   
curl of my lip1--for ,i knew ,i had got 
the better of him4  ,he colored again1  
and then smiled a little sadly4  ,ah6   
,i'm afraid ,i leave a bigger lock than 
,i take1 he exclaimed4 ,well1 then1 good
 friend6 good-bye1 and ,god bless you1  
too6 ,don't be quite so hard as you     
promise to be4  ,i missed him very much1
 indeed2 but if any think ,i cried after
 him1 or wrote verses1 or soliloquized  
for his sake1 they are much mistaken4 ,i
 had lost friends before1 and made it a 
point to think just as little of them as
 possible1 until the sore spot grew     
strong enough to handle without wincing4

 ,besides1 my cousin stayed with me1 and
 all my good friends in the village had 
to come out for a call or a visit to see
 how the land lay2 so ,i had occupation 
enough4 ,once in a while ,i used to look
 over to the old house1 and wish for one
 good breezy conversation with its      
master2 and when the snow came and lay  
in one mass upon the old roof1 clear    
down to the eaves1 like a night-cap     
pulled down to the eyes of a low-browed 
old woman1 ,i moved my bed against the  
window that looked that way4 ,these     
forsaken nests are gloomy things enough6
  ,i had no thought of hearing again of 
him or from him1 and was surprised1     
when1 in a month1 a review came1 and    
before long another1 and afterwards a   
box1 by express1 with a finely kept     
bouquet1 and1 in mid-winter1 a little   
oil-painting1--a delicious bit of       
landscape for my sanctum1 as he said in 
the note that accompanied it4 ,i heard  
from him in this way all winter1        
although ,i never sent word or message  

back again1 and tried to think ,i was   
sorry that he did not forget me1 as ,i  
had supposed he would4 ,of course ,i    
never thought of acknowledging to myself
 that it was possible for me to love    
him4 ,i was too good a sophist for that2
 and1 indeed1 ,i think that between a   
perfect friendship and a perfect love a 
fainter distinction exists than many    
people imagine4 ,i have known likings to
 be colored as rosily as love1 and seen 
what called itself love as cold as the  
chilliest liking4  ,one day1 after      
spring had been some time come1 ,i was  
returning from a walk and saw that ,mr4 
,ames's house was open4 ,i could not see
 any person there2 but the door and     
windows were opened1 and a faint smoke  
crept out of the chimney and up among   
the new spring foliage after the        
squirrels4 ,i had walked some distance1 
and was tired1 and the weather was not  
perfect2 but ,i thought ,i would go     
round that way and see what was going   
on4 ,it was one of those charming       

child-days in early ,may1 laughing and  
crying all in one1 the fine mist-drops  
shining down in the sun's rays1 like    
star-dust from some new world in process
 of rasping up for use4 ,i liked such   
days4 ,the showers were as good for me  
as for the trees4 ,i grew and budded    
under them1 and they filled my soul's   
soil full of singing brooks4  ,when ,i  
reached the lawn before the door1 ,mr4  
,ames came out to see me1--so glad to   
meet that he held my hand and drew me   
in1 asking two or three times how ,i was
 and if ,i were glad to see him4 ,he had
 called at the house and seen ,cousin   
,mary1 on his way over1 he said1--for he
 was hungering for a sight of us4 ,he   
was not looking as well as when he left 
in the autumn1--thinner1 paler1 and with
 a more anxious expression when he was  
not speaking2 but when ,i began to talk 
with him1 he brightened up1 and seemed  
like his old self4 ,he had two or three 
workmen already tearing down portions of
 the finishing1 and after a few moments 

asked me to go round and see what       
improvements he was to make4 ,we stopped
 at last at his chamber1 a room that    
looked through the foliage towards my   
house4  ,this is my lounging-place1 he  
said1 pointing to the sofa beneath the  
window4 ,i shall sit here with my cigar 
and watch you this summer2 so be        
circumspect6 ,but are you sure that you 
are glad to see me8  ,to be sure4 ,do   
you take me for a heathen8 ,i said4 ,but
 what are you making such a change for8 
,couldn't the old house content you8    
,it satisfies me well enough2 but ,i    
expect visitors this summer who are     
quite fastidious1 and this old          
worm-eaten wood-work wouldn't do for    
them4 ,what makes you look so dark8     
,don't you like the notion of my        
lady-visitors8  ,i didn't know that they
 were to be ladies until you told me1 ,i
 said2 and it's none of my business whom
 you entertain1 ,mr4 ,ames4  ,there     
wasn't much of a welcome for them in    
your face1 at any rate1 he answered4    

,and to tell the truth1 ,i am not much  
pleased with the arrangement myself4    
,but they took a sudden fancy for       
coming1 and no amount of persuasion     
could induce them to change their minds4
 ,it's hardly a suitable place for      
ladies2 but if they will come1 they must
 make the best of it4  ,how came you    
ever to take a fancy to this place8 and 
what makes you spend so much money on   
it8 ,i asked4  ,you don't like to see   
the money thrown away1 he said1         
laughing4 ,the truth is1 that ,i've got 
a skeleton1 like many another man1 and  
,i've been trying these two years to get
 away from it4 ,the first time ,i       
stopped to rest under this tree1 ,i felt
 light-hearted4 ,i don't know why1      
except it was some mysterious influence2
 but ,i loved the place1 and ,i love it 
no less now1 although my skeleton has   
found a lodging-place here too4  ,of    
course1 ,i said1 and very appropriately4
 ,the house was haunted before you came4
  ,it was haunted for me afterward1 he  

said softly1 more to himself than to me2
 sweet1 shadowy visions ,i should be    
glad to call up now4 ,and he turned away
 and swallowed a sigh4  ,i pitied him   
all the way home1 and sat up to pity    
him1 looking through the soft ,may      
starlight to see the lamp burning       
steadily at his window until after      
midnight4 ,from that time ,i seemed to  
have a trouble1--though ,i could        
scarcely have named or owned it1 it was 
so indefinite4  ,he came to see me a few
 days afterward1 and sat quite dull and 
abstracted until ,i warmed him up with a
 little lively opposition4 ,i vexed him 
first1 and then1 when ,i saw he was     
interested enough to talk1 ,i let him   
have a chance2 and ,i had never seen him
 so interesting4 ,he showed me a new    
phase of his character1 and ,i listened1
 and answered him in as few words as    
possible1 that ,i might lose nothing of 
the revelation4 ,when he got up to go   
away1 ,i asked him where he had been to 
learn and think so much since the last  

autumn4 ,he began to be1 ,i thought and 
hoped1 what a sterner teaching might    
have made him before4  ,he seemed a     
little embarrassed2 said no one else had
 discovered any change in him1 and he   
thought it must be only a reflected     
light4 ,he had observed that ,i had a   
remarkable faculty for drawing people   
out4 ,what was my witchcraft8  ,i       
disclaimed all witchcraft1 and told him 
it was only because ,i quarrelled with  
people4 ,a little wholesome opposition  
had warmed him into quite a flight of   
fancy4  ,if ,i could only1----he began1 
hurriedly2 but took out his watch1 said 
it was time for him to go1 and went off 
quite hastily4 ,it was very weak in me1 
but ,i wished very much to know what he 
would have said4  ,the next time1 he    
called a few moments to tell me that his
 lady-visitors1 with a friend of theirs1
 had come1 and had expressed a wish to  
make my acquaintance4 ,he promised them 
that he would call and let me           
know1--though he hoped ,i would not     

come1 unless ,i felt inclined4 ,he was  
very absent-minded1 and went off the    
moment ,i asked him where he had left   
his good spirits4 ,this made me a little
 cold to him when ,i called on the      
ladies1 for ,i found them all sitting   
after tea out at the door4 ,it was a    
miserably constrained affair1 though we 
all tried to be civil1--for ,i could see
 that both ladies were taking1 or trying
 to take1 my measure1 and it did not set
 me at ease in the least4 ,but in the   
mean time ,i had measured them2 and as  
experience has confirmed that first     
impression1 ,i may as well sketch them  
here4 ,i protest1 in the first place1   
against any imputation of prejudice or  
jealousy4 ,i thought much more          
charitably of them than others did4     
,mrs4 ,winslow was one of those         
pleasant1 well-bred ladies1 who can look
 at you until you are obliged to look   
away1 contradict you flatly1 and say the
 most grossly impertinent things in the 
mildest voice and choicest words4 ,a    

woman of the world1 without nobility    
enough to appreciate a magnanimous      
thought or action1 and with very narrow1
 shallow views of everything about her1 
she had still some agreeable traits of  
character1--much shrewd knowledge of the
 world1 as she saw it1 some taste for   
,art1 and an excellent judgment in      
relation to all things appertaining to  
polite society4 ,i had really some      
pleasant intercourse with her1 although 
,i think she was one of the most        
insulting persons ,i ever met4 ,i made a
 point of never letting her get any     
advantage of me1 and so we got along    
very well4 ,whenever she had a chance1  
she was sure to say something that would
 mortify or hurt me2 and ,i never failed
 to repay both principal and interest   
with a voice and face as smooth as hers4
 ,and here let me say that there is no  
other way of dealing with such people4  
,self-denial1 modesty1 magnanimity1 they
 do not and cannot understand4 ,never   
turn them the other cheek1 but give a   

smart slap back again4 ,it will do them 
good4  ,the daughter was a very pretty1 
artificial1 silly girl1 who might have  
been very amiable in a different        
position1 and was not ill-natured as it 
was4 ,i might have liked her very well1 
if she had not conceived such a         
wonderful liking for me1 and hugged and 
kissed me as much as she did4 ,she      
cooed1 too1 and ,i dislike to hear a    
woman coo2 it is a sure mark of         
inferiority4  ,we were quite intimate   
soon1 and ,miss ,lucy fell into the     
habit of coming early in the morning to 
ride with me1 and after dinner to sit   
and sew1 and after tea for a walk4 ,she 
showed me all her heart1 apparently1    
though there was not much of it1 and    
vowed that she scarcely knew how she    
should exist without me4 ,i let her play
 at liking me1 just as ,i should have   
indulged a playful kitten1 and tried to 
say and do something that might improve 
her for ,mr4 ,ames's sake4 ,i saw now   
what his skeleton was4 ,he was to marry 

the poor child1 and shrunk from it as ,i
 should have shrunk from a shallow      
husband4  ,he used to come with her     
sometimes1 and ,i must confess that he  
behaved admirably4 ,i never saw him in  
the least rude1 or ill-natured1 or      
contemptuous towards her1 even when she 
was silliest and tried his patience most
 severely2 and ,i felt my respect for   
him increasing every day4 ,as for ,mrs4 
,winslow1 she came sometimes to see me1 
and was very particular to invite me    
there2 but ,i saw that she watched both 
me and ,mr4 ,ames1 and suspected that   
she had come to ,huntsville for that    
purpose4 ,she sought every opportunity1 
too1 of making me seem awkward or       
ignorant before him2 and he perceived   
it1 ,i know1 and was mortified and      
annoyed by it1 though he left the       
chastisement entirely to me4 ,once in a 
while ,cousin ,mary and ,i had a real   
old-fashioned visit from him all alone1 
either when it was very stormy1 or when 
the ladies were visiting elsewhere4 ,he 

always came serious and abstracted1 and 
went away in good spirits1 and he said  
that those few hours were the           
pleasantest he passed4 ,mrs4 ,winslow   
looked on them with an evil eye1 ,i     
knew1 and suspected a great deal of     
which we were all innocent2 for one day1
 when she had been dining at my house   
with her daughter1 and we were all out  
in the garden together1 ,i overheard her
 saying1--  ,she is just the person to  
captivate him1 and you mustn't bring    
yourself into competition with her1     
,lucy4 ,she can out-shine you in        
conversation1 and ,i know that she is   
playing a deep game4  ,la1 ma6 the girl 
exclaimed4 ,an old maid1 without the    
least style6 and she makes butter too1  
and actually climbs up in a chair to    
scrub down her closets1--for ,edward and
 ,i caught her at it one day4  ,and did 
she seem confused8 asked ,mrs4 ,winslow4
  ,no1 indeed6 ,now ,i should have died1
 if he had caught me in such a plight2  
but she shook down her dress as though  

it were a matter of course1 and they    
were soon talking about some ,german    
stuff1--,i don't know what it           
was1--while ,i had to amuse myself with 
the drawings4  ,that's the way6 retorted
 the mother4 ,you play dummy for them4  
,i wish you had a little more spirit1   
,lucy4 ,you wouldn't play into the hands
 of this designing----  ,nonsense1      
mamma6 ,she's a real clever1            
good-natured old thing1 and ,i like her1
 exclaimed the daughter4 ,you're so     
suspicious6  ,you're so foolishly       
secure6 answered mamma4 ,a man is never 
certain until after the ceremony2 and   
you don't know ,edward ,ames1 ,lucy4  ,i
 know he's got plenty of money1 mother1 
and ,i know he's real nice and handsome1
 was the reply2 and they walked out of  
hearing4  ,i wouldn't have listened even
 to so much as that1 if ,i could have   
avoided it2 and as soon as ,i could1 ,i 
went into the parlor1 and sat down to   
some work1 trying to keep down that old 
trouble1 which somehow gathered size    

like a rolling snowball4 ,i might have  
known what it was1 if ,i had not closed 
my eyes resolutely1 and said to myself1 
,the summer will soon be gone1 and there
 will be an end of it all then2 and ,i  
winced1 as ,i said it1 like one who sees
 a blow coming4  ,the summer went by    
imperceptibly2 it was autumn1 and still 
all things remained outwardly as they   
had been4 ,we went back and forth       
continually1 rode and walked out1 sang  
and read together1 and ,lucy grew fonder
 and fonder of me4 ,she could scarcely  
live out of my presence1 and confided to
 me all her plans when she and ,edward  
should be married1--how much she thought
 of him1 and he of her1 all about their 
courtship1 how he declared himself and  
how she accepted him one soft moonlight 
night in far ,italy1 how agitated and   
distressed he had been when she had a   
fever1 and a thousand other details     
which swelled that great stone in my    
heart more and more4 ,but ,i shut my    
eyes1 until one day when ,i saw them    

together4 ,he was listening1 intent1 and
 very pale1 to something she told him1  
and1 to my surprise1 she was pale too1  
and weeping4 ,before she could finish1  
she broke into a passionate rush of     
tears1 and would have thrown herself at 
his feet2 but he caught her1 and she    
sunk down upon his shoulder1 and he     
stooped towards her as he might if he   
had loved her4 ,then ,i knew how ,i     
loved him4  ,i had to bear up a little  
while1 for they were in my house1 and ,i
 must bid them good-night1 and talk     
idly1 so that they should not suspect   
the wound ,i had4 ,but ,i must do       
something1 or go mad2 and so ,i went out
 to the garden-wall1 and struck my hand 
upon it until the blood ran4 ,the pain  
of that balanced the terrible pain      
within for a few moments1 and ,i went in
 to them calm and smiling4 ,they were   
sitting on the sofa1 he with a          
perplexed1 pale face1 and she blushing  
and radiant4 ,they started up when they 
saw my hand bandaged1 and she was full  

of sympathy for my hurt4 ,he said but   
little1 though he looked fixedly at my  
face4 ,i know ,i must have looked       
strangely4 ,when they were gone1 ,i went
 into my chamber and shut the door1 with
 some such feeling as ,i should have    
closed the entrance of a tomb behind me 
forever4 ,i fought myself all that      
night4 ,my heart was hungry and cried   
out for food1 and ,i would promise it   
none at all4 ,is there anyone who thinks
 that youth has monopolized all the     
passion of life1 all the rapture1 all   
the wild despair8 ,let them breast the  
deep1 strong current of middle life4  ,i
 never could quite recollect how that   
last month went away4 ,i know that ,i   
kept myself incessantly occupied1 and   
that ,i saw them almost daily1 without  
departing from the tone of familiar     
friendship ,i had worn throughout1      
although my heart was full of jealousy  
and a fast-growing hatred that would not
 be quelled4 ,not for a thousand happy  
loves would ,i have let them see my     

humiliation4 ,i was even afraid that    
already he might suspect it1 for his    
manner was changed4 ,sometimes he was   
distant1 sometimes sad1 and sometimes   
almost tenderer than a friend4  ,it got 
to be ,october1 and ,i felt that ,i     
could not bear such a state of things   
any longer1 and questioned within myself
 whether ,i had better not leave home   
for a while4 ,if ,i had been alone1 it  
would have been easy2 but my cousin     
,mary was still with me1 and ,i could   
give no good reason for such a step4    
,before ,i had settled upon anything1   
,lucy came to me in great distress1 with
 a confession that ,mr4 ,ames was       
somehow turned against her1 and that she
 was almost heart-broken about it4 ,if  
she lost him1 she must die2 for she had 
so long looked upon him as her husband1 
and loved him so well1 that life would  
be nothing without him4 ,what should she
 do8 ,would ,i advise her8  ,i didn't   
know1 until long afterward1 that it was 
a consummate piece of acting1 dictated  

by the mother1 and that she was as      
heartless as it was possible for a young
 girl to be2 and while she lay weeping  
at my feet1 ,i pitied her1 and wondered 
if1 perhaps1 there might not be some    
spring of generous feeling in her heart1
 that a happy love would unlock4 ,the   
next morning ,i went out alone1 for a   
ride1 in a direction where ,i thought ,i
 could not be disturbed4 ,up hill and   
down1 over roads1 pastures1 and streams1
 ,i tore until the fever within was     
allayed1 and then ,i stopped to rest1   
and look upon the beauties of the bright
 ,october day4 ,all overhead and around1
 the sky and patches of water were of   
that far-looking blue which seems all   
ready to open upon new and wonderful    
worlds4 ,big1 bright drops of a         
night-shower lay asleep in the curled-up
 leaves1 as though the trees had        
stretched out a million hands to catch  
them4 ,and such hands6 ,what comparison 
could match them8 ,clouds of            
butterflies1 such as sleep among the    

flowers of ,paradise1--forgotten dreams 
of children1 who sleep and              
smile1--fancies of fairy laureates1     
strung shining together for some high   
festival1--anything most rich or unreal1
 might furnish a type for the foliage   
that was painted upon the golden blue of
 that ,october day4 ,i could almost have
 forgotten my trouble in the charmed    
gaze4  ,you turn up in strange places1  
,rachel6 said a voice behind me4  ,this 
was what ,i had dreaded2 but ,i         
swallowed love and fear in one great    
gulp1 and shut my teeth with a          
resolution of iron4 ,i would not be     
guilty of the meanness of standing in   
that child's way1 if she were but a     
fool2 so ,i answered him gayly4  ',the  
same to yourself1' as ,neighbor ,dawkins
 would say4 ,why didn't you all go to   
the lake1 as you planned last night8    
,for some good reasons4 ,were you       
bewitched1 that you stood here so still8
 ,he looked brightly into my face1 as he
 came up4  ,no1--but the trees are4     

,shouldn't you think that ,oberon had   
held high court here over-night8  ,and  
that they had left their wedding-dresses
 upon the boughs8 ,yes1 they are gay    
enough6 ,but where have you been these  
four weeks1 that ,i haven't got speech  
with you8  ,a pretty question1 when     
you've been at my house almost every    
day6 ,where are your senses1 man8  ,i   
know too well where they are1 he said4  
,but ,i've wanted a good talk with you1 
face to face1--not with a veil of       
commonplace people between4 ,you're not 
yourself among them4 ,i like you best   
when your spirits are a little ruffled1 
and your eye kindles1 and your lip      
curls1 as it does now1--not when you    
say1 ,no1 ,sir1 or ,yes1 ,ma'am1 and    
smile as though it were only skin-deep4 
,i started my horse4  ,let's be going1  
,jessie1 ,i said4 ,it's our duty to feel
 insulted4 ,he accuses your mistress of 
being deceitful among her friends1 and  
says he likes her when she's cross4  ,he
 laughed lightly1 and walked along by my

 side4  ,how are your ladies8 and when  
will ,miss ,lucy come to ride out with  
me8 ,i asked1 fearing a look into his   
eyes4  ,this brought him down4 ,i knew  
it would4  ,he answered that she was    
well1 and walked along with his head    
down1 quite like another man4 ,at length
 he looked up1 very pale1 and put his   
hand on my bridle4  ,i want to put a    
case to you1 he said4 ,suppose a man to 
have made some engagement before his    
mind was mature1 and under a strong     
outside pressure of which he was not    
aware4 ,when he grows to a better       
knowledge of the world and himself1 and 
finds that he has been half cheated1 and
 that to keep his word will entail      
lasting misery and ruin on himself1     
without really benefiting any one else1 
is he bound to keep it8  ,i stopped an  
instant to press my heart back1 and then
 ,i answered him4  ,a promise is a      
promise1 ,mr4 ,ames4 ,i have thought    
that a man of honor valued his word more
 than happiness or life4  ,he flushed a 

moment1 and then looked down again2 and 
we walked on slowly1 without a word1    
over the stubbly ground1 and through    
brooklets and groves and thickets1      
towards home4 ,if ,i could only reach   
there before he spoke again6 ,how could 
,i hold out to do my duty1 if ,i were   
tempted any farther8 ,at last he checked
 the horse1 and1 putting his hand       
heavily on mine1 looked me full in the  
face1 while his was pale and agitated4  
,rachel1 he said1 huskily1 if a man came
 to you and said1 ',i am bound to       
another2 but my heart1 my soul1 my life 
are at your feet1' would you turn him   
away8  ,i gasped one long breath of     
fresh air4  ,do ,i look like a woman who
 would take a man's love at second hand8
 ,i said1 haughtily4 ,women like me must
 respect the man they marry1 ,sir4  ,he 
dropped his hand1 and turned away his   
head1 with a deep-drawn breath4 ,i saw  
him stoop and lift himself again1 as    
though some weight were laid upon his   
shoulders4 ,i saw the muscles round and 

ridgy upon his clenched hand4 ,all this 
for a silly1 shallow thing1 who knows   
nothing of the heart she loses6 some    
tempter whispered1 and passionate words 
of love rushed up and beat hard against 
my shut teeth4 ,get thee behind me6 ,i  
muttered1 and resolutely started my     
horse forward4 ,not for her1--but for   
myself1--for self-respect6 ,the best    
love in the world shall not buy that6   
,he came along beside me1 silent1 and   
stepping heavily1 and thus we went to   
the leafy lane that came out near my    
house4 ,there ,i stopped2 for ,i felt   
that this must end now4  ,mr4 ,ames1 you
 must leave this place1 directly1 ,i    
said1 with as much sternness as ,i could
 assume4 ,if you please1 ,i will bid you
 good-bye1 now4  ,not see you again1    
,rachel8 he exclaimed1 sharply4 ,no6 not
 that6 ,forgive me1 if ,i have said too 
much2 but don't send me away6  ,he took 
my hand in both his1 and gazed as one   
might for a sentence of life or death4  
,will you let a woman's strength shame  

you8 ,i cried1 desperately4 ,i thought  
you were a man of honor1 ,mr4 ,ames4 ,i 
trusted you entirely1 but ,i will never 
trust any one again4  ,he dropped my    
hand1 and drew himself up4  ,you are    
right1 ,rachel6 you are right1 he said1 
after a moment's thought4 ,no one must  
trust me1 and be disappointed4 ,i have  
never forgotten that before2 please     
,god1 ,i never will again4 ,but must ,i 
say farewell here8  ,it is better1 ,i   
said4  ,good-bye1 then1 dear            
friend6--dear friend6 he whispered4 ,if 
you ever love any better than yourself1 
you will know how to forgive me4  ,i    
felt his kiss on my hand1 and felt1     
rather than saw1 his last look1 for ,i  
dared not raise my eyes to his2 and ,i  
knew that he had turned back1 and that  
,i had seen the last of him4 ,for one   
instant ,i thought ,i would follow and  
tell him that he did not suffer alone2  
but before my horse was half turned1 ,i 
was myself again4  ,fool6 ,i said4 ,if  
you let the dam down1 can you push the  

waters back again8 ,would that man let  
anything upon earth stand between him   
and a woman that loved him8 ,let him go 
so4 ,he'll forget you in six months4  ,i
 had to endure a farewell call from     
,lucy and her mother4 ,mr4 ,ames had    
received a sudden summons home1 and they
 were to accompany him a part of the    
way4 ,the elder scrutinized me very     
closely1 but ,i think she got nothing to
 satisfy her2 the younger kissed and    
shed tears enough for the parting of    
twin sisters4 ,how ,i hated her6 ,in a  
couple of days they were gone1 ,mr4     
,ames calling to see me when he knew me 
to be out1 and leaving a civil message  
only4 ,the house was closed1 the faded  
leaves fell all about the doorway1 and  
the grass withered upon the little lawn4
  ,that play is over1 and the curtain   
dropped1 ,i said to myself1 as ,i took  
one long look towards the old house1 and
 closed the shutters that opened that   
way4  ,you who have suffered some great 
loss1 and stagger for want of strength  

to walk alone1 thank ,god for work4     
,nothing like that for bracing up a     
feeble heart6 ,i worked restlessly from 
morning till night1 and often encroached
 on what should have been sleep4 ,hard  
work1 real sinewy labor1 was all that   
would content me2 and ,i found enough of
 it4 ,to have been a proper heroine1 ,i 
suppose ,i should have devoted myself to
 works of charity1 read sentimental     
poetry1 and folded my hands very meekly 
and prettily2 but ,i did no such thing4 
,i ripped up carpets1 and scoured paint1
 and swept down cobwebs1 ,i made        
sweetmeats and winter clothing1 ,i dug  
up and set out trees1 and smoothed the  
turf in my garden1 and tramped round my 
fields with the man behind me1 to see if
 the fences needed mending1 or if the   
marshes were properly drained1 or the   
fallow land wanted ploughing4 ,it made  
me better4 ,all the sickliness of my    
grief passed away1 and only the         
deep-lying regret was left like a weight
 to which my heart soon became          

accustomed4 ,we can manage trouble much 
better than we often do1 if we only     
choose to try resolutely4  ,i had but   
one relapse4 ,it was when ,i got news of
 their marriage4 ,i remember the day    
with a peculiar distinctness2 for it was
 the first snow-storm of the season1 and
 ,i had been out walking all the        
afternoon4 ,it was one of those soft1   
leaden-colored1 expectant days1 of late 
autumn or early winter1 when one is sure
 of snow2 and ,i went out on purpose to 
see it fall among the woods2 for it was 
just upon ,christmas1 and ,i longed to  
see the black ground covered4 ,by-and-by
 a few flakes sauntered down1 coquetting
 as to where they would alight2 then a  
few more followed1 thickening and       
thickening until the whole upper air was
 alive with them1 and the frozen ridges 
whitened along their backs1 and every   
little stiff blade of grass or rush or  
dead bush held all it could carry4 ,it  
was pleasant to see the quiet wonder go 
on1 until the landscape was completely  

changed1--to walk home scuffing the snow
 from the frozen road on which my feet  
had ground as ,i came that way1 and see 
the fences full1 and the hollows heaped 
up level1 and the birches bent down with
 their hair hidden1 and the broad arms  
of the fir-trees loaded1 like sombre    
cotton-pickers going home heavily laden4
 ,then to see the brassy streak widen in
 the west1 and the cold moon hang       
astonished upon the dead tops of some   
distant pine-trees1 was to enjoy a most 
beautiful picture1 with only the cost of
 a little fatigue4  ,when ,i got home1  
,i found among my letters one from ,mr4 
,ames4 ,he could not leave the country  
without pleading once more for my       
esteem1 he wrote4 ,he had not intended  
to marry until he could think more      
calmly of the past2 but ,lucy's mother  
had married again very suddenly into a  
family where her daughter found it not  
pleasant to follow her4 ,she was poor1  
without very near relatives now1 and    
friends1 on both sides1 had urged the   

marriage4 ,he had told her the state of 
his feelings1 and offered1 if she could 
overlook the want of love1 to be        
everything else to her4 ,she should     
never repent the step1 and he prayed me1
 when ,i thought of him1 to think as    
leniently as possible4 ,alas6 now ,i    
must not think at all4  ,how ,i fought  
that thought1--how ,i worked by day1 and
 studied deep into the night1 filling   
every hour full to the brim with        
activity1 seems now a feverish dream to 
me4 ,such dead thoughts will not be     
buried out of sight1 but lie cold and   
stiff1 until the falling foliage of     
seasons of labor and experience eddies  
round them1 and moss and herbs venture  
to grow over their decay1 and birds come
 slowly and curiously to sing a little  
there4 ,in time1 the mound is beautiful 
with the richness of the growth1 but the
 lord of the manor shudders as he walks 
that way4 ,for him1 it is always        
haunted4  ,thus with me4 ,i knew that   
the sorrow was doing me good1 that it   

had been needed long1 and ,i tried to   
profit by it1 as the time came when ,i  
could think calmly of it all4 ,i thought
 ,i had ceased to love him2 but the news
 of her death 7for she died in two      
years7 taught me better4 ,i heard of him
 from others1--that he had been most    
tender and indulgent to a selfish1      
heartless woman1 who trifled with his   
best feelings1 and almost broke his     
heart before she went4 ,i heard that he 
had one child1 a poor little blind baby1
 for whom the mother had neither love   
nor care1 and that he still continued   
abroad4 ,but from himself ,i never heard
 a word4 ,no doubt he had forgotten me1 
as ,i had always thought he would4      
,more than two years passed1 and        
spring-time was upon us1 when ,i heard  
that he had returned to the country1 and
 was to be married shortly to a wealthy1
 beautiful widow he had found abroad4   
,at first we heard that he was married1 
and then that he was making great       
preparations1 but would not marry until 

autumn4 ,even the bride's dress was     
described1 and the furniture of the     
house of which she was to be mistress4  
,i had expected some such thing1 but it 
added one more drop of bitterness to the
 yearning ,i had for him4 ,it was so    
hard to think him like any other man6   
,however1 now1 as before1 ,i covered up 
the wound with a smiling face1 and went 
about my business4 ,i had been making   
extensive improvements on my farm1 and  
kept out all day often1 over-seeing the 
laborers4 ,one night1 a soft1 starlight 
evening in late ,may1 ,i came home very 
tired1 and1 being quite alone1 sat down 
on the portico to watch the stars and   
think4 ,i had not been long there1 when 
a man's step came up the avenue1 and    
some person1 ,i could not tell who in   
the darkness1 opened the gate1 and came 
slowly up towards me4 ,i rose1 and bade 
him good-evening4  ,is it you1 ,rachel8 
he said1 quite faintly4 ,it was his     
voice4 ,thank ,heaven for the darkness6 
,the hand ,i gave him might tremble1 but

 my face should betray nothing4 ,i      
invited him into the parlor1 and rang   
for lights4  ,he's come to see about    
selling the old house1 ,i thought2 there
 was a report that he would sell it by  
auction4 ,when the lights came1 he      
looked eagerly at me4  ,am ,i much      
changed8 ,i said1 with a half-bitter    
smile4  ,not so much as ,i1 he answered1
 sighing and looking down2--he seemed to
 be in deep thought for a moment4  ,he  
was much changed4 ,his hair was turning 
gray2 his face was thin1 with a subdued 
expression ,i had never expected to see 
him wear4 ,he must have suffered        
greatly2 and1 as ,i looked1 my heart    
began to melt4 ,that would not do2 and  
besides1 what was the need of pity1 when
 he had consoled himself8 ,i asked some 
ordinary question about his journey1 and
 led him into a conversation on foreign 
travel4  ,the evening passed away as it 
might with two strangers1 and he rose to
 go1 with a grave face and manner as    
cold as mine1--for ,i had been very     

cold4 ,i followed him to the door1 and  
asked how long he stayed at ,huntsville4
  ,only a part of the next day1 he said2
 his child could not be left any longer2
 but he wished very much to see me1 and 
so had contrived to get a few days4     
,indeed6 ,i said4 ,you honor me4 ,your  
,huntsville friends scarcely expected to
 be remembered so long4  ,they have not 
done me justice1 then1 he said1 quietly4
 ,i seem to have the warmest            
recollection of any4 ,good-night1 ,miss 
,mead4 ,i shall not be likely to see you
 again4  ,he gave me his hand1 but it   
was very cold1 and ,i let it slip as    
coldly from mine4 ,he went down the     
gravel-walk slowly and heavily1 and he  
certainly sighed as he closed the gate4 
,could ,i give him up thus8 ,down pride6
 ,you have held sway long enough6 ,i    
must part more kindly1 or die6 ,i ran   
down the gravel-walk and overtook him in
 the avenue4 ,he stopped as ,i came up1 
and turned to meet me4  ,forgive me1 ,i 
said1 breathlessly4 ,i could not part   

with old friends so1 after wishing so   
much for them4  ,he took both my hands  
in his4 ,have you wished for me1        
,rachel8 he said1 tenderly4 ,i thought  
you would scarcely have treated a       
stranger with so little kindness4  ,i   
was afraid to be warmer1 ,i said4       
,afraid of what8 he asked4  ,my mouth   
was unsealed4 ,are you to be married8 ,i
 asked4  ,i have no such expectation1 he
 answered4  ,and are not engaged to any 
one8  ,to nothing but an old love1 dear6
 ,was that why you were afraid to show  
yourself to me8  ,yes6 ,i answered1     
making no resistance to the arm that was
 put gently round me4 ,he was mine now1 
,i knew1 as ,i felt the strong heart    
beating fast against my own4  ,rachel1  
he whispered1 the only woman ,i ever did
 or ever can love1 will you send me away
 again8     ,a ,,shetland ,,shawl4      
,it was made of the purest and finest   
wool1     ,as fine as silk1 and as soft 
and cool2     ,it was pearly white1 of  
that cloud-like hue     ,which has a    

shadowy tinge of blue2     ,and brought 
by the good ship1 miles and miles1      
,from the distant shores of the         
,shetland ,isles4      ,and in it were  
woven1 here and there1     ,the golden  
threads of a maiden's hair1     ,as the 
wanton wind with tosses and twirls      
,blew in and out of her floating curls1 
,while her busy fingers swiftly drew    
,the ivory needle through and through4  
,the warm sun flashed on the brilliant  
dyes     ,of the purple and golden      
butterflies1     ,and the drowsy bees1  
with a changeless tune1     ,hummed in  
the perfumed air of ,june1     ,as the  
gossamer fabric1 fair to view1          
,under the maiden's fingers grew4       
,the shadows of tender thought arise    
,in the tranquil depths of her dreamy   
eyes1     ,and her blushing cheek bears 
the first impress     ,of the spirit's  
awakening consciousness1     ,like the  
rose1 when it bursts1 in a single hour1 
,from the folded bud to the perfect     
flower4      ,many a tremulous hope and 

care1     ,many a loving wish and       
prayer1     ,with the blissful dreams of
 one who stood     ,at the golden gate  
of womanhood1     ,the little maiden's  
tireless hands     ,wove in and out of  
the shining strands4      ,the buds that
 burst in an ,april sun     ,had seen   
the wonderful shawl begun2     ,it was  
finished1 and folded up with pride1     
,when the vintage purpled the           
mountain-side2     ,and smiles made     
light in the violet eyes1     ,at the   
thought of a lover's pleased surprise4  
,the spider hung from the budding thorn 
,his baseless web1 when the shawl was   
worn2     ,and the cobwebs1 silvered by 
the dew1     ,with the morning sunshine 
breaking through1     ,the maiden's toil
 might well recall1     ,in the vanished
 year1 on the ,shetland ,shawl4         
,for the rose had died in the autumn    
showers1     ,that bloomed in the       
summer's golden hours2     ,and the     
shining tissue of hopes and dreams1     
,with misty glories and rainbow gleams  

,woven within and out1 was one     ,like
 the slender thread by the spider spun4 
,as fresh and as pure as the sad young  
face1     ,the snowy shawl with its     
clinging grace     ,seems a fitting veil
 for a form so fair3     ,but who would 
think what a tale of care1     ,of love 
and grief and faith1 might all     ,be  
folded up in a ,shetland ,shawl8        
,,roba ,,di ,,roma4  ,continued4        
,,chapter ,,vi4  ,,games ,,in ,,rome4   
,walking1 during pleasant weather1      
almost anywhere in ,rome1 but especially
 in passing through the enormous arches 
of the ,temple of ,peace1 or along by   
the ,colosseum1 or some wayside osteria 
outside the city-walls1 the ear of the  
traveller is often saluted by the loud1 
explosive tones of two voices going off 
together1 at little intervals1 like a   
brace of pistol-shots2 and turning round
 to seek the cause of these strange     
sounds1 he will see two men1 in a very  
excited state1 shouting1 as they fling  
out their hands at each other with      

violent gesticulation4 ,ten to one he   
will say to himself1 if he be a stranger
 in ,rome1 ,how quarrelsome and         
passionate these ,italians are6 ,if he  
be an ,englishman or an ,american1 he   
will be sure to congratulate himself on 
the superiority of his own countrymen1  
and wonder why these fellows stand there
 shaking their fists at each other1 and 
screaming1 instead of fighting it out   
like men1--and muttering1 ,a cowardly   
pack1 too6 will pass on1 perfectly      
satisfied with his facts and his        
philosophy4 ,but what he has seen was   
really not a quarrel4 ,it is simply the 
game of ,mora1 as old as the ,pyramids1 
and formerly played among the host of   
,pharaoh and the armies of ,csar as now 
by the subjects of ,pius ,,ix4 ,it is   
thus played4  ,two persons place        
themselves opposite each other1 holding 
their right hands closed before them4   
,they then simultaneously and with a    
sudden gesture throw out their hands1   
some of the fingers being extended1 and 

others shut up on the palm1--each       
calling out in a loud voice1 at the same
 moment1 the number he guesses the      
fingers extended by himself and his     
adversary to make4 ,if neither cry out  
aright1 or if both cry out aright1      
nothing is gained or lost2 but if only  
one guess the true number1 he wins a    
point4 ,thus1 if one throw out four     
fingers and the other two1 he who cries 
out six makes a point1 unless the other 
cry out the same number4 ,the points are
 generally five1 though sometimes they  
are doubled1 and as they are made1 they 
are marked by the left hand1 which1     
during the whole game1 is held stiffly  
in the air at about the shoulders'      
height1 one finger being extended for   
every point4 ,when the partito is won1  
the winner cries out1 ,fatto6 or        
,guadagnato6 or ,vinto6 or else strikes 
his hands across each other in sign of  
triumph4 ,this last sign is also used   
when ,double ,mora is played1 to        
indicate that five points are made4  ,so

 universal is this game in ,rome1 that  
the very beggars play away their        
earnings at it4 ,it was only yesterday1 
as ,i came out of the gallery of the    
,capitol1 that ,i saw two who had       
stopped screaming for baiocchi per amor 
di ,dio1 to play pauls against each     
other at ,mora4 ,one1 a cripple1        
supported himself against a column1 and 
the other1 with his ragged cloak slung  
on his shoulder1 stood opposite him4    
,they staked a paul each time with the  
utmost nonchalance1 and played with an  
earnestness and rapidity which showed   
that they were old hands at it1 while   
the coachmen from their boxes cracked   
their whips1 and jeered and joked them1 
and the shabby circle around them       
cheered them on4 ,i stopped to see the  
result1 and found that the cripple won  
two successive games4 ,but his cloaked  
antagonist bore his losses like a hero1 
and when all was over1 he did his best  
with the strangers issuing from the     
,capitol to line his pockets for a new  

chance4  ,nothing is more simple and    
apparently easy than ,mora1 yet to play 
it well requires quickness of perception
 and readiness in the calculation of    
chances4 ,as each player1 of course1    
knows how many fingers he himself throws
 out1 the main point is to guess the    
number of fingers thrown by his         
opponent1 and to add the two            
instantaneously together4 ,a player of  
skill will soon detect the favorite     
numbers of his antagonist1 and it is    
curious to see how remarkably clever    
some of them are in divining1 from the  
movement of the hand1 the number to be  
thrown4 ,the game is always played with 
great vivacity1 the hands being flung   
out with vehemence1 and the numbers     
shouted at the full pitch of the voice1 
so as to be heard at a considerable     
distance4 ,it is from the sudden opening
 of the fingers1 while the hands are in 
the air1 that the old ,roman phrase1    
micare digitis1 to flash with the       
fingers1 is derived4  ,a bottle of wine 

is generally the stake2 and round the   
osterias1 of a festa-day1 when the game 
is played after the blood has been      
heated and the nerves strained by       
previous potations1 the regular volleyed
 explosions of ,tre6 ,cinque6 ,otto6    
,tutti6 are often interrupted by hot    
discussions4 ,but these are generally   
settled peacefully by the bystanders1   
who act as umpires1--and the excitement 
goes off in talk4 ,the question arises  
almost invariably upon the number of    
fingers flashed out2 for an unscrupulous
 player has great opportunities of      
cheating1 by holding a finger half      
extended1 so as to be able to close or  
open it afterwards according to         
circumstances2 but sometimes the losing 
party will dispute as to the number     
called out4 ,the thumb is the father of 
all evil at ,mora1 it being often       
impossible to say whether it was        
intended to be closed or not1 and an    
unskilful player is easily deceived in  
this matter by a clever one4 ,when      

,tutti is called1 all the fingers1 thumb
 and all1 must be extended1 and then it 
is an even chance that a discussion will
 take place as to whether the thumb was 
out4 ,sometimes1 when the blood is hot1 
and one of the parties has been losing1 
violent quarrels will arise1 which the  
umpires cannot decide1 and1 in very rare
 cases1 knives are drawn and blood is   
spilled4 ,generally these disputes end  
in nothing1 and1 often as ,i have seen  
this game1 ,i have never been a         
spectator of any quarrel1 though        
discussions numberless ,i have heard4   
,but1 beyond vague stories by           
foreigners1 in which ,i put no          
confidence1 the vivacity of the         
,italians easily leading persons        
unacquainted with their characters to   
mistake a very peaceable talk for a     
violent quarrel1 ,i know of only one    
case that ended tragically4 ,there a    
savage quarrel1 begun at ,mora1 was with
 difficulty pacified by the bystanders1 
and one of the parties withdrew to an   

osteria to drink with his companions4   
,but while he was there1 the rage which 
had been smothered1 but not             
extinguished1 in the breast of his      
antagonist1 blazed out anew4 ,rushing at
 the other1 as he sat by the table of   
the osteria1 he attacked him fiercely   
with his knife4 ,the friends of both    
parties started at once to their feet1  
to interpose and tear them apart2 but   
before they could reach them1 one of the
 combatants dropped bleeding and dying  
on the floor1 and the other fled like a 
maniac from the room4  ,this readiness  
of the ,italians to use the knife1 for  
the settlement of every dispute1 is     
generally attributed by foreigners to   
the passionateness of their nature2 but 
,i am inclined to believe that it also  
results from their entire distrust of   
the possibility of legal redress in the 
courts4 ,where courts are organized as  
they are in ,naples1 who but a fool     
would trust to them8 ,open tribunals1   
where justice should be impartially     

administered1 would soon check private  
assassinations2 and were there more     
honest and efficient police courts1     
there would be far fewer knives drawn4  
,the ,englishman invokes the aid of the 
law1 knowing that he can count upon     
prompt justice2 take that belief from   
him1 he1 too1 like ,harry ,gow1 would   
fight for his own hand4 ,in the         
half-organized society of the less      
civilized parts of the ,united ,states1 
the pistol and bowie-knife are as       
frequent arbiters of disputes as the    
stiletto is among the ,italians4 ,but it
 would be a gross error to argue from   
this1 that the ,americans are violent   
and passionate by nature2 for1 among the
 same people in the older ,states1 where
 justice is cheaply and strictly        
administered1 the pistol and bowie-knife
 are almost unknown4 ,despotism and     
slavery nurse the passions of men2 and  
wherever law is loose1 or courts are    
venal1 public justice assumes the shape 
of private vengeance4 ,the farther south

 one goes in ,italy1 the more frequent  
is violence and the more unrepressed are
 the passions4 ,compare ,piedmont with  
,naples1 and the difference is immense4 
,the dregs of vice and violence settle  
to the south4 ,rome is worse than       
,tuscany1 and ,naples worse than        
,rome1--not so much because of the      
nature of the people1 as of the         
government and the laws4  ,but to return
 to ,mora4 ,as ,i was walking out beyond
 the ,porta ,san ,giovanni the other    
day1 ,i heard the most ingenious and    
consolatory periphrasis for a defeat    
that it was ever my good-fortune to     
hear2 and1 as it shows the peculiar     
humor of the ,romans1 it may here have a
 place4 ,two of a party of contadini had
 been playing at ,mora1 the stakes      
being1 as usual1 a bottle of wine1 and  
each1 in turn1 had lost and won4 ,a     
lively and jocose discussion now arose  
between the friends on the one side and 
the players on the other1--the former   
claiming that each of the latter was to 

pay his bottle of wine for the game he  
lost1 7to be drunk1 of course1 by all17 
and the latter insisting1 that1 as one  
loss offset the other1 nothing was to be
 paid by either4 ,as ,i passed1 one of  
the players was speaking4 ,il primo     
partito1 he said1 ho guadagnato io2 e   
poi1 nel secondo1--here a pause1--ho    
perso la vittoria3 ,the first game1 ,i  
won2 the second1 ,i----lost the victory4
 ,and with this happy periphrasis1 our  
friend admitted his defeat4 ,i could not
 but think how much better it would have
 been for the ,french1 if this ingenious
 mode of adjusting with the ,english the
 ,battle of ,waterloo had ever occurred 
to them4 ,to admit that they were       
defeated was of course impossible2 but  
to acknowledge that they lost the       
victory would by no means have been     
humiliating4 ,this would have soothed   
their irritable national vanity1        
prevented many heart-burnings1 saved    
long and idle arguments and terrible    
kicking against the pricks1 and rendered

 a friendly alliance possible4  ,no game
 has a better pedigree than ,mora4 ,it  
was played by the ,egyptians more than  
two thousand years before the ,christian
 era4 ,in the paintings at ,thebes and  
in the temples of ,beni-,hassan1 seated 
figures may be seen playing it1--some   
keeping their reckoning with the left   
hand uplifted1--some striking off the   
game with both hands1 to show that it   
was won1--and1 in a word1 using the same
 gestures as the modern ,romans4 ,from  
,egypt it was introduced into ,greece4  
,the ,romans brought it from ,greece at 
an early period1 and it has existed     
among them ever since1 having suffered  
apparently no alteration4 ,its ancient  
,roman name was ,micatio1 and to play it
 was called micare digitis1--to flash   
the fingers1--the modern name ,mora     
being merely a corruption of the verb   
micare4 ,varro describes it precisely as
 it is now played2 and ,cicero1 in the  
first book of his treatise ,de          
,divinatione1 thus alludes to it3--,quid

 enim est sors8 ,idem propemodum quod   
micare1 quod talos jacere1 quod         
tesseras2 quibus in rebus temeritas et  
casus1 non ratio et consilium valent4   
,so common was it1 that it became the   
basis of an admirable proverb1 to denote
 the honesty of a person3--,dignus est  
quicum in tenebris mices3 ,so           
trustworthy1 that one may play ,mora    
with him in the dark4 ,at one period    
they carried their love of it so far1   
that they used to settle by micatio the 
sales of merchandise and meat in the    
,forum1 until ,apronius1 prefect of the 
city1 prohibited the practice in the    
following terms1 as appears by an old   
inscription1 which is particularly      
interesting as containing an admirable  
pun3 ,sub exagio potius pecora vendere  
quam digitis concludentibus tradere3    
,sell your sheep by the balance1 and do 
not bargain or deceive 7tradere having  
both these meanings7 by opening and     
shutting your fingers at ,mora4  ,one of
 the various kinds of the old ,roman    

game of ,pila still survives under the  
modern name of ,pallone4 ,it is played  
between two sides1 each numbering from  
five to eight persons4 ,each of the     
players is armed with a bracciale1 or   
gantlet of wood1 covering the hand and  
extending nearly up to the elbow1 with  
which a heavy ball is beaten backwards  
and forwards1 high into the air1 from   
one side to the other4 ,the object of   
the game is to keep the ball in constant
 flight1 and whoever suffers it to fall 
dead within his bounds loses4 ,it may1  
however1 be struck in its rebound1      
though the best strokes are before it   
touches the ground4 ,the bracciali are  
hollow tubes of wood1 thickly studded   
outside with pointed bosses1 projecting 
an inch and a half1 and having inside1  
across the end1 a transverse bar1 which 
is grasped by the hand1 so as to render 
them manageable to the wearer4 ,the     
balls1 which are of the size of a large 
cricket-ball1 are made of leather1 and  
are so heavy1 that1 when well played1   

they are capable of breaking the arm1   
unless properly received on the         
bracciale4 ,they are inflated with air1 
which is pumped into them with a long   
syringe1 through a small aperture closed
 by a valve inside4 ,the game is played 
on an oblong figure1 marked out on the  
ground1 or designated by the wall around
 the sunken platform on which it is     
played2 across the centre is drawn a    
transverse line1 dividing equally the   
two sides4 ,whenever a ball either falls
 outside the lateral boundary or is not 
struck over the central line1 it counts 
against the party playing it4 ,when it  
flies over the extreme limits1 it is    
called a volata1 and is reckoned the    
best stroke that can be made4 ,at the   
end of the lists is a spring-board1 on  
which the principal player stands4 ,the 
best batter is always selected for this 
post2 the others are distributed about4 
,near him stands the pallonaio1 whose   
office is to keep the balls well        
inflated with air1 and he is busy nearly

 all the time4 ,facing him1 at a short  
distance1 is the mandarino1 who gives   
ball4 ,as soon as the ball leaves the   
mandarino's hand1 the chief batter runs 
forward to meet it1 and strikes it as   
far and high as he can1 with the        
bracciale4 ,four times in succession    
have ,i seen a good player strike a     
volata1 with the loud applause of the   
spectators4 ,when this does not occur1  
the two sides bat the ball backwards and
 forwards1 from one to the other1       
sometimes fifteen or twenty times before
 the point is won2 and as it falls here 
and there1 now flying high in the air   
and caught at once on the bracciale     
before touching the ground1 now glancing
 back from the wall which generally     
forms one side of the lists1 the players
 rush eagerly to hit it1 calling loudly 
to each other1 and often displaying     
great agility1 skill1 and strength4 ,the
 interest now becomes very exciting2 the
 bystanders shout when a good stroke is 
made1 and groan and hiss at a miss1     

until1 finally1 the ball is struck over 
the lists1 or lost within them4 ,the    
points of the game are fifty1--the first
 two strokes counting fifteen each1 and 
the others ten each4 ,when one side     
makes the fifty before the other has    
made anything1 it is called a marcio1   
and counts double4 ,as each point is    
made1 it is shouted by the caller1 who  
stands in the middle and keeps the      
count1 and proclaims the bets of the    
spectators4  ,this game is as national  
to the ,italians as cricket to the      
,english2 it is not only1 as it seems to
 me1 much more interesting than the     
latter1 but requires vastly more        
strength1 agility1 and dexterity1 to    
play it well4 ,the ,italians give       
themselves to it with all the enthusiasm
 of their nature1 and many a young      
fellow injures himself for life by the  
fierceness of his batting4 ,after the   
excitement and stir of this game1 which 
only the young and athletic can play    
well1 cricket seems a very dull affair4 

,the game of ,pallone has always been a 
favorite one in ,rome2 and near the     
summit of the ,quattro ,fontane1 in the 
,barberini grounds1 there is a circus1  
which used to be specially devoted to   
public exhibitions during the summer    
afternoons4 ,at these representations1  
the most renowned players were engaged  
by an impresario4 ,the audience was     
generally large1 and the entrance-fee   
was one paul4 ,wonderful feats were     
sometimes performed here2 and on the    
wall are marked the heights of some     
remarkable volate4 ,the players were    
clothed in a thin1 tight dress1 like    
saltimbanchi4 ,one side wore a blue1 and
 the other a red ribbon1 on the arm4    
,the contests1 generally1 were fiercely 
disputed1--the spectators betting       
heavily1 and shouting1 as good or bad   
strokes were made4 ,sometimes a line was
 extended across the amphitheatre1 from 
wall to wall1 over which it was         
necessary to strike the ball1 a point   
being lost in case it passed below4 ,but

 this is a variation from the game as   
ordinarily played1 and can be ventured  
on only when the players are of the     
first force4 ,the games here1 however1  
are now suspended2 for the ,french1     
since their occupation1 have not only   
seized the post-office1 to convert it   
into a club-room1 and the piano nobile  
of some of the richest palaces1 to serve
 as barracks for their soldiers1 but    
have also driven the ,romans from their 
amphitheatre1 where ,pallone was played1
 to make it into ateliers de gnie4      
,still1 one may see the game played by  
ordinary players1 towards the twilight  
of any summer day1 in the ,piazza di    
,termini1 or near the ,tempio della     
,pace1 or the ,colosseo4 ,the boys from 
the studios and shops also play in the  
streets a sort of mongrel game called   
,pillotta1 beating a small ball back and
 forth1 with a round bat1 shaped like a 
small tamburello and covered with       
parchment4 ,but the real game1 played by
 skilful players1 may be seen almost    

every summer night outside the ,porta a 
,pinti1 in ,florence2 and ,i have also  
seen it admirably played under the      
fortress-wall at ,siena1 the players    
being dressed entirely in white1 with   
loose ruffled jackets1 breeches1 long   
stockings1 and shoes of undressed       
leather1 and the audience sitting round 
on the stone benches1 or leaning over   
the lofty wall1 cheering on the game1   
while they ate the cherries or          
zucca-seeds which were hawked about     
among them by itinerant peddlers4 ,here1
 towards twilight1 one could lounge away
 an hour pleasantly under the shadow of 
the fortress1 looking now at the game   
and now at the rolling country beyond1  
where olives and long battalions of     
vines marched knee-deep through the     
golden grain1 until the purple splendors
 of sunset had ceased to transfigure the
 distant hills1 and the crickets chirped
 louder under the deepening gray of the 
sky4  ,in the walls of the amphitheatre 
at ,florence is a bust in colored marble

 of one of the most famous players of   
his day1 whose battered face seems still
 to preside over the game1 getting now  
and then a smart blow from the ,pallone 
itself1 which1 in its inflation1 is no  
respecter of persons4 ,the honorable    
inscription beneath the bust1           
celebrating the powers of this champion1
 who rejoiced in the surname of         
,earthquake1 is as follows3--  ,josephus
 ,barnius1 ,petiolensis1 vir in jactando
 repercutiendoque folle singularis1 qui 
ob robur ingens maximamque artis        
peritiam1 et collusores ubique devictos1
 ,terrmotus formidabili cognomento      
dictus est4  ,another favorite game of  
ball among the ,romans is ,bocce or     
,boccette4 ,it is played between two    
sides1 consisting of any number of      
persons1 each of whom has two large     
wooden balls of about the size of an    
average ,american nine-pin ball4 ,beside
 these1 there is a little ball called   
the lecco4 ,this is rolled first by one 
of the winning party to any distance he 

pleases1 and the object is to roll or   
pitch the boccette or large balls so as 
to place them beside the lecco4 ,every  
ball of one side nearer to the lecco    
than any ball of the other counts one   
point in the game1--the number of points
 depending on the agreement of the      
parties4 ,the game is played on the     
ground1 and not upon any smooth or      
prepared plane2 and as the lecco often  
runs into hollows1 or poises itself on  
some uneven declivity1 it is sometimes a
 matter of no small difficulty to play  
the other balls near to it4 ,the great  
skill of the game consists1 however1 in 
displacing the balls of the adverse     
party so as to make the balls of the    
playing party count1 and a clever player
 will often change the whole aspect of  
affairs by one well-directed throw4 ,the
 balls are thrown alternately1--first by
 a player on one side1 and then by a    
player on the other4 ,as the game       
advances1 the interest increases1 and   
there is a constant variety4 ,however   

good a throw is made1 it may be ruined  
by the next4 ,sometimes the ball is     
pitched with great accuracy1 so as to   
strike a close-counting ball far into   
the distance1 while the new ball takes  
its place4 ,sometimes the lecco itself  
is suddenly transplanted into a new     
position1 which entirely reverses all   
the previous counting4 ,it is the last  
ball which decides the game1 and1 of    
course1 it is eagerly watched4 ,in the  
,piazza di ,termini numerous parties may
 be seen every bright day in summer or  
spring playing this game under the      
locust-trees1 surrounded by idlers1 who 
stand by to approve or condemn1 and to  
give their advice4 ,the ,french         
soldiers1 once free from drill or guard 
or from practising trumpet-calls on the 
old ,agger of ,servius ,tullius near by1
 are sure to be rolling balls in this   
fascinating game4 ,having heated their  
blood sufficiently at it1 they adjourn  
to a little osteria in the ,piazza to   
refresh themselves with a glass of      

asciutto wine1 after which they sit on a
 bench outside the door1 or stretch     
themselves under the trees1 and take a  
siesta1 with their handkerchiefs over   
their eyes1 while other parties take    
their turn at the bocce4 ,meanwhile1    
from the ,agger beyond are heard the    
distressing trumpets struggling with    
false notes and wheezing and shrieking  
in ludicrous discord1 while now and then
 the solemn bell of ,santa ,maria       
,maggiore tolls from the neighboring    
hill4  ,another favorite game in ,rome  
and ,tuscany is ,ruzzola1 so called from
 the circular disk of wood with which it
 is played4 ,round this the player winds
 tightly a cord1 which1 by a sudden cast
 and backward jerk of the hand1 he      
uncoils so as to send the disk whirling 
along the road4 ,outside the walls1 and 
along all the principal avenues leading 
to the city1 parties are constantly to  
be met playing at this game2 and        
oftentimes before the players are       
visible1 the disk is seen bounding round

 some curve1 to the great danger of     
one's legs4 ,he whose disk whirls the   
farthest wins a point4 ,it is an        
excellent walking game1 and it requires 
some knack to play the disk evenly along
 the road4 ,often the swiftest disks1   
when not well-directed1 bound over the  
hedges1 knock themselves down against   
the walls1 or bury themselves in the    
tangled ditches2 and when well played1  
if they chance to hit a stone in the    
road1 they will leap like mad into the  
air1 at the risk of serious injury to   
any unfortunate passer4 ,in the country1
 instead of wooden disks1 the contadini 
often use cacio di pecora1 a kind of    
hard goat's cheese1 whose rind will     
resist the roughest play4 ,what1 then1  
must be the digestive powers of those   
who eat it1 may be imagined4 ,like the  
peptic countryman1 they probably do not 
know they have a stomach1 not having    
ever felt it2 and certainly they can say
 with ,tony ,lumpkin1 ,it never hurts   
me1 and ,i sleep like a hound after it4 

,in common with the ,french1 the ,romans
 have a passion for the game of         
,dominos4 ,every caff is supplied with a
 number of boxes1 and1 in the evening   
especially1 it is played by young and   
old1 with a seriousness which strikes us
 ,saxons with surprise4 ,we generally   
have a contempt for this game1 and look 
upon it as childish4 ,but ,i know not   
why4 ,it is by no means easy to play    
well1 and requires a careful memory and 
quick powers of combination and         
calculation4 ,no caff in ,rome or       
,marseilles would be complete without   
its little black and white counters2 and
 as it interests at once the most       
mercurial and fidgety of people and the 
laziest and languidest1 it must have    
some hidden charm as yet unrevealed to  
the ,anglo-,saxon4  ,beside ,dominos1   
,chess 7,scacchi7 is often played in    
public in the caffs2 and there is one   
caff named ,dei ,scacchi1 because it is 
frequented by the best chess-players in 
,rome4 ,here matches are often made1 and

 admirable games are played4  ,among the
 ,roman boys the game of ,campana is    
also common4 ,a parallelogram is drawn  
upon the ground and subdivided into four
 squares1 which are numbered4 ,at the   
top and bottom are two small            
semicircles1 or bells1 thus3--          
,illustration  ,each of the players1    
having deposited his stake in the       
semicircle 7b7 at the farthest end1     
takes his station at a short distance1  
and endeavors to pitch some object1     
either a disk or a bit of terracotta1 or
 more generally a baiocco1 into one of  
the compartments4 ,if he lodge it in the
 nearest bell1 7a17 he pays a new stake 
into the pool2 if into the farthest     
bell1 7b17 he takes the whole pool2 if  
into either of the other compartments1  
he takes one1 two1 three1 or four of the
 stakes1 according to the number of the 
compartment4 ,if he lodge on a line1 he 
is abbrucciato1 as it is termed1 and his
 play goes for nothing4 ,among the boys1
 the pool is frequently filled with     

buttons1--among the men1 with baiocchi2 
but buttons or baiocchi are all the same
 to the players1--they are the          
representatives of luck or skill4  ,but 
the game of games in ,rome is the       
,lottery4 ,this is under the direction  
of the government1 which1 with a truly  
ecclesiastic regard for its subjects1   
has organized it into a means of raising
 revenue4 ,the financial objection to   
this method of taxation is1 that its    
hardest pressure is upon the poorest    
classes2 but the moral and political    
objections are still stronger4 ,the     
habit of gambling engendered by it ruins
 the temper1 depraves the morals1 and   
keeps up a constant state of excitement 
at variance with any settled and serious
 occupation4 ,the temptations to        
laziness which it offers are too great  
for any people luxurious or idle by     
temperament2 and the demon of ,luck is  
set upon the altar which should be      
dedicated to ,industry4 ,if one happy   
chance can bring a fortune1 who will    

spend laborious days to gain a          
competence8 ,the common classes in ,rome
 are those who are most corrupted by the
 lottery2 and when they can neither earn
 nor borrow baiocchi to play1 they      
strive to obtain them by beggary1       
cheating1 and sometimes theft4 ,the     
fallacious hope that their ticket will  
some day bring a prize leads them from  
step to step1 until1 having emptied     
their purses1 they are tempted to raise 
the necessary funds by any unjustifiable
 means4 ,when you pay them their wages  
or throw them a buona-mano1 they        
instantly run to the lottery-office to  
play it4 ,loss after loss does not      
discourage them4 ,it is always1 ,the    
next time they are to win1--there was a 
slight mistake in their calculation     
before4 ,some good reason or other is   
always at hand4 ,if by chance one of    
them do happen to win a large sum1 it is
 ten to one that it will cost him his   
life1--that he will fall into a fit1 or 
drop in an apoplexy1 on hearing the     

news4 ,there is a most melancholy       
instance of this in the very next       
house1--of a ,jew made suddenly and     
unexpectedly rich1 who instantly became 
insane in consequence1 and is now the   
most wretched and melancholy spectacle  
that man can ever become1--starving in  
the midst of abundance1 and moving like 
a beast about his house4 ,but of all ill
 luck that can happen to the            
lottery-gambler1 the worst is to win a  
small prize4 ,it is all over with him   
from that time forward2 into the great  
pit of the lottery everything that he   
can lay his hands on is sure to go4     
,there has been some difference of      
opinion as to whether the lottery was of
 later ,italian invention1 or dated back
 to the ,roman ,empire1--some even      
contending that it was in existence in  
,egypt long before that period2 and     
several ingenious discussions may be    
found on this subject in the journals   
and annals of the ,french savans4 ,a    
strong claim has been put forward for   

the ancient ,romans1 on the ground that 
,nero1 ,titus1 and ,heliogabalus were in
 the habit of writing on bits of wood   
and shells the names of various articles
 which they intended to distribute1 and 
then casting them to the crowd to be    
scrambled for4,a ,on some of these      
shells and billets were inscribed the   
names of slaves1 precious vases1 costly 
dresses1 articles of silver and gold1   
valuable beasts1 etc41 which became the 
property of the fortunate persons who   
secured the billets and shells4 ,on     
others were written absurd and useless  
articles1 which turned the laugh against
 the unfortunate finder4 ,some1 for     
instance1 had inscribed upon them ten   
pieces of gold1 and some ten cabbages4  
,some were for one hundred bears1 and   
some for one egg4 ,some for five camels1
 and some for ten flies4 ,in one sense1 
these were lotteries1 and the ,emperors 
deserve all due credit for their        
invention4 ,but the lottery1 according  
to its modern signification1 is of      

,italian origin1 and had its birth in   
,upper ,italy as early as the fourteenth
 or fifteenth century4 ,here it was     
principally practised by the ,venetians 
and ,genoese1 under the name of ,borsa  
di ,ventura1--the prizes consisting     
originally1 not of money1 but of        
merchandise of every kind1--precious    
stones1 pictures1 gold and silver work1 
and similar articles4 ,the great        
difference between them and the ancient 
lotteries of ,heliogabalus and ,nero    
was1 that tickets were bought and prizes
 drawn4 ,the lottery soon came to be    
played1 however1 for money1 and was     
considered so admirable an invention1   
that it was early imported into ,france1
 where ,francis ,i41 in #aeci1 granted  
letters-patent for the establishment of 
one4 ,in the seventeenth century1 this  
infezione1 as an old ,italian writer    
calls it1 was introduced into ,holland  
and ,england1 and at a still later date 
into ,germany4 ,those who invented it   
still retain it2 but those who adopted  

it have rejected it4 ,after nearly three
 centuries' existence in ,france1 it was
 abolished on the #cast of ,december1   
#ahce4 ,the last drawing was at ,paris  
on the #bgth of the same month1 when the
 number of players was so great that it 
became necessary to close the offices   
before the appointed time1 and one      
,englishman is said to have gained a    
quaterno of the sum of one million two  
hundred thousand francs4 ,when abolished
 in ,france1 the government was drawing 
from it a net revenue of twenty million 
francs4  ,in ,italy the lottery was     
proscribed by ,innocent ,,xii41         
,benedict ,,xiii41 and ,clement ,,xii4  
,but it was soon revived4 ,it was not   
without vehement opposers then as now1  
as may be seen by a little work         
published at ,pisa in the early part of 
the last century1 entitled1 ,l',inganno 
non conosciuto1 oppure non voluto       
conoscere1 nell',estrazione del ,lotto4 
,muratori1 in #afif1 calls it1 in his   
,annals of ,italy1 ,inventione dell'    

amara malizia per succiare il sangue dei
 malaccorti giuocatori4 ,in a late      
number of the ,civilt ,cattolica1       
published at ,rome by the ,jesuits1 7the
 motto of which is ,beatus ,populus     
cujus ,dominus ,deus est17 there is1 on 
the other hand1 an elaborate and most   
,jesuitical article1 in which the       
lottery is defended with amusing skill4 
,what ,christendom in general has agreed
 to consider immoral and pernicious in  
its effects on a people seems1 on the   
contrary1 to the writer of this article1
 to be highly moral and commendable4    
,the numbers which can be played are    
from one to ninety4 ,of these only five 
are now drawn4 ,originally the numbers  
drawn were eight1 7otto17--and it is    
said that the ,italian name of this     
game1 lotto1 was derived from this      
circumstance4 ,the player may stake upon
 one1 two1 three1 four1 or five         
numbers1--but no ticket can be taken for
 more than five2 and he may stake upon  
his ticket any sum1 from one baiocco up 

to five scudi1--but the latter sum only 
in case he play upon several chances on 
the same ticket4 ,if he play one number1
 he may either play it al posto         
assegnato1 according to its place in the
 drawing1 as first1 second1 third1      
etc41--or he may play it senza posto1   
without place1 in which case he wins1 if
 the number come anywhere among the five
 drawn4 ,in the latter case1 however1   
the prize is much less in proportion to 
the sum staked4 ,thus1 for one baiocco  
staked al posto assegnato1 a scudo may  
be won2 but to gain a scudo on a number 
senza posto1 seven baiocchi must be     
played4 ,a sum staked upon two numbers  
is called an ambo1--on three1 a         
terno1--on four1 a quaterno1--and on    
five1 a cinquino2 and of course the     
prizes increase in rapid proportion to  
the numbers played1--the sum gained     
multiplying very largely on each        
additional number4 ,for instance1 if two
 baiocchi be staked on an ambo1 the     
prize is one scudo2 but if the same sum 

be staked on a terno1 the prize is a    
hundred scudi4 ,when an ambo is played  
for1 the same two numbers may be played 
as single numbers1 either al posto or   
senza posto1 and in such case one of the
 numbers alone may win4 ,so1 also1 a    
terno may be played so as to include an 
ambo1 and a quaterno so as to include a 
terno and ambo1 and a cinquino so as to 
include all4 ,but whenever more than one
 chance is played for1 the price is     
proportionally increased4 ,for a simple 
terno the limit of price is thirty-five 
pauls4 ,the ordinary rule is to play for
 every chance within the numbers taken2 
but the common people rarely attempt    
more than a terno4 ,if four numbers are 
played with all their chances1 they are 
reckoned as four terni1 and paid for    
accordingly4 ,if five numbers are taken1
 the price is for five terni4  ,where   
two numbers are played1 there is always 
an augment to the nominal prize of      
twenty per cent42 where three numbers   
are played1 the augment is of eighty per

 cent42 and from every prize is deducted
 ten per cent41 to be devoted to the    
hospitals and the poor4 ,the rule       
creating the augments was decreed by    
,innocent ,,xiii4 ,such is the rage for 
the lottery in ,rome1 as well as in all 
the ,italian ,states1 and so great is   
the number of tickets bought within the 
year1 that this tax on the prizes brings
 in a very considerable revenue for     
elemosynary purposes4  ,the lottery is a
 branch of the department of finance1   
and is under the direction of a         
,monsignore4 ,the tickets originally    
issue from one grand central office in  
the ,palazzo ,madama2 but there is      
scarcely a street in ,rome without some 
subsidiary and distributing office1     
which is easily recognized1 not only by 
its great sign of ,prenditoria di ,lotti
 over the door1 but by scores of boards 
set round the windows and doorway1 on   
which are displayed1 in large figures1  
hundreds of combinations of numbers for 
sale4 ,the tickets sold here are merely 

purchased on speculation for resale1 and
 though it is rare that all are sold1   
yet1 as a small advance of price is     
asked on each ticket beyond what was    
given at the original office1 there is  
enough profit to support these shops4   
,the large show of placards would to a  
stranger indicate a very considerable   
investment2 yet1 in point of fact1 as   
the tickets rarely cost more than a few 
baioicchi1 the amount risked is small4  
,no ticket is available for a prize1    
unless it bear the stamp and signature  
of the central office1 as well as of the
 distributing shop1 if bought in the    
latter4  ,every ,saturday1 at noon1 the 
lottery is drawn in ,rome1 in the       
,piazza ,madama4 ,half an hour before   
the appointed time1 the ,piazza begins  
to be thronged with ticket-holders1 who 
eagerly watch a large balcony of the    
sombre old ,palazzo ,madama1 7built by  
the infamous ,catharine de' ,medici17   
where the drawing is to take place4     
,this is covered by an awning and       

colored draperies4 ,in front1 and       
fastened to the balustrade1 is a glass  
barrel1 standing on thin brass legs and 
turned by a handle4 ,five or six persons
 are in the balcony1 making arrangements
 for the drawing4 ,these are the        
officials1--one of them being the       
government officer1 and the others      
persons taken at random1 to supervise   
the proceedings4 ,the chief official    
first takes from the table beside him a 
slip of paper on which a number is      
inscribed4 ,he names it aloud1 passes it
 to the next1 who verifies it and passes
 it on1 until it has been subjected to  
the examination of all4 ,the last person
 then proclaims the number in a loud    
voice to the populace below1 folds it   
up1 and drops it into the glass barrel4 
,this operation is repeated until every 
number from one to ninety is passed1    
verified by all1 proclaimed1 folded1 and
 dropped into the barrel4 ,the last     
number is rather sung than called1 and  
with more ceremony than all the rest4   

,the crowd shout back from below4 ,the  
bell strikes noon4 ,a blast of trumpets 
sounds from the balcony1 and a boy      
dressed in white robes advances from    
within1 ascends the steps1 and stands   
high up before the people1 facing the   
,piazza4 ,the barrel is then whirled    
rapidly round and round1 so as to mix in
 inextricable confusion all the tickets4
 ,this over1 the boy lifts high his     
right hand1 makes the sign of the cross 
on his breast1 then1 waving his open    
hand in the air1 to show that nothing is
 concealed1 plunges it into the barrel1 
and draws out a number4 ,this he hands  
to the official1 who names it1 and      
passes it along the line of his         
companions4 ,there is dead silence      
below1 all listening eagerly4 ,then1 in 
a loud voice1 the number is sung out by 
the last official1 ,primo estratto1     
numero #ad1 or whatever the number may  
be4 ,then sound the trumpets again1 and 
there is a rustle and buzz among the    
crowd4 ,all the five numbers are drawn  

with like ceremony1 and all is over4    
,within a surprisingly short space of   
time1 these numbers are exhibited in the
 long frames which are to be seen over  
the door of every ,prenditoria di ,lotti
 in ,rome1 and there they remain until  
the next drawing takes place4 ,the boy  
who does the drawing belongs to a       
college of orphans1 an admirable        
institution1 at which children who have 
lost both parents and are left helpless 
are lodged1 cared for1 and educated1 and
 the members of which are employed to   
perform this office in rotation1        
receiving therefor a few scudi4  ,it    
will be seen from the manner in which   
the drawing of the lottery is conducted1
 that no precaution is spared by the    
government to assure the public of the  
perfect good faith and fairness observed
 in it4 ,this is1 in fact1 absolutely   
necessary in order to establish that    
confidence without which its very object
 would be frustrated4 ,but the ,italians
 are a very suspicious and jealous      

people1 and ,i fear that there is less  
faith in the uprightness of the         
government than in their own            
watchfulness and the difficulty of      
deception4 ,there can be little doubt   
that no deceit is practised by the      
government1 so far as the drawing is    
concerned1--for it would be nearly      
impossible to employ it4 ,still there   
are not wanting stories of fortunate    
coincidences which are singular and     
interesting2 one case1 which ,i have    
every reason to believe authentic1 was  
related to me by a most trustworthy     
person1 as being within his own         
knowledge4 ,a few years ago1 the        
,monsignore who was at the head of the  
lottery had occasion to diminish his    
household1 and accordingly dismissed an 
old servant who had been long in his    
palace4 ,often the old man returned and 
asked for relief1 and as often was      
charitably received4 ,but his visits at 
last became importunate1 and the        
,monsignore remonstrated4 ,the answer of

 the servant was1 ,i have given my best 
years to the service of your            
,eminence1--,i am too old to            
labor1--what shall ,i do8 ,the case was 
a hard one4 ,his ,eminence paused and   
reflected2--at last he said1 ,why not   
buy a ticket in the lottery8 ,ah6 was   
the answer1 ,i have not even money to   
supply my daily needs4 ,what you now    
give me is all ,i have4 ,if ,i risk it1 
,i may lose it1--and that lost1 what can
 ,i do8 ,still the ,monsignore said1    
,buy a ticket in the lottery4 ,since    
your ,eminence commands me1 ,i will1    
said the old man2 but what numbers8     
,play on number so and so for the first 
drawing1 was the answer1 e ,dio ti      
benedica6 ,the servant did as he was    
ordered1 and1 to his surprise and joy1  
the first number drawn was his4 ,he was 
a rich man for life1--and his ,eminence 
lost a troublesome dependant4  ,a       
capital story is told by the author of  
the article in the ,civilt ,cattolica1  
which is to the point here1 and which1  

even were it not told on such           
respectable authority1 bears its truth  
on the face of it4 ,as very frequently  
happens1 a poor bottegaio1 or           
shopkeeper1 being hard-driven by his    
creditors1 went to his priest1 an uomo  
apostolico1 and prayed him earnestly to 
give him three numbers to play in the   
lottery4  ,but how under heaven1 says   
the innocent priest1 has it ever got    
into your head that ,i can know the five
 numbers which are to issue in the      
lottery8  ,eh6 ,padre mio6 what will it 
cost you8 was the answer4 ,just look at 
me and my wretched family2 if we do not 
pay our rent on ,saturday1 out we go    
into the street4 ,there is nothing left 
but the lottery1 and you can give us the
 three numbers that will set all right4 
,oh1 there you are again6 ,i am ready to
 do all ,i can to assist you1 but this  
matter of the lottery is impossible2 and
 ,i must say1 that your folly1 in       
supposing ,i can give you the three     
lucky numbers1 does little credit to    

your brains4  ,oh1 no6 no6 do not say   
so1 ,padre mio6 ,give me a terno4 ,it   
will be like rain in ,may1 or cheese on 
my maccaroni4 ,on my word of honor1     
,i'll keep it secret4 ,via6 ,you1 so    
good and charitable1 cannot refuse me   
the three numbers4 ,pray1 content me    
this once4  ,caro mio6 ,i will give you 
a rule for always being content3--,avoid
 ,sin1 think often on ,death1 and behave
 so as to deserve ,paradise1--and so----
  ,basta6 basta6 ,padre mio6 ,that's    
enough4 ,thanks6 thanks6 ,god will      
reward you4  ,and1 making a profound    
reverence1 off the bottegaio rushes to  
his house4 ,there he takes down the     
,libro del ,sogni1 calls into           
consultation his wife and children1 and1
 after a long and earnest discussion and
 study1 the three numbers corresponding 
to the terms ,sin1 ,death1 and ,paradise
 are settled upon1 and away goes our    
friend to play them in the lottery4     
,will you believe it8 the three numbers 
are drawn1--and the joy of the poor     

bottegaio and his family may well be    
imagined4 ,but what you will not imagine
 is the persecution of the poor uomo    
apostolico which followed4 ,the secret  
was all over town the next day1 and he  
was beset by scores of applicants for   
numbers4 ,vainly he protested and       
declared that he knew nothing1 and that 
the man's drawing the right numbers was 
all chance4 ,every word he spoke turned 
into numbers1 and off ran his hearers to
 play them4 ,he was like the girl in the
 fairy story1 who dropped pearls every  
time she spoke4 ,the worst of the       
imbroglio was1 that in an hour the good 
priest had uttered words equivalent to  
all the ninety numbers in the lottery1  
and the players were all at loggerheads 
with each other4 ,nor did this          
persecution cease for weeks1 nor until  
those who had played the numbers        
corresponding to his words found        
themselves1 as the ,italians say1 with  
only flies in their hands4  ,the        
stupidity of many of the common people  

in regard to these numbers is wonderful4
 ,when the number drawn is next to the  
number they have1 they console          
themselves with thinking that they were 
within one of it1--as if in such cases a
 miss were not as bad as a mile4 ,but   
when the number drawn is a multiple of  
the one they play1 it is a sympathetic  
number1 and is next door to winning2 and
 if the number come reversed1--as if1   
having played #ab1 it come out #ba1--;he
 laughs with delight4 ,eh1 don't you    
see1 you stupid fellow1 said the        
speziale of a village one day to a dunce
 of a contadino1 of whose infallible    
terno not a single number had been      
drawn1--,don't you see1 in substance all
 your three numbers have been drawn8 and
 it's shameful in you to be             
discontented4 ,here you have played     
#h--dd--bf1 and instead of these have   
been drawn #g--aa--fb4 ,well6 just      
observe6 ,your #h is just within one    
point of being #g2 your #dd is in       
substance #aa1 for #d times #aa are #dd 

exactly2 and your #bf is nothing more or
 less than precisely #fb reversed2--what
 would you ask more8 ,and by his own    
mode of reasoning1 the poor contadino   
sees as clearly as possible that he has 
really won1--only the difficulty is that
 he cannot touch the prize without      
correcting the little variations4 ,ma1  
pazienza6 he came so near this time1    
that he will be sure to win the         
next1--and away he goes to hunt out more
 sympathetic numbers1 and to rejoice    
with his friends on coming so near      
winning4  ,dreams of numbers are1 of    
course1 very frequent1--and are justly  
much prized4 ,yet one must know how to  
use them1 and be brave and bold1 or the 
opportunity is lost4 ,i myself once     
dreamt of having gained a terno in the  
lottery1 but was fool enough not to play
 it1--and in consequence lost a prize1  
the very numbers coming up in the next  
drawing4 ,the next time ,i have such a  
dream1 of course ,i shall play2 but     
perhaps ,i shall be too late1 and only  

lose4 ,and this recalls to my mind a    
story1 which may serve as a warning to  
the timid and an encouragement to the   
bold4 ,an ,englishman1 who had lived on 
bad terms with a very quarrelsome and   
annoying wife1 7according to his own    
account1 of course17 had finally the    
luck1 ,i mean the misfortune1 to lose   
her4 ,he had lived long enough in       
,italy1 however1 to say ,pazienza and   
buried his sorrows and his wife in the  
same grave4 ,but1 after the lapse of    
some time1 his wife appeared to him in a
 dream1 and confessed her sins towards  
him during her life1 and prayed his     
forgiveness1 and added1 that in token of
 reconciliation he must accept three    
numbers to play in the lottery1 which   
would certainly win a great prize4 ,but 
the husband was obstinate1 and          
absolutely refused to follow the advice 
of a friend to whom he recounted the odd
 dream1 and who urged him to play the   
numbers4 ,bah6 he answered to this good 
counsel2 ,i know her too well2--she     

never meant well to me during her life1 
and ,i don't believe she's changed now  
that she's dead4 ,she only means to play
 me a trick1 and make me lose4 ,but ,i'm
 too old a bird to be taken with her    
chaff4 ,better play them1 said his      
friend1 and they separated4 ,in the     
course of a week they met again4 ,by the
 way1 said the friend1 did you see that 
your three numbers came up in the       
lottery this morning8 ,the ,devil they  
did6 ,what a consummate fool ,i was not 
to play them6 ,you didn't play them8    
,no6 ,well1 ,i did1 and won a good round
 sum with them1 too4 ,so the obstinate  
husband1 mad at his ill luck1 cursed    
himself for a fool1 and had his curses  
for his pains4 ,that very night1        
however1 his wife again appeared to him1
 and1 though she reproached him a little
 for his want of faith in her1 7no woman
 could be expected to forego such an    
opportunity1 even though she were dead17
 yet she forgave him1 and added1--,think
 no more about it now1 for here are     

three more numbers1 just as good4 ,the  
husband1 who had eaten the bitter food  
of experience1 was determined at all    
events not to let his fortune slip again
 through his fingers1 and played the    
highest possible terno in the lottery1  
and waited anxiously for the next       
drawing4 ,he could scarcely eat his     
breakfast for nervousness1 that         
morning1--but at last mid-day sounded1  
and the drawing took place1 but no one  
of his numbers came up4 ,too late6 taken
 in6 he cried4 ,confound her6 she knew  
me better than ,i knew myself4 ,she gave
 me a prize the first time1 because she 
knew ,i wouldn't play it2 and1 having so
 whet my passions1 she then gave me a   
blank the second time1 because she knew 
,i would play it4 ,i might have known   
better4  ,from the moment one lottery is
 drawn1 the mind of the people is intent
 on selecting numbers for the next4 ,nor
 is this an easy matter1--all sorts of  
superstitions existing as to figures and
 numbers4 ,some are lucky1 some unlucky1

 in themselves1--some lucky only in     
certain combinations1 and some          
sympathetic with others4 ,the chances1  
therefore1 must be carefully calculated1
 no number or combination being ever    
played without profound consideration1  
and under advice of skilful friends4    
,almost every event in life has a       
numerical signification2 and such is the
 reverence paid to dreams1 that a large 
book exists of several hundred pages1   
called ,libro dei ,sogni1 containing1   
besides various cabala and mystical     
figures and lists of numbers which are  
sympathetic1 with directions for their  
use1 a dictionary of thousands of       
objects with the numbers supposed to be 
represented by each1 as well as rules   
for interpreting into numbers all dreams
 in which these objects appear1--and    
this book is the constant vade-mecum of 
a true lottery-player4 ,as ,boniface    
lived1 ate1 and slept on his ale1 so do 
the ,romans on their numbers4 ,the very 
children lisp in numbers1 for the       

numbers come1 and the fathers run       
immediately to play them4 ,accidents1   
executions1 deaths1 apoplexies1         
marriages1 assassinations1 births1      
anomalies of all kinds1 become auguries 
and enigmas of numbers4 ,a              
lottery-gambler will count the stabs on 
a dead body1 the drops of blood from a  
decollated head1 the passengers in an   
overturned coach1 the wrinkles in the   
forehead of a new-born child1 the gasps 
of a person struck by apoplexy1 the day 
of the month and the hour and the minute
 of his death1 the scudi lost by a      
friend1 the forks stolen by a thief1    
anything and everything1 to play them in
 the lottery4 ,if a strange dream is    
dreamed1--as of one being in a desert on
 a camel1 which turns into a rat1 and   
runs down into the ,maelstrm to         
hide1--the ,libro dei ,sogni is at once 
consulted1 the numbers for desert1 rat1 
camel1 and ,maelstrm are found and      
combined1 and the hopeful player waits  
in eager expectation of a prize4 ,of    

course1 dream after dream of particular 
numbers and combinations occurs1--for   
the mind bent to this subject plays     
freaks in the night1 and repeats        
contortedly the thoughts of the         
day1--and these dreams are considered of
 special value4 ,sometimes1 when a      
startling incident takes place with a   
special numerical signification1 the run
 upon the numbers indicated becomes so  
great1 that the government1 which is    
always careful to guard against any     
losses on its own part1 refuses to allow
 more than a certain amount to be played
 on them1 cancels the rest1 and returns 
the price of the tickets4  ,sometimes1  
in passing through the streets1 one may 
see a crowd collected about a man       
mounted upon a chair or stool4 ,fixed to
 a stand at his side or on the back of  
his chair is a glass bottle1 in which   
are two or three hollow manikins of     
glass1 so arranged as to rise and sink  
by pressure of the confined air4 ,the   
neck of the bottle is cased in a tin box

 which surmounts it and has a movable   
cover4 ,this personage is a charlatan1  
with an apparatus for divining lucky    
numbers for the lottery4 ,the soft      
bastard ,latin runs off his tongue in an
 uninterrupted stream of talk1 while he 
offers on a waiter to the bystanders a  
number of little folded papers          
containing a pianeta1 or augury1 on     
which are printed a fortune and a terno4
 ,who will buy a pianeta1 he cries1 with
 the numbers sure to bring him a prize8 
,he shall have his fortune told him who 
buys4 ,who does not need counsel must   
surely be wise4 ,here's ,master         
,tommetto1 who never tells lies4 ,and   
here is his brother1 still smaller in   
size4 ,and ,madama ,medea ,plutonia to  
advise4 ,they'll write you a fortune and
 bring you a prize for a single baiocco4
 ,no creature so wise as not to need    
counsel4 ,a fool ,i despise1 who keeps  
his baiocco and loses his prize4 ,who   
knows what a fortune he'll get till he  
tries8 ,time's going1 ,signori1--who    

buys8 who buys8 ,and so on by the yard4 
,meantime the crowd about him gape1     
stare1 wonder1 and finally put their    
hands to their pockets1 out with their  
baiocchi1 and buy their papers4 ,each   
then makes a mark on his paper to verify
 it1 and returns it to the charlatan4   
,after several are thus collected1 he   
opens the cover of the tin box1 deposits
 them therein with a certain ceremony1  
and commences an exhortatory discourse  
to the manikins in the bottle1--two of  
whom1 ,maestro ,tommetto and his        
brother1 are made to resemble little    
black imps1 while ,madama ,medea        
,plutonia is dressed alla ,francese4 ,fa
 una reverenza1 ,maestro ,tommetto6     
,make a bow1 ,master ,tommetto6 he now  
begins4 ,the puppet bows4 ,ancora6      
,again6 ,again he bows4 ,lesto1         
,signore1 un piccolo giretto6 ,quick1   
,sir1 a little turn6 ,and round whirls  
the puppet4 ,now1 up1 up1 to make a     
registry on the ticket6 and do it       
conscientiously1 ,master ,tommetto6 ,and

 up the imp goes1 and disappears through
 the neck of the bottle4 ,then comes a  
burst of admiration at his cleverness   
from the charlatan4 ,then1 turning to   
the brother imp1 he goes through the    
same rle with him4 ,and now1 ,madama    
,medea1 make a reverence1 and follow    
your husband6 ,quick1 quick1 a little   
giretto6 ,and up she goes4 ,a moment    
after1 down they all come again at his  
call2 he lifts the cover of the box2    
cries1 ,quanto sei caro1 ,tommetto6 and 
triumphantly exhibits the papers1 each  
with a little freshly written           
inscription1 and distributes them to the
 purchasers4 ,now and then he takes from
 his pocket a little bottle containing a
 mixture of the color of wine1 and a    
paper filled with some sort of powder1  
and1 exclaiming1 ,ah6 tu hai fame e     
sete4 ,bisogna che ti dia da bere e     
mangiare1 pours them into the tin cup4  
,it is astonishing to see how many of   
these little tickets a clever charlatan 
will sell in an hour1 and principally on

 account of the lottery-numbers they    
contain4 ,the fortunes are all the      
stereotype thing1 and almost invariably 
warn you to be careful lest you should  
be tradito1 or promise you that you     
shall not be tradito2 for the idea of   
betrayal is the corner-stone of every   
,italian's mind4  ,in not only          
permitting1 but promoting the lottery1  
,italy is certainly far behind ,england1
 ,france1 and ,america4 ,this system no 
longer exists with us1 except in the    
disguised shape of gift-enterprises1    
art-unions1 and that unpleasant         
institution of mendicant robbery called 
the raffle1 and employed specially by   
those who have seen better days4 ,but a 
fair parallel to this rage of the       
,italians for the lottery is to be found
 in the love of betting1 which is a     
national characteristic of the ,english4
 ,i do not refer to the bets upon       
horseflesh at ,ascot1 ,epsom1 and       
,goodwood1 by which fortunes change     
owners in an hour and so many men are   

ruined1 but rather to the general habit 
of betting upon any and every subject to
 settle a question1 no matter how       
trivial1 for which the ,englishman is   
everywhere renowned on the ,continent4  
,betting is with most other nations a   
form of speech1 but with ,englishmen it 
is a serious fact1 and no one will be   
long in their company without finding an
 opinion backed up by a bet4 ,it would  
not be very difficult to parallel those 
cases where the ,italians disregard the 
solemnity of death1 in their eagerness  
for omens of lottery-numbers1 with      
equally reprehensible and apparently    
heartless cases of betting in ,england4 
,let any one who doubts this examine the
 betting-books at ,white's and          
,brookes's4 ,in them he will find a most
 startling catalogue of bets1--some so  
bad as to justify the good parson in    
,walpole's story1 who declared that they
 were such an impious set in this       
respect at ,white's1 that1 if the last  
trump were to sound1 they would bet     

puppet-show against judgment4 ,let one  
instance suffice4 ,a man1 happening to  
drop down at the door of ,white's1 was  
lifted up and carried in4 ,he was       
insensible1 and the question was1       
whether he were dead or not4 ,bets were 
at once given and taken on both sides1  
and1 it being proposed to bleed him1    
those who had taken odds that he was    
dead protested1 on the ground that the  
use of the lancet would affect the      
fairness of the bet4,b ,in the matter of
 play1 things have now much changed     
since the time when ,mr4 ,thynne left   
the club at ,white's in disgust1 because
 he had won only twelve hundred guineas 
in two months4 ,there is also a         
description of one of ,fox's mornings1  
about the year #aghc1 which ,horace     
,walpole has left us1 and the truth of  
which ,lord ,holland admits1 which it   
would be well for those to read who     
measure out hard justice to the         
,italians for their love of the lottery4
 ,let us be fair4 ,italy is in these    

respects behind ,england in morals and  
practice by nearly a century2 but it is 
as idle to argue hard-heartedness in an 
,italian who counts the drops of blood  
at a beheading as to suppose that the   
,english have no feeling because in the 
bet we have mentioned there was a       
protest against the use of the lancet1  
or to deny kindliness to a surgeon who  
lectures on structure and disease while 
he removes a cancer4  ,vehement protests
 against the lottery and all gaming are 
as often uttered in ,italy as elsewhere2
 and among them may be cited this       
eloquent passage from one of the most   
powerful of her modern writers4         
,guerrazzi1 in the thirteenth chapter of
 ,l',assedio di ,firenze1 speaking on   
this subject1 says1 ,you would in vain  
seek anything more fatal to men than    
play4 ,it brings ignorance1 poverty1    
despair1 and at last crime4444 ,gambling
 7the wicked gambling of the lottery7   
forms a precious jewel in the crown of  
princes4  ,in a recent work1 by the same

 author1 called ,l',asino1 occurs the   
following indignant and satirical       
passage1 which1 for the sake of the     
story1 if for no other reason1 deserves 
a place here3--  ,in our search for the 
history of human perfection1 shall ,i   
speak of ,naples or ,rome8 ,alas6 ,at   
the contemplation of such misery1 in    
vain you constrain your lips to smile2  
they pout1 and the uncalled tears stream
 over your face4 ,pity1 in these most   
unhappy countries1 blinded with weeping 
and hoarse with vain supplication1 when 
she has no more voice to cry out to     
heaven1 flies thither1 and1 kneeling    
before the throne of ,god1 with         
outstretched hand1 and proffering no    
word1 begs that ,he will look at her4   
,behold1 ,o ,lord1 and judge whether our
 sins were remitted1 or whether the sins
 of others exceed ours4  ,is not        
,tuscany the garden of ,italy8 ,so say  
the ,tuscans2 and the ,florentines add1 
that ,florence is the ,athens of        
,tuscany4 ,truly1 both seem beautiful4  

,let us search in ,tuscany4 ,at         
,barberino di ,mugello1 in the midst of 
an olive-grove is a cemetery1 where the 
vines1 which have taken root in the     
outer walls and climbed over their      
summit1 fall into the inclosed space1 as
 if they wished to garland ,death with  
vine-leaves and make it smile2 over the 
gate1 strange guardians of the tombs1   
two fig-trees give their shadow and     
fruit to recompense the piety of the    
passers-by1 giving a fig in exchange for
 a ,de ,profundis2 while the ivy1       
stretching its wanton arms over the     
black cross1 endeavors to clothe the    
austere sign of the ,redemption with the
 jocund leaves of ,bacchus1 and recalls 
to your mind the mad ,phryne who vainly 
tempted ,xenocrates4 ,a beautiful       
cemetery1 by my faith6 a cemetery to    
arouse in the body an intense desire to 
die1 if only for the pleasure of being  
buried there4 ,now observe4 ,look into  
my magic-lantern4 ,what figures do you  
see8 ,a priest with a pick2 after him a 

peasant with a spade2 and behind them a 
woman with a hatchet3 the priest holds a
 corpse by the hair2 the peasant1 with  
one blow1 strikes off its head2 then1   
all things being carefully rearranged1  
priest1 peasant1 and woman1 after       
thrusting the head into a sack1 return  
as they came4 ,attention now1 for ,i    
change the picture4 ,what figures are   
these that now appear8 ,a kitchen2 a    
fire that has not its superior1 even in 
the ,inferno2 and a caldron1 where the  
hissing and boiling water sends up its  
bubbles4 ,look about and what do you    
see8 ,enter the priest1 the peasant1 and
 the housewife1 and in a moment empty a 
sack into the caldron4 ,lo6 a head rolls
 out1 dives into the water1 and floats  
to the surface1 now showing its nape and
 now its face4 ,the ,lord help us6 ,it  
is an abominable spectacle2 this poor   
head1 with its ashy1 open lips1 seems to
 say1 ,give me again my ,christian      
burial6 ,that is enough4 ,only take note
 that in ,tuscany1 in the beautiful     

middle of the nineteenth century1 a     
sepulchre was violated1 and a sacrilege 
committed1 to obtain from the boiled    
head of a corpse good numbers to play in
 the lottery6 ,and1 by way of corollary1
 add this to your note1 that in ,rome1  
,caput ,mundi1 and in ,tuscany1 ,garden 
of ,italy1 it is prohibited1 under the  
severest penalties1 to play at ,faro1   
,zecchinetto1 ,banco-,fallito1 ,rossa e 
,nera1 and other similar games at cards1
 where each party may lose the whole or 
half the stakes1 while the government   
encourage the play of the ,lottery1 by  
which1 out of one hundred and twenty    
chances of winning1 eighty are reserved 
for the bank1 and forty or so allowed to
 the player4 ,finally1 take note that in
 ,rome1 ,caput ,mundi1 and in ,tuscany1 
,garden of ,italy1 ,faro1 ,zecchinetto1 
,rossa e ,nera were prohibited1 as      
acknowledged pests of social existence  
and open death to honest customs1--as a 
set-off for which deprivation1 the game 
of the ,lottery is still kept on foot4  

,the following extraordinary story1     
improbable as it seems1 is founded upon 
fact1 and was clearly proved1 on        
judicial investigation1 a few years     
since4 ,it is well known in ,tuscany1   
and forms the subject of a satirical    
narrative 7,il ,sortilegio7 by ,giusti1 
a modern ,tuscan poet1 of true fire and 
genius1 who has lashed the vices of his 
country in verses remarkable for point1 
idiom1 and power4 ,according to him1 the
 method of divination resorted to in    
this case was as follows3--,the sorcerer
 who invented it ordered his dupes to   
procure1 either at dawn or twilight1    
ninety dry beans1 called ceci1 and upon 
each of these to write one of the ninety
 numbers drawn in the lottery1 with an  
ink made of pitch and lard1 which would 
not be affected by water4 ,they were    
then to sharpen a knife1 taking care    
that he who did so should touch no one  
during the operation2 and after a day of
 fasting1 they were to dig up at night a
 body recently dead1 and1 having cut off

 the head and removed the brain1 they   
were to count the beans thrice1 and to  
shake them thrice1 and then1 on their   
knees1 to put them one by one into the  
skull4 ,this was then to be placed in a 
caldron of water and set on the fire to 
boil4 ,as soon as the water boiled      
violently1 the head would be rolled     
about so that some of the beans would be
 ejected1 and the first three which were
 thus thrown to the surface would be a  
sure terno for the lottery4 ,the        
wretched dupes added yet another feature
 of superstition to insure the success  
of this horrible device4 ,they selected 
the head of their curate1 who had       
recently died1--on the ground that1 as  
he had studied algebra1 he was a great  
cabalist1 and any numbers from his head 
would be sure to draw a prize4  ,some   
one1 ,i have no doubt1 will here be     
anxious to know the numbers that bubbled
 up to the surface2 but ,i am very sorry
 to say that ,i cannot gratify their    
laudable curiosity1 for the interference

 of the police prevented the completion 
of the sorcery4 ,so the curious must be 
content to consult some other           
cabalist1--                   sull'arti 
segrete     ,di menar la ,fortuna per il
 naso1     ,pescando il certo nel gran  
mar del ,caso4  ,despite a wide-spread  
feeling among the higher classes against
 the lottery1 it still continues to     
exist1 for it has fastened itself into  
the habits and prejudices of many2 and  
an institution which takes such hold of 
the passions of the people1 and has     
lived so long1 dies hard4 ,nor are there
 ever wanting specious excuses for the  
continuance of this1 as of other        
reprobated systems1--of which the       
strongest is1 that its abolition would  
not only deprive of their present means 
of subsistence numbers of persons       
employed in its administration1 but     
would cut off certain charities         
dependent upon it1 amounting to no less 
than forty thousand scudi annually4     
,among these may be mentioned the dowry 

of forty scudi which is given out of the
 profits received by the government at  
the drawing of every lottery to some    
five or six of the poor girls of ,rome4 
,the list of those who would profit by  
this charity is open to all1 and        
contains thousands of names4 ,the first 
number drawn in the lottery decides the 
fortunate persons2 and1 on the          
subsequent day1 each receives a draft   
for forty scudi on the government1      
payable on the presentation of the      
certificate of marriage4 ,on the        
accession of the present ,pope1 an      
attempt was made to abolish the system2 
but these considerations1 among others1 
had weight enough to prevent any        
changes4  ,though the play is generally 
small1 yet sometimes large fortunes are 
gained4 ,the family of the ,marchese del
 ,cinque1 for instance1 derive their    
title and fortune from the luck of an   
ancestor who played and won the highest 
prize1 a ,cinquino4 ,with the money thus
 acquired he purchased his marquisate1  

and took the title del ,cinque1 of the  
,five1 in reference to the lucky five   
numbers4 ,the ,villa ,quaranta ,cinque  
in ,rome derives its name from a similar
 circumstance4 ,a lucky ,monsignore     
played the single number of forty-five1 
al posto1 and with his winnings built   
the villa1 to which the ,romans1 always 
addicted to nicknames1 gave the name of 
,quaranta ,cinque4 ,this love of        
nicknames1 or soprannomi1 as they are   
called1 is1 by the way1 an odd          
peculiarity of the ,italians1 and it    
often occurs that persons are known only
 thereby4 ,examples of these1 among the 
celebrated names of ,italy1 are so      
frequent as to form a rule in favor of  
the surname rather than of the real     
name1 and in many cases the former has  
utterly obliterated the latter4 ,thus1  
,squint ,eye1 7,guercino17 ,dirty ,tom1 
7,masaccio17 ,the ,little ,dyer1        
7,tintoretto17 ,great ,george1          
7,giorgione17 ,the ,garland-,maker1     
7,ghirlandaio17 ,luke of the ,madder1   

7,luca della ,robbia17 ,the ,little     
,spaniard1 7,spagnoletto17 and ,the     
,tailor's ,son1 7,del ,sarto17 would    
scarcely be known under their real names
 of ,barbieri1 ,tommaso1 ,guido1        
,robusti1 ,barbarelli1 ,corradi1        
,ribera1 and ,vannuchi4 ,the list might 
be very much enlarged1 but let it       
suffice to add the following well-known 
names1 all of which are nicknames       
derived from their places of birth3     
,perugino1 ,veronese1 ,aretino1 ,pisano1
 ,giulio ,romano1 ,correggio1           
,parmegiano4  ,the other day a curious  
instance of this occurred to me in      
taking the testimony of a ,roman        
coachman4 ,on being called upon to give 
the names of some of his companions1    
with whom he had been in daily and      
intimate intercourse for more than two  
years1 he could give only their         
soprannomi2 their real names he did not 
know1 and had never heard4 ,a little1   
gay1 odd genius1 whom ,i took into my   
service during a villeggiatura at       

,siena1 would not answer to his real    
name1 ,lorenzo1 but remonstrated on     
being so called1 and said he was only   
,pipetta1 7,the ,little ,pipe17 a       
nickname given to him when a child1 from
 his precocity in smoking1 and of which 
he was as tenacious as if it were a     
title of honor4 ,you prefer1 then1 to be
 called ,pipetta8 ,i asked4             
,felicissimo6 s1 was his answer4 ,not a 
foreigner comes to ,rome that his name  
does not suffer a sea-change into       
something rich and strange4 ,our        
break-jaw ,saxon names are discarded1   
and a new christening takes place4 ,one 
friend ,i had who was called ,il        
,malinconico1--another1 ,la             
,barbarossa1--another1 ,il bel ,signore2
 but generally they are called after the
 number of the house or the name of the 
street in which they live1--,la ,signora
 bella ,bionda di ,palazzo ,albani1--,il
 ,signore ,quattordici ,capo le         
,case1--,monsieur and ,madama ,terzo    
,piano1 ,corso4  ,but to return from    

this digression4--,at every country     
festival may be seen a peculiar form of 
the lottery called ,tombola2 and in the 
notices of these festas1 which are      
always placarded over the walls of ,rome
 for weeks before they take place1 the  
eye will always be attracted first by   
the imposing word ,tombola1 printed in  
the largest and blackest of letters4    
,this is1 in fact1 the characteristic   
feature of the festa1 and attracts large
 numbers of contadini4 ,as in the       
ordinary lottery1 only ninety numbers   
are played4 ,every ticket contains blank
 spaces for fifteen numbers1 which are  
inserted by the purchaser1 and          
registered duly at the office or booth  
where the ticket is bought4 ,the price  
of tickets in any single ,tombola is    
uniform2 but in different ,tombolas it  
varies1 of course1 according to the     
amount of the prizes4 ,these are        
generally five1 namely1--the ,ambo1     
,terno1 ,quaterno1 ,cinquino1 and       
,tombola1 though sometimes a second     

,tombola or ,tomboletta is added4 ,the  
drawing takes place in precisely the    
same manner as in the ordinary lottery1 
but with more ceremony4 ,a large        
staging1 with a pavilion1 is erected1   
where the officers who are to           
superintend the drawing stand4 ,in the  
centre is a glass vase1 in which the    
numbers are placed after having been    
separately verified and proclaimed1 and 
a boy gayly dressed draws them4 ,all the
 ninety numbers are drawn2 and as each  
issues1 it is called out1 and exhibited 
on a large card4 ,near by stands a large
 framework1 elevated so as to be visible
 to all1 with ninety divisions          
corresponding to the ninety numbers1 and
 on this1 also1 every number is shown as
 soon as it is drawn4 ,the first person 
who has upon his ticket two drawn       
numbers gains an ,ambo1 which is the    
smallest prize4 ,whoever first has three
 numbers drawn gains a ,terno2 and so on
 with the ,quaterno and ,cinquino4 ,the 
,tombola1 which is the great prize1 is  

won by whoever first has his whole      
fifteen numbers drawn4 ,as soon as any  
one finds two of the drawn numbers on   
his ticket1 he cries1 ,ambo1 at the top 
of his lungs4 ,a flag is then raised on 
the pavilion1 the band plays1 and the   
game is suspended1 while the claimant at
 once makes his way to the judges on the
 platform to present his ticket for     
examination4 ,no sooner does the cry of 
,ambo1 ,terno1 ,quaterno1 take place1   
than there is a great rustle all around4
 ,everybody looks out for the fortunate 
person1 who is immediately to be seen   
running through the parting crowd1 which
 opens before him1 cheering him as he   
goes1 if his appearance be poor and     
needy1 and greeting him with sarcasms1  
if he be apparently well to do in the   
world4 ,sometimes there are two or three
 claimants for the same prize1 in which 
case it is divided among them4 ,the     
,ambo is soon taken1 and there is little
 room for a mistake2 but when it comes  
to the ,quaterno or ,cinquino1 mistakes 

are very common1 and the claimant is    
almost always saluted with chaff and    
jests4 ,after his ticket has been       
examined1 if he have won1 a placard is  
exhibited with ,ambo1 ,terno1 ,quaterno 
on it1 as the case may be4 ,but if he   
have committed an error1 down goes the  
flag1 and1 amid a burst of laughter1    
jeering1 whistling1 screaming1 and      
catcalls1 the disappointed claimant     
sneaks back and hides himself in the    
excited crowd4 ,at a really good        
,tombola1 where the prizes are high1    
there is no end of fun and gayety among 
the people4 ,they stand with their      
tickets in their hands1 congratulating  
each other ironically1 as they fail to  
find the numbers on them1 paying all    
sorts of absurd compliments to each     
other and the drawer1 offering to sell  
out their chances at enormous prices    
when they are behindhand1 and letting   
off all sorts of squibs and jests1 not  
so excellent in themselves as           
provocative of laughter4 ,if the wit be 

little1 the fun is great1--and1 in the  
excitement of expectation1 a great deal 
of real ,italian humor is often         
ventilated4 ,sometimes1 at the country  
fairs1 the fun is rather slow1          
particularly where the prizes are small2
 but on exciting occasions1 there is a  
constant small fire of jests1 which is  
very amusing4  ,these ,tombole are      
sometimes got up with great pomp4 ,that1
 for instance1 which sometimes takes    
place in the ,villa ,borghese is one of 
the most striking spectacles which can  
be seen in ,rome4 ,at one end of the    
great open-air amphitheatre is erected a
 large pavilion1 flanked on either side 
with covered logge or palchi1 festooned 
with yellow and white1--the ,papal      
colors1--adorned with flags1 and closed 
round with rich old arrases all pictured
 over with ,scripture stories4 ,beneath 
the central pavilion is a band4 ,midway 
down the amphitheatre1 on either side1  
are two more logge1 similarly draped1   
where two more bands are stationed1--and

 still another at the opposite end1 for 
the same purpose4 ,the logge which flank
 the pavilion are sold by ticket1 and   
filled with the richer classes4 ,three  
great stagings show the numbers as they 
are drawn4 ,the pit of the amphitheatre 
is densely packed with a motley crowd4  
,under the ilexes and noble stone-pines 
that show their dark-green foliage      
against the sky1 the helmets and swords 
of cavalry glitter as they move to and  
fro4 ,all around on the green slopes are
 the people1--soldiers1 contadini1      
priests1 mingled together1--and         
thousands of gay dresses and ribbons and
 parasols enliven the mass4 ,the four   
bands play successively as the multitude
 gathers4 ,they have already arrived in 
tens of thousands1 but the game has not 
yet begun1 and thousands are still      
flocking to see it4 ,all the gay        
equipages are on the outskirts1 and     
through the trees and up the avenues    
stream the crowds on foot4 ,as we stand 
in the centre of the amphitheatre and   

look up1 we get a faint idea of the old 
,roman gatherings when ,rome emptied    
itself to join in the games at the      
,colosseum4 ,row upon row they stand1 a 
mass of gay and swarming life4 ,the     
sunlight flashes over them1 and blazes  
on the rich colors4 ,the tall pines and 
dark ilexes shadow them here and there2 
over them is the soft blue dome of the  
,italian sky4 ,they are gathered round  
the villetta1--they throng the roof and 
balconies1--they crowd the stone        
steps1--they pack the green oval of the 
amphitheatre's pit4 ,the ring of        
cymbals1 the clarion of trumpets1 and   
the clash of brazen music vibrate in the
 air4 ,all the world is abroad to see1  
from the infant in arms to the oldest   
inhabitant4 ,monsignori in purple       
stockings and tricornered hats1         
contadini in gay reds and crimsons1     
cardinals in scarlet4 ,princes1         
shopkeepers1 beggars1 foreigners1 all   
mingle together2 while the screams of   
the vendors of cigars1 pumpkin-seeds1   

cakes1 and lemonade are everywhere heard
 over the suppressed roar of the crowd4 
,as you walk along the outskirts of the 
mass1 you may see ,monte ,gennaro's dark
 peak looking over the ,campagna1 and   
all the ,sabine hills trembling in a    
purple haze1--or1 strolling down through
 the green avenues1 you may watch the   
silver columns of fountains as they     
crumble in foam and plash in their mossy
 basins1--or gather masses of the sweet 
,parma violet and other beautiful       
wild-flowers4  ,the only other games    
among the modern ,romans1 which deserve 
particular notice from their            
peculiarity1 are those of ,cards4 ,in an
 ,italian pack there are only forty     
cards1--the eight1 nine1 and ten of the 
,french and ,english cards having no    
existence4 ,the suits also have         
different signs and names1 and1 instead 
of hearts1 spades1 clubs1 and diamonds1 
they are called coppe1 spade1 bastoni1  
and denari1--all being of the same      
color1 and differing entirely in form   

from our cards4 ,the coppe are cups or  
vases2 the spade are swords2 the bastoni
 are veritable clubs or bludgeons2 and  
the denari are coins4 ,the games are    
still more different from ours than the 
cards1 and they are legion in number4   
,there are ,briscola1 ,tresette1        
,calabresella1 ,banco-,fallito1 ,rossa e
 ,nera1 ,scaraccoccia1 ,scopa1          
,spizzica1 ,faraone1 ,zecchinetto1      
,mercante in ,fiera1 ,la ,bazzica1      
,ruba-,monte1 ,uomo-,nero1 ,la ,paura1  
and ,i know not how many others1--but   
they are recorded and explained in no   
book1 and are only to be picked up      
orally4 ,wherever you go1 on festa-day1 
you will find persons playing cards4 ,at
 the common osterias1 before the doors  
or on the soiled tables within1 on the  
ruins of the ,csars' palaces and in the 
,temple of ,peace1 on the stone tables  
in the vigna1 on the walls along the    
public roads1 on the uncarved blocks of 
marble in front of the sculptors'       
studios1 in the antechambers or gateways

 of palaces1--everywhere1 cards are     
played4 ,every contadino has a pack in  
his pocket1 with the flavor of the soil 
upon it4 ,the playing is ordinarily for 
very low sums1 often for nothing at all4
 ,but there are some games which are    
purely games of luck1 and dangerous4    
,some of these1 as ,rossa e ,nera1      
,banco-,fallito1 and ,zecchinetto1      
though prohibited by the government1 are
 none the less favorite games in ,rome1 
particularly among those who play for   
money4 ,zecchinetto may be played by any
 number of persons1 after the following 
manner3--,the dealer1 who plays against 
the whole table1 deals to each player   
one card4 ,the next card is then turned 
up as a trump4 ,each player then makes  
his bet on the card dealt to him1 and   
places his money on it4 ,the dealer then
 deals to the table the other cards in  
order1 and any of the players may bet on
 them as they are thrown down4 ,if a    
card of the number of that bet on issue 
before a card corresponding to the      

number of the trump1 the dealer wins the
 stake on that card2 but whenever a card
 corresponding to the trump issues1 the 
player wins on every card on which he   
has bet4 ,when the banker or dealer     
loses at once1 the bank fa toppa1 and   
the deal passes1 but not otherwise4     
,nothing can be more simple than this   
game1 and it is just as dangerous as it 
is simple1 and as exciting as it is     
dangerous4 ,a late ,roman principessa is
 said to have been passionately fond of 
it1 and to have lost enormously by it4  
,the story runs1 that1 while passing the
 evening at a friend's house1 after     
losing ten thousand scudi at one        
sitting1 she staked her horses and      
carriage1 which were at the door waiting
 to take her home1 and lost them also4  
,she then wrote a note to the prince1   
her husband1 saying that she had lost   
her carriage and horses at ,zecchinetto1
 and wished others to be sent for her4  
,to which he answered1 that she might   
return on foot1--which she was obliged  

to do4  ,this will serve at least as a  
specimen of the games of chance played  
by the ,romans at cards4 ,of the more   
innocent games1 ,briscola1 ,tresette1   
and ,scaraccoccia are the favorites     
among the common people4 ,and the first 
of these may not be uninteresting1 as   
being1 perhaps1 the most popular of all4
 ,it is played by either two or four    
persons4 ,the ,fante 7or ,knave7 counts 
as two2 the ,carallo 7equal to our      
,queen7 as three2 the ,r 7,king7 as     
four2 the ,three-spot as ten2 and the   
,ace as eleven4 ,three cards are dealt  
to each person1 and after the deal the  
next card is turned as trump1 or        
,briscola4 ,each plays1 and1 after one  
card all round is played1 its place is  
supplied by a new deal of one card to   
each4 ,every card of the trump-suit     
takes any card of the other suits4 ,each
 player takes as many counting-cards as 
he can1 and1 at the end of the game1 he 
who counts the most wins1--the account  
being made according to the value of the

 cards1 as stated above4  ,to be        
continued4  ,,footnotes3  ,a ,see       
,dessault1 ,trait de la ,passion du     
,jeu4  ,b ,even while ,i am writing     
these notes1 ,i find almost the same    
incident recorded as a modern instance1 
in a recent work by ,lieutenant-,colonel
 ,addison1 entitled ,traits and ,stories
 of ,anglo-,indian ,life2 but1 despite  
the authority of ,colonel ,addison1 ,i  
cannot but suspect that he has simply   
changed the venue1 and that his story is
 but a rifacimento of the actual case   
alluded to above4     ,,the ,,amber     
,,gods4  ,concluded4   ,papa made ,mr4  
,dudley stay and dine1 and of course we 
were almost bored to death1 when in came
 ,rose again1 stealing behind ,lu's     
chair and showering her in the twilight 
with a rain of ,may-flowers4  ,now      
you'll have to gather them again1 he    
said4  ,oh1 how exquisite6 how          
delicious6 how ,i thank you6 she        
exclaimed1 without disturbing one1      
however4  ,you won't touch them again8  

,then ,i must1 he added4  ,no6 no6 ,mr4 
,rose6 ,i cried4 ,i'll pick them up and 
take toll4  ,don't touch them6 said ,lu1
 they're so sweet6  ,yes1 he murmured   
lower1 they're like you4 ,i always said 
so1 you remember4  ,oh1 yes6 and every  
,may-day but the last you have brought  
them to me4  ,have you the              
trailing-arbutus there8 asked ,mr4      
,dudley4  ,no1 returned ,rose4  ,i      
thought ,i detected strawberries1       
submitted the other1--a pleasant odor   
which recalls childhood to memory4  ,for
 some noses all sweet scents are lumped 
in one big strawberry2 clovers1 or      
hyacinths1 or every laden air           
indifferently1 they still sniff         
strawberries4 ,commonplace things6      
,it's a sign of high birth to track     
strawberry-beds where no fruit is1 ,mr4 
,dudley1 said ,i4  ,very true1 ,miss    
,willoughby4 ,i was born pretty high up 
in the ,green ,mountains4  ,and so keep 
your memory green8  ,strawberries in    
,june1 said ,rose1 good-naturedly4 ,but 

fruit out of season is trouble out of   
reason1 the ,dream-,book says4 ,it's    
,may now1 and these are its blossoms4   
,everybody makes such a fuss about      
ground-laurel6 said ,i4 ,i don't see    
why1 ,i'm sure4 ,they're never perfect4 
,the leaf is hideous1--a stupid duenna6 
,you get great green leaves1 and the    
flowers all white2 you get deep1 rosy   
flowers1 and the leaves are all brown   
and bitten4 ,they're neither one thing  
nor another4 ,they're just like         
heliotropes1--no bloom at all1 only     
scent4 ,i've torn up myriads1 to the ten
 stamens in their feathered case1 to    
find where that smell comes from1--that 
is perfectly delicious1--and ,i never   
could4 ,they are a cheat4  ,have you    
finished your tirade8 asked ,rose1      
indifferently4  ,i don't believe you    
mean so1 murmured ,lu4 ,they have a     
color of their own1 almost human1       
infantine2 and when you mass them1 the  
tone is more soft and mellow than a     
flute4 ,everybody loves ,may-flowers4   

,just about4 ,i despise flutes4 ,i like 
bassoons4  ,they are prophets of        
apple-blossoms4  ,which brings them at  
once into the culinary4  ,they are not  
very showy1 said ,mr4 ,dudley2 but when 
we remember the ,fathers----  ,there's  
nothing like them1 said ,rose1 gently1  
as he knelt by ,lu1 slowly putting them 
into order2 nothing but pure1 clear     
things2 they're the fruit of snowflakes1
 the firstlings of the year4 ,when one  
thinks how sweetly they come from their 
warm coverts and look into this cold1   
breezy sky so unshrinkingly1 and from   
what a soil they gather such a wealth of
 simple beauty1 one feels ashamed4      
,climax worthy of the useless things6   
said ,i4  ,the moment in which first we 
are thoroughly ashamed1 ,miss           
,willoughby1 is the sovereign one of our
 life4 ,useless things8 ,they are worth 
king and bishop4 ,every year1 weariness 
and depression melt away when atop of   
the seasons' crucible boil these little 
bubbles4 ,isn't everybody better for    

lavishing love8 ,and no one merely likes
 these2 whoever cares at all loves      
entirely4 ,we always take and give      
resemblances or sympathies from any     
close connection1 and so these are in   
their way a type of their lovers4 ,what 
virtue is in them to distil the shadow  
of the great pines1 that wave layer     
after layer with a grave rhythm over    
them1 into this delicate tint1 ,i       
wonder4 ,they have so decided an        
individuality1--different there from    
hot-house belles2--fashion strips us of 
our characteristics----  ,you needn't   
turn to me for illustration of exotics1 
said ,i4  ,he threw me a cluster1       
half-hidden in its green towers1 and    
went on1 laying one by one and bringing 
out little effects4  ,the sweetest      
modesty clings to them1 which ,alphonse 
,karr denies to the violet1 so that they
 are almost out of place in a           
drawing-room2 one ought to give them    
there the shelter of their large1 kind  
leaves4  ,hemlock's the only wear1 said 

,louise4  ,or last year's scarlet       
blackberry triads4 ,vines together1 he  
suggested4  ,but sometimes they forget  
their nun-like habit1 she added1 put on 
a frolicsome mood1 and clamber out and  
flush all the deep ruts of the          
carriage-road in ,follymill woods1 you  
remember4  ,penance next year1 said ,i4 
,no1 no2 you are not to bring your old  
world into my new1 objected ,rose4      
,perhaps they ran out so to greet the   
winter-worn mariners of ,plymouth1 and  
have been pursued by the love of their  
descendants ever since1 they getting    
charier4 ,just remember how they grow4  
,why1 you'd never suspect a flower      
there1 till1 happening to turn up a     
leaf1 you're in the midst of harvest4   
,you may tramp acres in vain1 and within
 a stone's throw they've been awaiting  
you4 ,there's something very charming1  
too1 about them in this1--that when the 
buds are set1 and at last a single      
blossom starts the trail1 you plucking  
at one end of the vine1 your heart's    

delight may touch the other a hundred   
miles away4 ,spring's telegraph4 ,so    
they bind our coast with this network of
 flower and root4  ,by no means1 ,i     
asserted4 ,they grow in spots4  ,pshaw6 
,i won't believe it4 ,they're everywhere
 just the same1 only underground        
preparing their little witnesses1 whom  
they send out where most needed4 ,you   
don't suppose they find much joy in the 
fellowship of brown pine pins and sad1  
gray mosses1 do you8 ,some folks say    
they don't grow away from the shore2 but
 ,i've found them1 ,i'm sorry to say1 up
 in ,new ,hampshire4  ,why sorry8 asked 
,lu4  ,oh1 ,i like it best that they    
need our sea4 ,they're eminently choice 
for this hour1 too1 when you scarcely   
gather their tint1--that tint1 as if    
moonlight should wish to become a       
flower1--but their fragrance is an      
atmosphere all about you4 ,how genuinely
 spicy it is6 ,it's the very            
quintessence of those regions all whose 
sweetness exudes in sun-saturated       

balsams1--the very breath of pine woods 
and salt sea winds4 ,how could it live  
away from the sea8  ,why1 ,sir1 said    
,mr4 ,dudley1 you speak as if it were a 
creature6  ,a hard1 woody stem1 a green1
 robust leaf1 a delicate1 odorous       
flower1 ,mr4 ,dudley1 what is it all but
 an expression of ,new ,england         
character8  ,doxology6 said ,i4  ,now1  
,miss ,louise1 as you have made me atone
 for my freedom1 the task being done1   
let me present them in form4  ,i'm sure 
she needn't praise them1 said ,i4  ,she 
didn't4  ,i declared people make a great
 fuss over them1 ,i continued4 ,and you 
prove it4 ,you put me in mind of a      
sound1 to be heard where one gets       
them1--a strange sound1 like low1       
distant thunder1 and it's nothing but   
the drum of a little partridge6 a great 
song out of nothing4--,bless me6 what's 
that8  ,oh1 the fireworks6 said ,lu4    
,and we all thronged to the windows4    
,it's very good of your uncle to have   
them1 said ,rose4 ,what a crowd from the

 town6 ,think of the pyrotechnics among 
comets and arolites some fellows may    
have6 ,it's quite right1 too1 to make   
our festivals with light2 it's the      
highest and last of all things2 we never
 can carry our imaginations beyond      
light----  ,our imaginations ought to   
carry us1 said ,lu4  ,come1 ,i said1 you
 can play what pranks you please with   
the little ,may2 but light is my        
province1 my absorption2 let it alone4  
,it grew quite dark1 interrupted now and
 then by the glare of rockets2 but at   
last a stream of central fire went out  
in a slow rain of countless violets1    
reflected with pale blue flashes in the 
river below1 and then the gloom was     
unbroken4 ,i saw them1 in that long1 dim
 gleam1 standing together at a window4  
,louise1 her figure almost swaying as if
 to some inaudible music1 but her face  
turned to him with such a steady quiet4 
,ah1 me6 what a tremulous joy1 what     
passion1 and what search1 lit those     
eyes6 ,but you know that passion means  

suffering1 and1 tracing it in the       
original through its roots1 you come to 
pathos1 and still farther1 to           
lamentation1 ,i've heard4 ,but he was   
not looking down at her1 only out and   
away1 paler than ever in the blue light1
 sad and resolved4 ,i ordered candles4  
,sing to me1 ,louise1 said ,rose1 at    
length4 ,it is two years since ,i heard 
you4  ,sing ',what's a' the steer1      
kimmer1' ,i said4 ,but instead1 she gave
 the little ballad1 ',and bring my love 
again1 for he lies among the moors4'    
,rose went and leaned over the          
pianoforte while she sang1 bending and  
commanding her eyes4 ,he seemed to wish 
to put himself where he was before he   
ever left her1 to awaken everything     
lovely in her1 to bring her before him  
as utterly developed as she might       
be1--not only to afford her1 but to     
force upon her every chance to master   
him4 ,he seemed to wish to love1 ,i     
thought4  ,thank you1 he said1 as she   
ceased4 ,did you choose it purposely1   

,louise8  ,lu sang very nicely1 and1    
though ,i dare say she would rather not 
then1 when ,mr4 ,dudley asked for the   
,vale of ,avoca and the ,margin of      
,zrich's ,fair ,waters1 she gave them   
just as kindly4 ,altogether1 quite a    
damp programme4 ,then papa came in1     
bright and blithe1 whirled me round in a
 pas de deux1 and we all very gay and   
hilarious slipped into the second of    
,may4  ,dear me6 how time goes6 ,i must 
hurry4--,after that1 ,i didn't see so   
much of ,rose2 but he met ,lu           
everywhere1 came in when ,i was out1    
and1 if ,i returned1 he went1 perfectly 
regardless of my existence1 it seemed4  
,they rode1 too1 all round the country2 
and she sat to him1 though he never     
filled out the sketch4 ,for weeks he was
 devoted2 but ,i fancied1 when ,i saw   
them1 that there lingered in his manner 
the same thing as on the first evening  
while she sang to him4 ,lu was so gay   
and sweet and happy that ,i hardly knew 
her2 she was always very gentle1 but    

such a decided body1--that's the        
,willoughby1 her mother4 ,yet during    
these weeks ,rose had not spoken1 not   
formally2 delicate and friendly kindness
 was all ,lu could have found1 had she  
sought4 ,one night1 ,i remember1 he came
 in and wanted us to go out and row with
 him on the river4 ,lu wouldn't go      
without me4  ,will you come8 said he1   
coolly1 as if ,i were merely necessary  
as a thwart or thole-pin might have     
been1 turning and letting his eyes fall 
on me an instant1 then snatching them   
off with a sparkle and flush1 and such a
 lordly carelessness of manner          
otherwise4  ,certainly not1 ,i replied4 
,so they remained1 and ,lu began to open
 a bundle of ,border ,ballads1 which he 
had brought her4 ,the very first one was
 ,whistle an' ,i'll come to you1 my lad4
 ,i laughed4 ,she glanced up quickly1   
then held it in her hands a moment1     
repeated the name1 and asked if he liked
 it4  ,oh1 yes1 he said4 ,there couldn't
 be a ,scotch song without that rhythm  

better than melody1 which1 after all1 is
 ,beethoven's secret4  ,perhaps1 said   
,louise4 ,but ,i shall not sing this4   
,oh1 do6 he said1 turning with surprise4
 ,you don't know what an arial1         
whistling little thing it is6  ,no4     
,why1 ,louise6 ,there is nobody could   
sing it but you4  ,of good discourse1 an
 excellent musician1 and her hair shall 
be of what color it please ,god1 quoted 
,i1 and in came ,mr4 ,dudley1 as he     
usually did when not wanted2 though     
,i've no reason to find fault with him1 
notwithstanding his blank treatment of  
me4 ,he never took any notice1 because  
he was in love with ,lu4 ,rose never    
took any notice of me1 either4 ,but with
 a difference6  ,lu was singularly      
condescending to ,mr4 ,dudley that      
evening2 and ,rose1 sitting aside1      
looked so very much disturbed--whether  
pleasantly or otherwise didn't occur to 
me--that ,i couldn't help enjoying his  
discomfiture1 and watching him through  
it4  ,now1 though ,i told you ,i wasn't 

nervous1 ,i never should know ,i had    
this luxurious calm1 if there were      
nothing to measure it by2 and once in a 
great while a perfect whirlpool seizes  
me1--my blood is all in turmoil1--,i    
bubble with silent laughter1 or cry with
 all my heart4 ,i had been in such a    
strange state a good while1 and now1 as 
,i surveyed ,rose1 it gradually grew    
fiercer1 till ,i actually sprang to my  
feet1 and exclaimed1 ,there6 it is      
insupportable6 ,i've been in the        
magnetic storm long enough6 it is time  
something took it from me6 and ran      
out-doors4  ,rose sauntered after1      
by-and-by1 as if unwillingly drawn by a 
loadstone1 and found the heavens wrapped
 in a rosy flame of ,northern ,lights4  
,he looked as though he belonged to     
them1 so pale and elf-like was his face 
then1 like one bewitched4  ,papa's      
fireworks fade before mine1 ,i said4    
,now we can live in the woods1 as ,lu   
has been wishing2 for a dry southerly   
wind follows this1 with a blue smoke    

filming all the distant fields4 ,won't  
it be delicious8  ,or rain1 he replied2 
,i think it will rain to-morrow1--warm1 
full rains2 and he seemed as if such a  
chance would dissolve him entirely4  ,as
 for me1 those shifting1 silent sheets  
of splendor abstracted all that was     
alien1 and left me in my normal state4  
,there they come6 ,i said1 as ,lu and   
,mr4 ,dudley1 and some others who had   
entered in my absence1--gnats dancing in
 the beam1--stepped down toward us4 ,how
 charming for us all to sit out here6   
,how annoying1 you mean1 he replied1    
simply for contradiction4  ,it hasn't   
been warm enough before1 ,i added4  ,and
 ,louise may take cold now1 he said1 as 
if wishing to exhibit his care for her4 
,whom is she speaking with8 ,blarsaye8  
,and who comes after8  ,parti4 ,a       
delightful person1--been abroad1 too4   
,you and he can have a crack about      
,louvres and ,vaticans now1 and leave   
,lu and ,mr4 ,dudley to me4  ,rose      
suddenly inspected me and then ,parti1  

as if he preferred the crack to be with 
cudgels2 but in a second the little     
blaze vanished1 and he only stripped a  
weigelia branch of every blossom4  ,i   
wonder what made ,lu behave so that     
night2 she scarcely spoke to ,rose1     
appeared entirely unconcerned while he  
hovered round her like an officious     
sprite1 was all grace to the others and 
sweetness to ,mr4 ,dudley4 ,and ,rose1  
oblivious of snubs1 paraded his         
devotion1 seemed determined to show his 
love for ,lu1--as if any one cared a    
straw1--and took the pains to be        
positively rude to me4 ,he was possessed
 of an odd restlessness2 a little       
defiance bristled his movements1 an air 
of contrariness2 and whenever he became 
quiet1 he seemed again like one         
enchanted and folded up in a dream1 to  
break whose spell he was about to       
abandon efforts4 ,he told me life had   
destroyed my enchantment2 ,i wonder what
 will destroy his4 ,lu refused to sit in
 the garden-chair he offered1--just     

suffered the wreath of pink bells he    
gave her to hang in her hand1 and       
by-and-by fall1--and when the north grew
 ruddier and swept the zenith with      
lances of light1 and when it faded1 and 
a dim cloud hazed all the stars1        
preserved the same equanimity1 kept on  
the evil tenor of her way1 and bade     
every one an impartial farewell at      
separating4 ,she is preciously          
well-bred4  ,we hadn't remained in the  
garden all that time1 though1--but1     
strolling through the gate and over the 
field1 had reached a small grove that   
fringes the gully worn by ,wild ,fall   
and crossed by the railway4 ,as we      
emerged from that1 talking gayly1 and   
our voices almost drowned by the dash of
 the little waterfall and the echo from 
the opposite rock1 ,i sprang across the 
curving track1 thinking them behind1 and
 at the same instant a thunderous roar  
burst all about1 a torrent of hot air   
whizzed and eddied over me1 ,i fell     
dizzied and stunned1 and the night      

express-train shot by like a burning    
arrow4 ,of course ,i was dreadfully hurt
 by my fall and fright1--,i feel the    
shock now1--but they all stood on the   
little mound1 from which ,i had sprung1 
like so many petrifactions3 ,rose1 just 
as he had caught ,louise back on firmer 
ground1 when she was about to follow me1
 his arm wound swiftly round her waist1 
yet his head thrust forward eagerly1 his
 pale face and glowing eyes bent1 not on
 her1 but me4 ,still he never stirred1  
and poor ,mr4 ,dudley first came to my  
assistance4 ,we all drew breath at our  
escape1 and1 a little slowly1 on my     
account1 turned homeward4  ,you are not 
bruised1 ,miss ,willoughby8 asked       
,blarsaye1 wakened4  ,dear ,yone6 ,lu   
said1 leaving ,mr4 ,dudley's arm1 you're
 so very pale6 ,it's not pain1 is it8   
,i am not conscious of any4 ,why should 
,i be injured1 any more than you8  ,do  
you know1 said ,rose1 sotto voce1       
turning and bending merely his head to  
me1 ,i thought ,i heard you scream1 and 

that you were dead4  ,and what then8    
,nothing1 but that you were lying dead  
and torn1 and ,i should see you1 he     
said1--and said as if he liked to say   
it1 experiencing a kind of savage       
delight at his ability to say it4  ,a   
pity to have disappointed you6 ,i       
answered4  ,i saw it coming before you  
leaped1 he added1 as a malignant        
finality1 and drawing nearer4 ,you were 
both on the brink4 ,i called1 but       
probably neither you nor ,lu heard me4  
,so ,i snatched her back4  ,now ,i had  
been next him then4  ,jove's balance1 ,i
 said1 taking ,parti's arm4  ,he turned 
instantly to ,lu1 and kept by her during
 the remainder of the walk1 ,mr4 ,dudley
 being at the other side4 ,i was puzzled
 a little by ,lu1 as ,i have been a good
 many times since2 ,i thought she liked 
,rose so much4 ,papa met us in the      
field1 and there the affair must be     
detailed to him1 and then he would have 
us celebrate our safety in ,champagne4  
,good-bye1 ,louise1 said ,rose1 beside  

her at the gate1 and offering his hand1 
somewhat later4 ,i'm going away         
to-morrow1 if it's fine4  ,going8 with  
involuntary surprise4  ,to camp out in  
,maine4  ,oh6 ,i hope you will enjoy it4
  ,would you stay long1 ,louise8  ,if   
the sketching-grounds are good4  ,when  
,i come back1 you'll sing my songs8     
,shake hands4  ,she just laid a cold    
touch on his4  ,louise1 are you offended
 with me8  ,she looked up with so much  
simplicity4 ,offended1 ,rose1 with you8 
,not offended1 but frozen1 ,i could have
 said4 ,lu is like that little          
sensitive-plant1 shrinking into herself 
with stiff unconsciousness at a certain 
touch4 ,but ,i don't think he noticed   
the sad tone in her voice1 as she said  
good-night2 ,i didn't1 till1 the others 
being gone1 ,i saw her turn after his   
disappearing figure1 with a look that   
would have been despairing1 but for its 
supplication4  ,the only thing ,lu ever 
said to me about this was1--  ,don't you
 think ,rose a little altered1 ,yone1   

since he came home8  ,altered8  ,i have 
noticed it ever since you showed him    
your beads1 that day4  ,oh6 it's the    
amber1 ,i said4 ,they are amulets1 and  
have bound him in a thrall4 ,you must   
wear them1 and dissolve the charm4 ,he's
 in a dream4  ,what is it to be in a    
dream8 she asked4  ,to lose thought of  
past or future4  ,she repeated my       
words1--,yes1 he's in a dream1 she said1
 musingly4   ,,ii4  ,rose didn't come   
near us for a fortnight2 but he had not 
camped at all1 as he said4 ,it was the  
first stone thrown into ,lu's life1 and 
,i never saw any one keep the ripples   
under so2 but her suspicions were       
aroused4 ,finally he came in again1 all 
as before1 and ,i thought things might  
have been different1 if in that         
fortnight ,mr4 ,dudley had not been so  
assiduous2 and now1 to the latter's     
happiness1 there were several ragged    
children and infirm old women in whom1  
,lu having taken them in charge1 he     
chose to be especially interested4 ,lu  

always was housekeeper1 both because it 
had fallen to her while mamma and ,i    
were away1 and because she had an       
administrative faculty equal to ,general
 ,jackson's2 and ,rose1 who had         
frequently gone about with her1         
inspecting jellies and cordials and     
adding up her accounts1 now unexpectedly
 found ,mr4 ,dudley so near his former  
place that he disdained to resume it    
himself2--not entirely1 because the man 
of course couldn't be as familiar as an 
old playmate2 but just enough to put    
,rose aside4 ,he never would compete    
with any one2 and ,lu did not know how  
to repulse the other4  ,if the amulets  
had ravished ,rose from himself1 they   
did it at a distance1 for ,i had not    
worn them since that day4--,you needn't 
look4 ,thales imagined amber had a      
spirit2 and ,pliny says it is a         
counter-charm for sorceries4 ,there are 
a great many mysterious things in the   
world4 ,aren't there any hidden         
relations between us and certain        

substances8 ,will you tell me something 
impossible8--,but he came and went about
 ,louise1 and she sung his songs1 and   
all was going finely again1 when we gave
 our midsummer party4  ,everybody was   
there1 of course1 and we had enrapturing
 music4 ,louise wore--no                
matter--something of twilight purple1   
and begged for the amber1 since it was  
too much for my toilette1--a double     
,india muslin1 whose snowy sheen        
scintillated with festoons of gorgeous  
green beetles' wings flaming like fiery 
emeralds4--,a family dress1 my dear1 and
 worn by my aunt before me1--only that  
individual must have been frightened out
 of her wits by it4 ,a cruel1 savage    
dress1 very like1 but ineffably         
gorgeous4--,so ,i wore her aquamarina1  
though the other would have been better2
 and when ,i sailed in1 with all the    
airy folds in a hoar-frost mistiness    
fluttering round me and the glitter of  
,lu's jewels1--  ,why6 said ,rose1 you  
look like the moon in a halo4  ,but ,lu 

disliked a hostess out-dressing her     
guests4  ,it was dull enough till quite 
late1 and then ,i stepped out with ,mr4 
,parti1 and walked up and down a        
garden-path4 ,others were outside as    
well1 and the last time ,i passed a     
little arbor ,i caught a yellow gleam of
 amber4 ,lu1 of course4 ,who was with   
her8 ,a gentleman1 bending low to catch 
her words1 holding her hand in an       
irresistible pressure4 ,not ,rose1 for  
he was flitting in beyond4 ,mr4 ,dudley4
 ,and ,i saw then that ,lu's kindness   
was too great to allow her to repel him 
angrily2 her gentle conscience let her  
wound no one4 ,had ,rose seen the       
pantomime8 ,without doubt4 ,he had been 
seeking her1 and he found her1 he       
thought1 in ,mr4 ,dudley's arms4 ,after 
a while we went in1 and1 finding all    
smooth enough1 ,i slipped through the   
balcony-window and hung over the        
balustrade1 glad to be alone a moment4  
,the wind1 blowing in1 carried the gay  
sounds away from me1 even the music came

 richly muffled through the heavy       
curtains1 and ,i wished to breathe balm 
and calm4 ,the moon1 round and full1 was
 just rising1 making the gloom below    
more sweet4 ,a full moon is poison to   
some2 they shut it out at every crevice1
 and do not suffer a ray to cross them2 
it has a chemical or magnetic effect2 it
 sickens them4 ,but ,i am never more    
free and royal than when the subtile    
celerity of its magic combinations1     
whatever they are1 is at work4 ,never   
had ,i known the mere joy of being so   
intimately as to-night4 ,the river slept
 soft and mystic below the woods1 the   
sky was full of light1 the air ripe with
 summer4 ,out of the yellow honeysuckles
 that climbed around1 clouds of         
delicious fragrance stole and swathed   
me2 long wafts of faint harmony gently  
thrilled me4 ,dewy and dark and         
uncertain was all beyond4 ,i1 possessed 
with a joyousness so deep through its   
contented languor as to counterfeit     
serenity1 forgot all my wealth of       

nature1 my pomp of beauty1 abandoned    
myself to the hour4  ,a strain of       
melancholy dance-music pierced the air  
and fell4 ,i half turned my head1 and my
 eyes met ,rose4 ,he had been there     
before me1 perhaps4 ,his face1 white and
 shining in the light1 shining with a   
strange sweet smile of relief1 of       
satisfaction1 of delight1 his lips      
quivering with unspoken words1 his eyes 
dusky with depth after depth of passion4
 ,how long did my eyes swim on his8 ,i  
cannot tell4 ,he never stirred2 still   
leaned there against the pillar1 still  
looked down on me like a marble god4    
,the sudden tears dazzled my gaze1 fell 
down my hot cheek1 and still ,i knelt   
fascinated by that smile4 ,in that      
moment ,i felt that he was more         
beautiful than the night1 than the      
music1 than ,i4 ,then ,i knew that all  
this time1 all summer1 all past summers1
 all my life long1 ,i had loved him4    
,some one was waiting to make his       
adieux2 ,i heard my father seeking me2  

,i parted the curtains1 and went in4    
,one after one those tedious people     
left1 the lights grew dim1 and still he 
stayed without4 ,i ran to the window1   
and1 lifting the curtain1 bent forward1 
crying1--  ,mr4 ,rose6 do you spend the 
night on the balcony8  ,then he moved1  
stepped down1 murmured something to my  
father1 bowed loftily to ,louise1 passed
 me without a sign1 and went out4 ,in a 
moment1 ,lu's voice1 a quick1 sharp     
exclamation1 touched him2 he turned1    
came back4 ,she1 wondering at him1 had  
stood toying with the amber1 and at last
 crushing the miracle of the whole1 a   
bell-wort wrought most delicately with  
all the dusty pollen grained upon its   
anthers1 crushing it between her        
fingers1 breaking the thread1 and       
scattering the beads upon the carpet4   
,he stooped with her to gather them     
again1 he took from her hand and        
restored to her afterward the shattered 
fragments of the bell-wort1 he helped   
her disentangle the aromatic string from

 her falling braids1--for ,i kept       
apart1--he breathed the penetrating     
incense of each separate amulet1 and ,i 
saw that from that hour1 when every atom
 of his sensation was tense and         
vibrating1 she would be associated with 
the loathed amber in his undefined      
consciousness1 would be surrounded with 
an atmosphere of its perfume1 that ,lu  
was truly sealed from him in it1 sealed 
into herself4 ,then again1 saying no    
word1 he went out4  ,louise stood like  
one lost1--took aimlessly a few         
steps1--retraced them1--approached a    
table1--touched something1--left it4  ,i
 am so sorry about your beads6 she said1
 apologetically1 when she looked up and 
saw me astonished1 putting the broken   
pieces into my hand4  ,goodness6 ,is    
that what you are fluttering about so   
for8  ,they can't be mended1 she        
continued1 but ,i will thread them      
again4  ,i don't care about them1 ,i'm  
sick of amber1 ,i answered1 consolingly4
 ,you may have them1 if you will4  ,no4 

,i must pay too great a price for them1 
she replied4  ,nonsense6 when they break
 again1 ,i'll pay you back1 ,i said1    
without in the least knowing what she   
meant4 ,i didn't know you were too proud
 for a 'thank you6'  ,she came up and   
put both her arms round my neck1 laid   
her cheek beside mine a minute1 kissed  
me1 and went up-stairs4 ,lu always      
rather worshipped me4  ,dressing my hair
 that night1 ,carmine1 my maid1 begged  
for the remnants of the bell-wort to    
make a scent-bag with1 ,miss4  ,next    
day1 no ,rose2 it rained4 ,but at night 
he came and took possession of the room1
 with a strange1 airy gayety never seen 
in him before4 ,it was so chilly1 that  
,i had heaped the wood-boughs1 used in  
the yesterday's decorations1 on the     
hearth1 and lighted a fragrant crackling
 flame that danced up wildly at my      
touch1--for ,i have the faculty of fire4
 ,i sat at one side1 ,lu at the other1  
papa was holding a skein of silk for her
 to wind1 the amber beads were twinkling

 in the firelight1--and when she slipped
 them slowly on the thread1 bead after  
bead1 warmed through and through by the 
real blaze1 they crowded the room afresh
 with their pungent spiciness4 ,papa had
 called ,rose to take his place at the  
other end of the silk1 and had gone out2
 and when ,lu finished1 she fastened the
 ends1 cut the thread1 ,rose likening   
her to ,atropos1 and put them back into 
her basket4 ,still playing with the     
scissors1 following down the lines of   
her hand1 a little snap was heard4  ,oh6
 said ,louise1 ,i have broken my ring6  
,can't it be repaired8 ,i asked4  ,no1  
she returned briefly1 but pleasantly1   
and threw the pieces into the fire4     
,the hand must not be ringless1 said    
,rose2 and slipping off the ring of hers
 that he wore1 he dropped it upon the   
amber1 then got up and threw an armful  
of fresh boughs upon the blaze4  ,so    
that was all done4 ,then ,rose was gayer
 than before4 ,he is one of those people
 to whom you must allow moods1--when    

their sun shines1 dance1 and when their 
vapors rise1 sit in the shadow4 ,every  
variation of the atmosphere affects him1
 though by no means uniformly2 and so   
sensitive is he1 that1 when connected   
with you by any intimate rapport1 even  
if but momentary1 he almost divines your
 thoughts4 ,he is full of perpetual     
surprises4 ,i am sure he was a          
nightingale before he was ,rose4 ,an    
iridescence like sea-foam sparkled in   
him that evening1 he laughed as lightly 
as the little tinkling mass-bells at    
every moment1 and seemed to diffuse a   
rosy glow wherever he went in the room4 
,yet gayety was not his peculiar        
specialty1 and at length he sat before  
the fire1 and1 taking ,lu's scissors1   
commenced cutting bits of paper in      
profiles4 ,somehow they all looked      
strangely like and unlike ,mr4 ,dudley4 
,i pointed one out to ,lu1 and1 if he   
had needed confirmation1 her changing   
color gave it4 ,he only glanced at her  
askance1 and then broke into the        

merriest description of his life in     
,rome1 of which he declared he had not  
spoken to us yet1 talking fast and      
laughing as gleefully as a child1 and   
illustrating people and localities with 
scissors and paper as he went on1 a     
couple of careless snips putting a whole
 scene before us4  ,the floor was       
well-strewn with such chips1--fountains1
 statues1 baths1 and all the persons of 
his little drama1--when papa came in4   
,he held an open letter1 and1 sitting   
down1 read it over again4 ,rose fell    
into silence1 clipping the scissors     
daintily in and out the white sheet     
through twinkling intricacies4 ,as the  
design dropped out1 ,i caught it1--a    
long wreath of honeysuckle-blossoms4 ,lu
 was humming a little tune4 ,rose       
joined1 and hummed the last bars1 then  
bade us good-night4  ,yone1 said papa1  
your ,aunt ,willoughby is very          
ill1--will not recover4 ,she is my elder
 brother's widow2 you are her heir4 ,you
 must go and stay with her4  ,now it was

 very likely that just at this time ,i  
was going away to nurse ,aunt           
,willoughby6 ,moreover1 illness is my   
very antipodes1--its nearness is        
invasion1--we are utterly               
antipathetic1--it disgusts and repels   
me4 ,what sympathy can there be between 
my florid health1 my rank1 redundant    
life1 and any wasting disease of death8 
,what more hostile than focal           
concentration and obscure decomposition8
 ,you see1 we cannot breathe the same   
atmosphere4 ,i banish the thought of    
such a thing from my feeling1 from my   
memory4 ,so ,i said1--  ,it's           
impossible4 ,i'm not going an inch to   
,aunt ,willoughby's4 ,why1 papa1 it's   
more than a hundred miles1 and in this  
weather6  ,oh1 the wind has changed4    
,then it will be too warm for such a    
journey4  ,a new idea1 ,yone6 ,too warm 
for the mountains8  ,yes1 papa4 ,i'm not
 going a step4  ,why1 ,yone1 you        
astonish me6 ,your sick aunt6  ,that's  
the very thing4 ,if she were well1 ,i   

might1--perhaps4 ,sick6 ,what can ,i do 
for her8 ,i never go into a sick-room4  
,i hate it4 ,i don't know how to do a   
thing there4 ,don't say another word1   
papa4 ,i can't go4  ,it is out of the   
question to let it pass so1 my dear4    
,here you are nursing all the invalids  
in town1 yet----  ,indeed1 ,i'm not1    
papa4 ,i don't know and don't care      
whether they're dead or alive4  ,well1  
then1 it's ,lu4  ,oh1 yes1 she's        
hospital-agent for half the country4    
,then it is time that you also got a    
little experience4  ,don't1 papa6 ,i    
don't want it4 ,i never saw anybody die1
 and ,i never mean to4  ,can't ,i do as 
well1 uncle8 asked ,lu4  ,you1 darling8 
,yes2 but it isn't your duty4  ,i       
thought1 perhaps1 she said1 you would   
rather ,yone went4  ,so ,i would4  ,dear
 papa1 don't vex me6 ,ask anything else6
  ,it is so unpleasant to ,yone1 ,lu    
murmured1 that maybe ,i had better go4  
,and if you've no objection1 ,sir1 ,i'll
 take the early train to-morrow4        

,wasn't she an angel8         99        
99       99       99       99  ,lu was  
away a month4 ,rose came in1 expressing 
his surprise4 ,i said1 ,othello's       
occupation's gone8  ,and left him room  
for pleasure now1 he retorted4  ,which  
means seclusion from the world1 in the  
society of lakes and chromes4  ,miss    
,willoughby1 said he1 turning and       
looking directly past me1 may ,i paint  
you8  ,me8 ,oh1 you can't4  ,no2 but may
 ,i try8  ,i cannot go to you4  ,i will 
come to you4  ,do you suppose it will be
 like8  ,not at all1 of course4 ,it is  
to be1 then8  ,oh1 ,i've no more right  
than any other piece of ,nature to      
refuse an artist a study in color4  ,he 
faced about1 half pouting1 as if he     
would go out1 then returned and fixed   
the time4  ,so he painted4 ,he generally
 put me into a broad beam that slanted  
from the top of the veiled window1 and  
day after day he worked4 ,ah1 what      
glorious days they were6 how gay6 how   
full of life6 ,i almost feared to let   

him image me on canvas1 do you know8 ,i 
had a fancy it would lay my soul so bare
 to his inspection4 ,what secrets might 
be searched1 what depths fathomed1 at   
such times1 if men knew6 ,i feared lest 
he should see me as ,i am1 in those     
great masses of warm light lying before 
him1 as ,i feared he saw when he said   
amber harmonized with me1--all being    
things not polarized1 not organized1    
without centre1 so to speak4 ,but it    
escaped him1 and he wrought on4 ,did he 
succeed8 ,bless you6 he might as well   
have painted the sun2 and who could do  
that8 ,no2 but shades and combinations  
that he had hardly touched or known1    
before1 he had to lavish now2 he learned
 more than some years might have taught 
him2 he1 who worshipped beauty1 saw how 
thoroughly ,i possessed it2 he has told 
me that through me he learned the       
sacredness of color4 ,since he loves    
beauty so1 why does he not love me8 ,i  
asked myself2 and perhaps the feverish  
hope and suspense only lit up that      

beauty and fed it with fresh fires4 ,ah1
 the ,july days6 ,did you ever wander   
over barren1 parched stubble-fields1 and
 suddenly front a knot of red           
,turk's-cap lilies1 flaring as if they  
had drawn all the heat and brilliance   
from the land into their tissues8 ,such 
were they4 ,and if ,i were to grow old  
and gray1 they would light down all my  
life1 and ,i could be willing to lead a 
dull1 grave age1 looking back and       
remembering them1 warming myself forever
 in their constant youth4 ,if ,i had    
nothing to hope1 they would become my   
whole existence4 ,think1 then1 what it  
will be to have all days like those6    
,he never satisfied himself1 as he might
 have done1 had he known me better1--and
 he never shall know me6--and used to   
look at me for the secret of his        
failure1 till ,i laughed2 then the look 
grew wistful1 grew enamored4 ,by-and-by 
we left the pictures4 ,we went into the 
woods1 warm1 dry woods2 we stayed there 
from morning till night4 ,in the burning

 noons1 we hung suspended between two   
heavens1 in our boat on glassy          
forest-pools1 where now and then a shoal
 of white lilies rose and crowded out   
the under-sky4 ,sunsets burst like      
bubbles over us4 ,when the hidden       
thrushes were breaking one's heart with 
music1 and the sweet fern sent up a     
tropical fragrance beneath our crushing 
steps1 we came home to rooms full of    
guests and my father's genial warmth4   
,what a month it was6  ,one day papa    
went up into ,new ,hampshire2 ,aunt     
,willoughby was dead2 and one day ,lu   
came home4  ,she was very pale and thin4
 ,her eyes were hollow and purple4      
,there is some mistake1 ,lu1 ,i said4   
,it is you who are dead1 instead of     
,aunt ,willoughby4  ,do ,i look so      
wretchedly8 she asked1 glancing at the  
mirror4  ,dreadfully6 ,is it all        
watching and grief8  ,watching and      
grief1 said ,lu4  ,how melancholy her   
smile was6 ,she would have crazed me in 
a little while1 if ,i had minded her4   

,did you care so much for fretful1      
crabbed ,aunt ,willoughby8  ,she was    
very kind to me1 ,lu replied4  ,there   
was an odd air with her that day4 ,she  
didn't go at once and get off her       
travelling-dress1 but trifled about in a
 kind of expectancy1 a little fever     
going and coming in her cheeks1 and     
turning at any noise4  ,will you believe
 it8--though ,i know ,lu had refused    
him1--who met her at the half-way       
junction1 saw about her luggage1 and    
drove home with her1 but ,mr4 ,dudley1  
and was with us1 a half-hour afterward1 
when ,rose came in8 ,lu didn't turn at  
his step1 but the little fever in her   
face prevented his seeing her as ,i had 
done4 ,he shook hands with her and asked
 after her health1 and shook hands with 
,mr4 ,dudley1 7who hadn't been near us  
during her absence17 and seemed to wish 
she should feel that he recognized      
without pain a connection between       
herself and that personage4 ,but when he
 came back to me1 ,i was perplexed again

 at that bewitched look in his face1--as
 if ,lu's presence made him feel that he
 was in a dream1 ,i the enchantress of  
that dream4 ,it did not last long1      
though4 ,and soon she saw ,mr4 ,dudley  
out1 and went up-stairs4  ,when ,lu came
 down to tea1 she had my beads in her   
hand again4  ,i went into your room and 
got them1 dear ,yone1 she said1 because 
,i have found something to replace the  
broken bell-wort2 and she showed us a   
little amber bee1 black and golden4 ,not
 so lovely as the bell-wort1 she        
resumed1 and ,i must pierce it for the  
thread2 but it will fill the number4    
,was ,i not fortunate to find it8  ,but 
when at a flame she heated a long1      
slender needle to pierce it1 the little 
winged wonder shivered between her      
fingers1 and under the hot steel filled 
the room with the honeyed smell of its  
dusted substance4  ,never mind1 said ,i 
again4 ,it's a shame1 though1--it was so
 much prettier than the bell-wort6 ,we  
might have known it was too brittle4    

,it's just as well1 ,lu4  ,the room     
smelt like a chancel at vespers4 ,rose  
sauntered to the window1 and so down the
 garden1 and then home4  ,yes4 ,it      
cannot be helped1 she said1 with a      
smile4 ,but ,i really counted upon      
seeing it on the string4 ,i'm not lucky 
at amber4 ,you know little ,asian said  
it would bring bane to the bearer4      
,dear6 dear6 ,i had quite forgotten6 ,i 
exclaimed4 ,oh1 ,lu1 keep it1 or give it
 away1 or something6 ,i don't want it   
any longer4  ,you're very vehement1 she 
said1 laughing now4 ,i am not afraid of 
your gods4 ,shall ,i wear them8  ,so the
 rest of the summer ,lu twined them     
round her throat1--amulets of sorcery1  
orbs of separation2 but one night she   
brought them back to me4 ,that was last 
night4 ,there they lie4  ,the next day1 
in the high golden noon1 ,rose came4 ,i 
was on the lounge in the alcove parlor1 
my hair half streaming out of ,lu's net2
 but he didn't mind4 ,the light was     
toned and mellow1 the air soft and cool4

 ,he came and sat on the opposite side1 
so that he faced the wall table with its
 dish of white1 stiflingly sweet lilies1
 while ,i looked down the drawing-room4 
,he had brought a book1 and by-and-by   
opened at the part commencing1 ,do not  
die1 ,phene4 ,he read it through1--all  
that perfect1 perfect scene4 ,from the  
moment when he said1                    
,i overlean     ,this length of hair and
 lustrous front1--they turn     ,like an
 entire flower upward1--  his voice low1
 sustained1 clear1--till he reached the 
line1      ,look at the woman here with 
the new soul1--  till he turned the leaf
 and murmured1      ,shall to produce   
form out of unshaped stuff     ,be      
art1--and1 further1 to evoke a soul     
,from form be nothing8 ,this new soul is
 mine6--  till then1 he never glanced   
up4 ,now1 with a proud grace1 he raised 
his head1--not to look at me1 but across
 me1 at the lilies1 to satiate himself  
with their odorous snowiness4 ,when he  
again pronounced words1 his voice was   

husky and vibrant2 but what music dwelt 
in it and seemed to prolong rather than 
break the silver silence1 as he echoed1 
,some unsuspected isle in the far seas6 
,how many read to descend to a prosaic  
life6 how few to meet one as rich and   
full beside them6 ,the tone grew ever   
lower2 he looked up slowly1 fastening   
his glance on mine4      ,and you are   
ever by me while ,i gaze1--     ,are in 
my arms1 as now1--as now1--as now6  he  
said4 ,he swayed forward with those wild
 questioning eyes1--his breath blew over
 my cheek2 ,i was drawn1--,i bent2 the  
full passion of his soul broke to being1
 wrapped me with a blinding light1 a    
glowing kiss on lingering lips1 a clasp 
strong and tender as heaven4 ,all my    
hair fell down like a shining cloud and 
veiled us1 the great rolling folds in   
wave after wave of crisp splendor4 ,i   
drew back from that long1 silent kiss1  
,i gathered up each gold thread of the  
straying tresses1 blushing1 defiant4 ,he
 also1 he drew back4 ,but ,i knew all   

then4 ,i had no need to wait longer2 ,i 
had achieved4 ,rose loved me4 ,rose had 
loved me from that first day4--,you     
scarcely hear what ,i say1 ,i talk so   
low and fast8 ,well1 no matter1 dear1   
you wouldn't care4--,for a moment that  
gaze continued1 then the lids fell1 the 
face grew utterly white4 ,he rose1 flung
 the book1 crushed and torn1 upon the   
floor1 went out1 speaking no word to me1
 nor greeting ,louise in the next room4 
,could he have seen her8 ,no4 ,i1 only1 
had that4 ,for1 as ,i drew from his arm1
 a meteoric crimson1 shooting across the
 pale face bent over work there1 flashed
 upon me1 and then a few great tears1   
like sudden thunder-drops1 falling      
slowly and wetting the heavy fingers4   
,the long mirror opposite her reflected 
the interior of the alcove parlor4      
,no1--he could not have seen1 he must   
have felt her4  ,i wonder whether ,i    
should have cared1 if ,i had never met  
him any more1--happy in this new        
consciousness4 ,but in the afternoon he 

returned1 bright and eager4  ,are you so
 very busy1 dear ,yone1 he said1 without
 noticing ,lu1 that you cannot drive    
with me to-day8  ,busy6 ,in five minutes
 ,i whirled down the avenue beside him4 
,i had not been ,yone to him before4    
,how quiet we were6 he driving on1 bent 
forward1 seeing out and away2 ,i leaning
 back1 my eyes closed1 and1 whenever a  
remembrance of that instant at noon     
thrilled me1 a stinging blush staining  
my cheek4 ,i1 who had believed myself   
incapable of love1 till that night on   
the balcony1 felt its floods welling    
from my spirit1--who had believed myself
 so completely cold1 was warm to my     
heart's core4 ,again that breath fanned 
me1 those lips touched mine1 lightly1   
quickly4  ,yone1 my ,yone6 he said4 ,is 
it true8 ,no dream within dream8 ,do you
 love me8  ,wistful1 longing1 tender    
eyes4  ,do ,i love you8 ,i would die for
 you6         99       99       99      
99       99  ,ah1 me6 ,if the ,july days
 were such1 how perfect were the ,august

 and ,september nights6 their young     
moon's lingering twilight1 their full   
broad bays of silver1 their interlunar  
season6 ,the winds were warm about us1  
the whole earth seemed the wealthier for
 our love4 ,we almost lived upon the    
river1 he and ,i alone1--floating       
seaward1 swimming slowly up with late   
tides1 reaching home drenched with dew1 
parting in passionate silence4 ,once he 
said to me1--  ,is it because it is so  
much larger1 more strange and beautiful1
 than any other love could be1 that ,i  
feel guilty1 ,yone1--feel as if ,i      
sinned in loving you so1 my great white 
flower8  ,i ought to tell you how       
splendid papa was1 never seemed to      
consider that ,rose had only his art1   
said ,i had enough from ,aunt           
,willoughby for both1 we should live up 
there among the mountains1 and set off  
at once to make arrangements4 ,lu has a 
wonderful tact1 too1--seeing at once    
where her path lay4 ,she is always so   
well oriented6 ,how full of peace and   

bliss these two months have been6 ,last 
night ,lu came in here4 ,she brought    
back my amber gods1 saying she had not  
intended to keep them1 and yet          
loitering4  ,yone1 she said at last1 ,i 
want you to tell me if you love him4    
,now1 as if that were any affair of     
hers6 ,i looked what ,i thought4  ,don't
 be angry1 she pleaded4 ,you and ,i have
 been sisters1 have we not8 and always  
shall be4 ,i love you very much1        
dear1--more than you may believe2 ,i    
only want to know if you will make him  
happy4  ,that's according1 said ,i1 with
 a yawn4  ,she still stood before me4   
,her eyes said1 ,i have a right1--,i    
have a right to know4  ,you want me to  
say how much ,i love ,vaughan ,rose8 ,i 
asked1 finally4 ,well1 listen1 ,lu1--so 
much1 that1 when he forgets me1--and he 
will1 ,lu1 one day1--,i shall die4      
,prevent his forgetting you1 ,yone6 she 
returned4 ,make your soul white and     
clear1 like his4  ,no6 no6 ,i answered4 
,he loves me as ,i am4 ,i will never    

change4  ,then somehow tears began to   
come4 ,i didn't want to cry2 ,i had to  
crowd them back behind my fingers and   
shut lids4  ,oh1 ,lu6 ,i said1 ,i cannot
 think what it would be to live1 and he 
not a part of me6 not for either of us  
to be in the world without the other6   
,then ,lu's tears fell with mine1 as she
 drew her fingers over my hair4 ,she    
said she was happy1 too2 and to-day has 
been down and gathered every one1 so    
that1 when you see her1 her white array 
will be wreathed with purple            
hearts-ease4 ,but ,i didn't tell ,lu    
quite the truth1 you must know4 ,i don't
 think ,i should die1 except to my      
former self1 if ,rose ceased to love me4
 ,i should change4 ,oh1 ,i should hate  
him6 ,hate is as intense as love4       
,bless me6 ,what time can it be8 ,there 
are papa and ,rose walking in the       
garden4 ,i turned out my maid to find   
chance for all this talk2 ,i must ring  
for her4 ,there1 there's my hair6 silken
 coil after coil1 full of broken lights1

 rippling below the knees1 fine and     
fragrant4 ,who could have such hair but 
,i8 ,i am the last of the ,willoughbys1 
a decayed race1 and from such strong    
decay what blossom less gorgeous should 
spring8  ,october now4 ,all the world   
swings at the top of its beauty2 and    
those hills where we shall live1 what   
robes of color fold them6 ,tawny filemot
 gilding the valleys1 each seam and rut 
a scroll or arabesque1 and all the year 
pouring out her heart's blood to flush  
the maples1 the great impurpled granites
 warm with the sunshine they have drunk 
all summer6 ,so ,i am to be married     
to-day1 at noon4 ,i like it best so2 it 
is my hour4 ,there is my veil1 that     
regal ,venice point4 ,fling it round    
you4 ,no1 you would look like a ghost in
 one1--,lu like a corpse4 ,dear me6     
,that's the second time ,i've rung for  
,carmine4 ,i dare say the hussy is      
trying on my gown4 ,you think it strange
 ,i don't delay8 ,why1 child1 why tempt 
,providence8 ,once mine1 always mine4   

,he might wake up4 ,no1 no1 ,i couldn't 
have meant that6 ,it is not possible    
that ,i have merely led him into a      
region of richer dyes1 lapped him in    
this vision of color1 kindled his heart 
to such a flame1 that it may light him  
towards further effort4 ,can you believe
 that he will slip from me and return to
 one in better harmony with him8 ,is any
 one8 ,will he ever find himself with   
that love lost1 this love exhausted1    
only his art left him8 ,never6 ,i am his
 crown4 ,see me6 how singularly1        
gloriously beautiful6 ,for him only6 all
 for him6 ,i love him6 ,i cannot1 ,i    
will not lose him6 ,i defy all6 ,my     
heart's proud pulse assures me6 ,i defy 
,fate6 ,hush6 ,one1--two1--twelve       
o'clock4 ,carmine6   ,,iii4  ,astra     
castra1 numen lumen4  ,the click of her 
needles and the soft singing of the     
night-lamp are the only sounds breaking 
the stillness1 the awful stillness1 of  
this room4 ,how the wind blows without6 
it must be whirling white gusty drifts  

through the split hills4 ,if ,i were as 
free6 ,whistling round the gray gable1  
tearing the bleak boughs1 crying faint1 
hoarse moans down the chimneys6 ,a wild1
 sad gale6 ,there is a lull1 a long     
breathless lull1 before it soughs up    
again4 ,oh1 it is like a pain6 ,pain6   
,why do ,i think the word8 ,must ,i     
suffer any more8 ,am ,i crazed with     
opiates8 or am ,i dying8 ,they are in   
that drawer1--laudanum1 morphine1       
hyoscyamus1 and all the drowsy          
sirups1--little drops1 but soaring like 
a fog1 and wrapping the whole world in a
 dull ache1 with no salient sting to    
catch a groan on4 ,they are so small1   
they might be lost in this long1 dark   
room2 why not the pain too1 the point of
 pain1 ,i8 ,a long1 dark room2 ,i at one
 end1 she at the other2 the curtains    
drawn away from me that ,i may breathe4 
,ah1 ,i have been stifled so long6 ,they
 look down on me1 all those old dead and
 gone faces1 those portraits on the     
wall1--look all from their frames at me1

 the last term of the race1 the         
vanishing summit of their design4 ,a    
fierce weapon thrust into the world for 
evil has that race been1--from the great
 gray ,willoughby1 threatening with his 
iron eyes there1 to me1 the sharp apex  
of its suffering4 ,a fierce1 glittering 
blade6 ,why ,i alone singled for this   
curse8 ,rank blossom1 rank decay1 they  
answer1 but falsely4 ,i lie here1       
through no fault of mine1 blasted by    
disease1 the dread with no relief4 ,a   
hundred ancestors look from my walls1   
and see in me the centre of their lives1
 of all their little splendor1 of their 
sins and follies2 what slept in them    
wakes in me4 ,oh1 let me sleep too6     
,how long could ,i live and lose        
nothing8 ,i saw my face in the          
hand-glass this morning1--more lovely   
than health fashioned it2--transparent  
skin1 bounding blood1 with its fire     
burning behind the eye1 on cheek1 on    
lip1--a beauty that every pang has      
aggravated1 heightened1 sharpened1 to a 

superb intensity1 flushing1 rapid1      
unearthly1--a brilliancy to be dreamed  
of4 ,like a great autumn-leaf ,i fall1  
for ,i am dying1--dying6 ,yes1 death    
finds me more beautiful than life made  
me2 but have ,i lost nothing8 ,great    
,heaven1 ,i have lost all6  ,a fancy    
comes to me1 that to-day was my         
birthday4 ,i have forgotten to mark     
time2 but if it was1 ,i am thirty-two   
years old4 ,i remember birthdays of a   
child1--loving1 cordial days4 ,no one   
remembers to-day4 ,why should they8 ,but
 ,i ache for a little love4             
,thirty-two1--that is young to die6 ,i  
am too fair1 too rich1 for death6--not  
his fit spoil6 ,is there no one to save 
me8 no help8 can ,i not escape8 ,ah1    
what a vain eagerness6 what an idle     
hope6 ,fall back again1 heart6 ,escape8 
,i do not desire to4 ,come1 come1 kind  
rest6 ,i am tired4  ,that cap-string has
 loosened now1 and all this golden      
cataract of hair has rushed out over the
 piled pillows4 ,it oppresses and       

terrifies me4 ,if ,i could speak1 it    
seems to me that ,i would ask ,louise to
 come and bind it up4 ,won't she turn   
and see8  ,have ,i been asleep8 ,what is
 this in my hands8 ,the amber gods8 ,oh1
 yes6 ,i asked to see them again2 ,i    
like their smell1 ,i think4 ,it is ten  
years ,i have had them4 ,they enchant2  
but the charm will not last2 nothing    
will4 ,i rubbed a little yellow smoke   
out of them1--a cloud that hung between 
him and the world1 so that he saw only  
me1--at least----,what am ,i dreaming   
of8 ,all manner of illusions haunt me4  
,who said anything about ten years8 ,i  
have been married ten years4 ,happy1    
then1 ten years8 ,oh1 no6 ,one day he   
woke4--,how close the room is6 ,i want  
some air4 ,why don't they do            
something----  ,once1 in the pride of a 
fool1 ,i fear having made some          
confidence1 some recital of my joy to   
ears that never had any4 ,did ,i say ,i 
would not lose him8 ,did ,i say ,i could
 live just on the memory of that summer8

 ,i lash myself that ,i must remember   
it6 that ,i ever loved him6 ,when he    
stirred1 when the mist left him1 when he
 found a mere passion had blinded him1  
when he spread his easel1 when he       
abandoned love1--was ,i wretched8 ,i1   
too1 abandoned love6--more1--,i hated6  
,all who hate are wretched4 ,but he was 
bound to me6 ,yes1 he might move        
restlessly1--it only clanked his chains4
 ,did he wound me8 ,i was cruel4 ,he    
never spoke4 ,he became artist1--ceased 
to be man1--was more indifferent than   
the cloud4 ,he could paint me           
then1--and1 revealed and bare1 all our  
histories written in me1 he hung me up  
beside my ancestors4 ,there ,i hang4    
,come from thy frame1 thou substance1   
and let this troubled phantom go6 ,come6
 for he gave my life to thee4 ,in thee  
he shut and sealed it all1 and left me  
as the empty husk4 ,did she come then8  
,no6 ,i sent for her4 ,i meant to teach 
him that he was yet a man1--to open     
before him a gulf of anguish2 but ,i    

slipped down it4 ,then ,i dogged them2  
they never spoke alone2 ,i intercepted  
the eye's language2 ,i withered their   
wintry smiles to frowns2 ,i stifled     
their sighs2 ,i checked their breath1   
their motion4 ,idle words passed our    
lips2 we three lived in a real world of 
silence1 agonized mutes4 ,she went4     
,summer by summer my father brought her 
to us4 ,always memory was kindled       
afresh1 always sorrow kept smouldering4 
,once she came2 ,i lay here2 she has not
 left me since4 ,he1--he also comes2 he 
has soothed pain with that loveless eye1
 carried me in untender arms1 watched   
calmly beside my delirious nights4 ,he  
who loved beauty has learned disgust4   
,why should ,i care8 ,i1 from the slave 
of bald form1 enlarged him to the master
 of gorgeous color2 his blaze is my     
ashes4 ,he studies me4 ,i owe him       
nothing4  ,is it near morning8 ,have ,i 
dozed again8 ,night is long4 ,the great 
hall-clock is striking1--throb after    
throb on the darkness4 ,i remember1 when

 ,i was a child1 watching its lengthened
 pendulum swing as if time were its own1
 and it measured the thread slowly1     
loath to part1--remember streaking its  
great ebony case with a little finger1  
misting it with a warm breath4 ,throb   
after throb1--is it going to peal       
forever8 ,stop1 solemn clangor6 hearts1 
stop6 ,midnight4  ,the nurses have gone 
down2 she sits there alone4 ,her bent   
side-face is full of pity4 ,now and then
 her head turns2 the great brown eyes   
lift heavily1 and lie on me1--heavily1  
as if the sight of me pained her4 ,ah1  
in me perishes her youth6 death enters  
her world6 ,besides1 she loves me4 ,i do
 not want her love1--,i would fling it  
off2 but ,i am faint1--,i am            
impotent1--,i am so cold6 ,not that she 
lives1 and ,i die1--not that she has    
peace1 and ,i tumult1--not for her      
voice's music1--not for her eye's       
lustre1--not for any charm of her       
womanly presence1--neither for her      
clear1 fair soul1--nor that1 when the   

storm and winter pass1 and ,i am stiff  
and frozen1 she smiles in the sun1 and  
leads new life1--not for all this ,i    
hate her2 but because my going gives her
 what ,i lost1--because1 ,i stepped     
aside1 the light falls on her1--because 
from my despair springs her happiness4  
,poor fool6 let her be happy1 if she    
can6 ,her mother was a ,willoughby6 ,and
 what is a flower that blows on a grave8
  ,why do ,i remember so distinctly one 
night alone of all my life1--one night1 
when we dance in the low room of a      
seaside cottage1--dance to ,lu's        
singing8 ,he leads me to her1 when the  
dance is through1 brushing with his head
 the festooned nets that swing from the 
rafters1--and in at the open casement is
 blown a butterfly1 a dead butterfly1   
from off the sea4 ,she holds it         
compassionately till ,i pin it on my    
dress1--the wings1 twin magnificences1  
freckled and barred and dusty with gold1
 fluttering at my breath4 ,some one     
speaks with me2 she strays to the       

window1 he follows1 and they are silent4
 ,he looks far away over the gray       
loneliness stretching beyond4 ,at length
 he murmurs3 ,a brief madness makes my  
long misery4 ,louise1 if the earth were 
dazzled aside from her constant         
pole-star to worship some bewildering   
comet1 would she be more forlorn than   
,i8  ,dear ,rose6 your art remains1 ,i  
hear her say4  ,he bends lower1 that his
 breath may scorch her brow4 ,was ,i    
wrong8 ,am ,i right8 he whispers1       
hurriedly4 ,you loved me once2 you love 
me now1 ,louise1 if ,i were free8  ,but 
you are not free4  ,she does not recoil1
 yet her very atmosphere repels him1    
while looking up with those woful eyes  
blanching her cheek by their gathering  
darkness4 ,and1 ,rose1----she sighs1    
then ceases abruptly1 while a quiver of 
sudden scorn writhes spurningly down    
eyelid and nostril and pains the whole  
face4  ,he erects himself1 then reaches 
his hand for the rose in her belt1      
glances at me1--the dead thing in my    

bosom rising and falling with my        
turbulent heart1--holds the rose to his 
lips1 leaves her4 ,how keen are my ears6
 how flushed my cheek6 how eager and    
fierce my eyes6 ,he approaches2 ,i      
snatch the rose and tear its petals in  
an angry shower1 and then a dim         
east-wind pours in and scatters my dream
 like flakes of foam4 ,all dreams go2   
youth and hope desert me2 the dark      
claims me4 ,o room1 surrender me6 ,o    
sickness and sorrow1 loose your weary   
hold6  ,it maddens me to know that the  
sun will shine again1 the tender grass  
grow green1 the veery sing1 the crocus  
come4 ,she will walk in the light and   
re-gather youth1 and ,i moulder1 a      
forgotten heap4 ,oh1 why not all things 
crash to ruin with me8  ,pain1 pain1    
pain6 ,where is my father8 ,why is he   
away1 when they know ,i die8 ,he used to
 hold me once2 he ought to hear me when 
,i call4 ,he would rest me1 and stroke  
the grief aside1--he is so strong4      
,where is he8  ,these amulets stumbling 

round again8 ,amber1 amber gods1 you did
 mischief in your day6 ,if ,i clutched  
you hard1 as ,lu did once1 all your     
spells would be broken4--,it is colder  
than it was4 ,i think ,i will go to     
sleep4  ,what was that8 ,how loud and   
resonant6 ,it stuns me4 ,it is too      
sonorous4 ,does sound flash8 ,ah6 the   
hour4 ,another8 ,how long the silver    
toll swims on the silent air6 ,it is one
 o'clock1--a passing bell1 a knell4 ,if 
,i were at home by the river1 the tide  
would be turning down1 down1 and out to 
the broad1 broad sea4 ,is it worth while
 to have lived8  ,have ,i spoken8 ,she  
looks at me1 rises1 and touches that    
bell-rope that always brings him4 ,how  
softly he opens the door6 ,waiting1     
perhaps4 ,well4 ,ten years have not     
altered him much4 ,the face is brighter1
 finer1--shines with the eternal youth  
of genius4 ,they pause a moment2 ,i     
suppose they are coming to me2 but their
 eyes are on each other4  ,why must the 
long1 silent look with which he met her 

the day ,i got my amber strike back on  
me now so vindictively8 ,i remember     
three looks3 that1 and this1 and one    
other1--one fervid noon1 a look that    
drank my soul1 that culminated my       
existence4 ,oh1 ,i remember6 ,i lost it 
a little while ago4 ,i have it now4 ,you
 are coming8 ,can't you hear me8 ,see6  
these costly liqueurs1 these precious   
perfumes beside me here1 if ,i can reach
 them1 ,i will drench the coverlet in   
them2 it shall be white and sweet as a  
little child's4 ,i wish they were the   
great rich lilies of that day2 it is too
 late for the baby ,may-flowers4 ,you do
 not like amber8 ,there the thread      
breaks again6 the little cruel gods go  
tumbling down the floor6 ,come1 lay my  
head on your breast6 kiss my life off my
 lips6 ,i am your ,yone6 ,i forgot a    
little while1--but ,i love you1 ,rose6  
,rose6         99       99       99     
99       99  ,why6 ,i thought arms held 
me4 ,how clear the space is6 ,the wind  
from out-doors1 rising again1 must have 

rushed in4 ,there is the quarter        
striking4 ,how free ,i am6 ,no one here8
 ,no swarm of souls about me8 ,oh1 those
 two faces looked from a great mist1 a  
moment since2 ,i scarcely see them now4 
,drop1 mask6 ,i will not pick you up6   
,out1 out into the gale6 back to my     
elements6  ,so ,i passed out of the     
room1 down the staircase4 ,the servants 
below did not see me1 but the hounds    
crouched and whined4 ,i paused before   
the great ebony clock2 again the        
fountain broke1 and it chimed the       
half-hour2 it was half-past one2 another
 quarter1 and the next time its         
ponderous silver hammers woke the house 
it would be two4 ,half-past one8 ,why1  
then1 did not the hands move8 ,why cling
 fixed on a point five minutes before   
the first quarter struck8 ,to and fro1  
soundless and purposeless1 swung the    
long pendulum4 ,and1 ah6 what was this  
thing ,i had become8 ,i had done with   
time4 ,not for me the hands moved on    
their recurrent circle any more4  ,i    

must have died at ten minutes past one4 
,,the ,,poet',s ,,friends4       ,the   
,robin sings in the elm2       ,the     
cattle stand beneath1     ,sedate and   
grave1 with great brown eyes1       ,and
 fragrant meadow-breath4      ,they     
listen to the flattered bird1       ,the
 wise-looking1 stupid things6     ,and  
they never understand a word       ,of  
all the ,robin sings4     ,,the         
,,memorial ,,of ,a4 ,b41 ,,or ,,matilda 
,,muffin4   ,,the ,,memorial ,,of ,a4   
,b4  ,humbly ,showeth3--  ,ladies and   
gentlemen1--enlightened public1--kind   
audience1--dear readers1--or whatever   
else you may be styled1--whose eyes1    
from remote regions of east1 west1 or   
next door1 solace themselves between the
 brown covers of this magazine1 making  
of themselves flowers to its lunar      
brilliancy1--,i wish to state1 with all 
humility and self-disgust1 that ,i am   
what is popularly called a literary     
woman4  ,in the present state of        
society1 ,i should feel less shame in   

declaring myself the elect lady of      
,dunderhed ,van ,nudel1 ,esquire1 that  
wealthy ,dutch gentleman1 aged seventy1 
whom we all know4 ,it is true1 that1 as 
,i am young and gay and intelligent1    
while he is old and stupid and very low 
,dutch indeed1 such an announcement     
would be equivalent to saying that ,i   
was bought by ,mr4 ,van ,nudel for half 
a million of dollars2 but then that is  
customary1 and you would all            
congratulate me4  ,also1 ,i should stand
 a better chance of finding favor in    
your eyes1 if ,i declared myself to be  
an indigent tailoress2 for no woman     
should use her head who can use her     
hands1--a maxim older than ,confucius4  
,or even if ,i were a school-ma'am6     
7blessed be the man who has brought them
 into fashion and the long path67 ,in   
that case1 you might say1 ,poor thing6  
isn't she interesting8 quite like the   
school-mistress6--,and ,i am not averse 
to pity1 since it is love's poor cousin1
 nor to belonging to a class mentioned  

in ,boston literary society4 ,i really  
am not6  ,but the plain truth is1 ,i    
earn my living by writing4 ,sewing does 
not pay4 ,i have no faculty at          
school-keeping2 for ,i invariably spoil 
all the good children1 and pet all the  
pretty ones1--a process not conducive1  
as ,i am told1 to the development of    
manners or morals2--so ,i write3 just as
 ,mr4 ,jones makes shoes1 ,mr4 ,peters  
harangues the jury1 ,mr4 ,smith sells   
calico1 or ,mr4 ,robinson rolls pills4  
,for1 strange as it may seem1 when it is
 so easy to read1 it is hard work to    
write1--bon fide1 undeniable hard work4 
,suppose my head cracks and rings and   
reels with a great ache that stupefies  
me8 ,in comes ,biddy with a letter4     
,the editor of the ',monthly ,signpost' 
would be much obliged to      ,miss     
,matilda ,muffin for a tale of four     
pages1 to make up the      ,june number1
 before the end of next week4           
,very respectfully1 etc41 etc4  ,miss   
,muffin's head looks her in the face1   

7metaphorically17 and says1 ,you        
can't6--but her last year's bonnet      
creaks and rustles from the bandbox1    
finally lifts the lid and peeps out4    
,gracious6 the ghost in ,hamlet was not 
more of an airy nothing than that       
ragged1 faded1 dilapidated old structure
 of crape and blonde4 ,the bonnet       
retires to the sound of slow music2 the 
head slinks back and holds its tongue2  
,miss ,muffin sits down at her table2   
scratch1 scratch1 scratch1 goes the old 
pen1 and the ideas catch up with it1 it 
is so shaky2 and the words go tumbling  
over it1 till the ts go out without any 
hats on1 and the eyes--no1 the is 7is   
that the way to pluralize them87--get no
 dots at all2 and every now and then the
 head says1 softly1 ,oh1 dear6 ,miss    
,muffin goes to something called by     
novel-writers repose1 toward one o'clock
 that night1 and the next night1 and the
 next2 she obliges the ,monthly         
,signpost with a comic story at a low   
price1 and buys herself a decent little 

bonnet for ,sundays1 replenishing her   
wardrobe generally by the same process2 
and the head considers it work1 ,i      
assure you4  ,but this is not the       
special grievance to which ,i direct    
this ,memorial4 ,i like to work2 it     
suits me much better to obtain my money 
by steady1 honest effort than it would  
to depend on anybody else for one round 
cent4 ,if ,i had a thousand dollars     
unexpectedly left me by some unknown    
benefactor1 ,i don't think it would be  
worth five cents on the dollar1 compared
 with what ,i earn2 there is a healthy1 
trustworthy pleasure in that1 never yet 
attained by gifted or inherited specie4 
,neither is it the publicity of the     
occupation that ,i here object to4 ,i   
knew that1 before ,i began to write2 and
 many an hour have ,i cried over the    
thought of being known1 and talked      
about1 and commented on1--having my dear
 name1 that my mother called me by1     
printed on the cover of a magazine1     
seeing it in newspapers1 hearing it in  

whispers1 when ,miss ,brown says to     
,miss ,black under her breath1--,that   
girl in the straw bonnet is ,matilda    
,muffin1 who writes for the             
',snapdragon' and the ',signpost4'  ,i  
knew all this1 as ,i say4 ,i dreaded and
 hated it4 ,i hate it now4 ,but ,i had  
to work1 and this was the only way open 
to me2 so ,i tried to be brave1 and to  
do what ,i ought1 and let the rest go4  
,i cannot say ,i am very brave yet1 or  
that ,i don't feel all this2 but ,i do  
not memorialize against it1 because it  
is necessary to be borne1 and ,i must   
bear it4 ,when ,i go to the dentist's to
 have a tooth out1 ,i sit down1 and hold
 the chair tight1 and open my mouth as  
wide as it will open1 but ,i always say1
 ,oh6 don't1 doctor6 ,i can't6 ,i can't 
possibly6 till the iron                 
what-d'you-call-it enters my soul and   
stops my tongue4  ,yes1 when ,i began to
 write1 ,i knew ,i should some day see  
my name in print4 ,i knew people would  
wonder who and what ,i was1 and how ,i  

looked2--,i had done it myself4 ,i knew 
that ,i should be delivered over to be  
the prey of tongues and the spoil of    
eyes4 ,i was aware1 ,i think1 ,i am     
aware now1 of every possible            
disagreeable that can befall the state4 
,i am accustomed to hear people say1 if 
,i venture a modest opinion about a     
dinner1 ,dear me6 as if a literary woman
 knew anything about cooking6--,i endure
 that meekly1 sustained by the inner    
consciousness that ,i can cook much     
better than any artist in that line ,i  
ever yet encountered4 ,likewise ,i am   
used to hear people say1 ,i suppose you 
don't waste your valuable time in       
sewing8 when a look at my left          
forefinger would insure me a fraternal  
grip from any member of the             
,seamstress's ,friends ,society         
anywhere4 ,i do not either scold or cry 
when accidentally some visitor discovers
 me fitting my dress or making my       
bonnet1 and looks at me with a fearful  
joy1 as if ,i were on a tight-rope4 ,i  

even smile when people lay my ugly shawl
 or pass bonnet1 that ,i bought because 
they were cheap1 and wear for the same  
reason1 at the door of the              
eccentricities of genius4 ,and ,i am    
case-hardened to the instantaneous      
scattering and dodging of young men that
 ensue the moment ,i enter a little     
party1 because gentlemen are so afraid  
of literary women4 ,i don't think       
gentlemen are2 ,i know two or three who 
never conceal a revolver in the breast  
of their coat when they talk to me1 and 
who sometimes even offer to go home with
 me from a tea-party all alone1 and     
after dark too4 ,it is true1 one or two 
of these are literary themselves2 the   
others ,i knew before ,i was dyed blue2 
which may account for it4 ,also ,i am   
impervious to anonymous letters1        
exhorting me to all kinds of mental and 
moral improvement1 or indulging in idle 
impertinences about my private affairs1 
the result of a knowledge about me and  
the aforesaid affairs drawn solely from 

my ,pieces in ,prose and ,verse4  ,then 
as to the matter of the romantic stories
 that are afloat concerning me1 ,i am   
rather amused than otherwise by them4 ,i
 have a sentimental name1 by the        
religious and customary ordinance of    
baptism1 legally my own2 and at first1  
being rather loath to enter the great   
alliterative ranks of female writers by 
my lawful title of ,matilda ,muffin1 ,i 
signed my writings ,a4 ,b4  ,two        
reprobatory poems addressed to those    
initials came to me through the medium  
of the ,snapdragon1 immediately after my
 having printed in that spicy paper a   
pensive little poem called ,the         
,rooster's ,cry3 one1 in ,spenserian    
measure1 rebuking me for alluding       
lightly to serious subjects1--a thing ,i
 never do1 ,i am sure1 and ,i can't     
imagine what ,j4 ,h4 ,p4 meant2 and     
another1 in hexameter1 calling upon me  
to arouse1 and smile1 and struggle on1  
and1 in short1 to stop crying and behave
 myself1--only it was said in figures4  

,i'm much obliged to ,quintius for the  
advice2 but ,i should like to explain1  
that ,i am subject to the toothache1 and
 when it is bad ,i cannot possibly write
 comic poetry4 ,i must be miserable1 but
 it's only toothache1 thank you6  ,then 
,i have heard several times1 in the     
strictest confidence1 the whole history 
of ,a4 ,b41 who writes for the          
',snapdragon4' ,somebody told me she was
 a lady living on the ,north ,river1    
very wealthy1 very haughty1 and very    
unhappy in her domestic relations4      
,another said she was a young widow in  
,alabama1 whose mother was extremely    
tyrannical1 and opposed her second      
marriage4 ,a third person declared to me
 that ,a4 ,b4 was a physician in the    
navy1--a highly educated man1 but       
reduced in circumstances4 ,i think that 
was a great compliment1--to be actually 
taken for a man6 ,i felt it to be the   
proudest moment of my life1 as          
ship-captains say1 when they return     
thanks for the silver teapot richly     

chased with nautical emblems1 presented 
by the passengers saved from the wreck1 
as a token of gratitude for the hencoops
 thrown overboard by the manly          
commander4 ,however1 ,i called myself a 
woman in the very next contribution1 for
 fear of the united wrath of the        
stronger sex1 should ,i ever be         
discovered to have so imposed upon the  
public2 although ,i know several old    
women who remain undiscovered to this   
day1 simply because they avail          
themselves of a masculine signature4    
,there were other romances1 too tedious 
to mention1 depicting me sometimes as a 
lovely blonde1 writing graceful tales   
beneath a bower of roses in the warm    
light of ,june2 sometimes as a          
respectable old maid1 rather sharp1     
fierce1 and snuffy2 sometimes as a tall1
 delicate1 aristocratic1 poetic looking 
creature1 with liquid dark eyes and     
heavy tresses of raven hair2 sometimes  
as a languishing1 heart-broken woman in 
the prime of life1 with auburn curls and

 a slow consumption4  ,perhaps it may be
 as well to silence all conjecture at   
once1 by stating that ,i am a woman     
of----no1 ,i won't say how old1 because 
everybody will date me from this time   
forward1 and ,i shall not always be     
willing to tell how old ,i am6 ,i am not
 very young now1 it is true2 ,i am more 
than sixteen and less than forty2 so    
when our clergyman requested all between
 those ages to remain after service for 
the purpose of forming a week-day       
,bible-class1 ,i sat still1 and so did  
everybody else except ,mrs4 ,van ,doren1
 whose great-grandchild was christened  
in the morning2--our church is a new    
one4  ,however1 this is digressing4 ,i  
am not very tall1 nor very short2 ,i am 
rather odd-looking1 but decidedly plain4
 ,i have brown hair and eyes1 a pale    
light complexion1 a commonplace figure1 
pretty good taste in dress1 and a quick 
sense of the ludicrous1 that makes me   
laugh a great deal1 and have a good time
 generally4  ,i live at home1 in the    

town of ,blank1 in a quiet by-street4   
,my parents are both living1 and we keep
 one ,irish girl4 ,i go to church on    
,sundays1 and follow my trade week-days4
  ,i write everything ,i do write in my 
own room1 which is not so pleasant as a 
bower of roses in some respects1 but is 
preferable in regard to earwigs and     
caterpillars1 which are troublesome in  
bowers4 ,i have a small pine table to   
write on1 as much elderly furniture as  
supplies me places for sleep and my     
books1 a small stove in winter1 7which  
is another advantage over bowers17 and  
my flowing draperies are blue chintz1   
which ,i bought at a bargain2 some      
quaint old engravings of ,bartolozzi's  
in black and gilt frames2 a few books1  
among which are prominently set forth a 
volume of ,the ,doctor1--,nicol de'     
,lapi1 in delightful bindings of white  
parchment1--,thomas  ,kempis1--a ,bible1
 of ,english type and paper1--and       
,emerson's ,poems1 bound in ,russia     
leather4 ,not that ,i have no other     

books1--grammars1 and novels1 and       
cook-books1 in gorgeous array1--but     
these are within reach from my pillow1  
when ,i want to read myself asleep2 and 
a plaster cast of ,minerva's owl mounts 
guard above them1 curious fowl that it  
is4  ,the neighbors think ,i am a pretty
 nice girl1 and my papa secretly exults 
over me as a genius1 but he don't say   
much about it4 ,and there1 dear public1 
you have ,matilda ,muffin as she is1    
which ,i hope will quash the romances1  
amusing though they be4  ,but when1     
after much editorial correspondence1 and
 persevering whispers of kind friends   
who had been told the facts in          
confidence1 ,a4 ,b4 became only the     
pretext of a mystery1 and ,i signed     
myself by my full name1 the question    
naturally arose1--,who is ,matilda      
,muffin8  ,now1 for the first time in my
 life1 do ,i experience the benefits of 
a sentimental name1 which has rather    
troubled me before1 as belonging to a   
quite unsentimental and commonplace     

person1 and thereby raising             
expectations1 through hearsay1 which    
actual vision dispelled with painful    
suddenness4 ,but now ,i find its        
advantage1 for nobody believes it is my 
own1 but confidently expects that ,ann  
,tubbs or ,susan ,bucket will appear    
from a long suppression1 like a         
,jack-in-a-box1 and startle the public  
as she throws back the cover4  ,indeed1 
,i am told that not long since a circle 
of literary experimentalists1 discussing
 a recent number of a certain magazine1 
and displaying great knowledge of       
noms-de-plume1 ran aground all at once  
upon ,who is ,matilda ,muffin8--even as1
 in the innocent faith of childhood1 ,i 
pondered ten minutes upon ,who was the  
father of ,zebedee's children8 and at   
last gave up4 ,but these professional   
gentlemen1 nowise daunted by the        
practical difficulties of the subject1  
held on1 till at last one1 wiser in his 
generation than the rest1 confidently   
announced that he knew ,matilda         

,muffin's real name1 but was not at     
liberty to disclose it4 ,should this    
little confidence ever reach the eyes of
 those friends1 ,i wish to indorse that 
statement in every particular2 that     
gentleman does know my name2 and know   
all men1 by these presents1 ,i give him 
full leave to disclose it1--or rather1  
to save him the trouble1 ,i disclose it 
myself4 ,my name1 my own1 that would    
have been printed in the marriage-list  
of the ,snapdragon before now1 if it had
 not appeared in the list of            
contributors1 and which will appear in  
its list of deaths some day to come1--my
 name1 that is called to breakfast1     
marked on my pocket-handkerchiefs1      
written in my books1 and done in yellow 
paint on my trunk1 is--,matilda ,muffin4
 ,only that1 and nothing more6 ,and ,a4 
,b41 which ,i adopted once as a species 
of veil to the aforesaid alliterative   
title1 did not mean1 as was supposed1 ,a
 ,beauty1 or ,any ,body1 or ,another    
,barrett1 or ,anti ,bedott1 or ,after   

,breakfast1 but only ,a4 ,b41 the first 
two letters of the alphabet4 ,peace to  
their ashes6--let them rest6  ,but1 dear
 me6 ,i forgot the ,memorial6 ,as ,i    
have said1 all these enumerated troubles
 do not much move me1 nor yet the       
world-old cry of all literary women's   
being1 in virtue of their calling1      
unfeminine4 ,i don't think anybody who  
knows me can say that about me2 in fact1
 ,i am generally regarded by my male    
cousins as a little goose1 and a foolish
 child1 and a perfectly absurd little   
thing1--epithets that forbid the        
supposition of their object being       
strong-minded or having ,women's        
,rights2--and as for people who don't   
know me1 ,i care very little what they  
think4 ,if ,i want them to like me1 ,i  
can generally make them1--having a knack
 that way4  ,but there is one thing     
against which ,i do solemnly protest and
 uplift my voice1 as a piece of         
ridiculous injustice and                
supererogation1--and that is1 that every

 new poem or fresh story ,i write and   
print should be supposed and declared to
 be part and parcel of my autobiography4
 ,good gracious6 ,goethe himself1       
many-sided as the old stone ,colossus   
might have been1 would have retreated in
 dismay from such a host of characters  
as ,i have appeared in1 according to the
 announcement of admiring friends4  ,my 
dear creatures1 do just look at the     
common sense of the thing6 ,can ,i have 
been1 by any dexterity known to man1 of 
mind or body1 such a various creature1  
such a polycorporate animal1 as you make
 me to be8 ,because ,i write the anguish
 and suffering of an elderly widow with 
a drunken husband1 am ,i therefore meek 
and of middle age1 the slave of a       
rum-jug8 ,i have heard of myself        
successively as figuring in the         
character of a strong-minded1           
self-denying ,yankee girl1--a           
broken-hearted ,georgia beauty1--a fairy
 princess1--a consumptive               
school-mistress1--a young woman dying of

 the perfidy of her lover1--a mysterious
 widow2 and ,i daily expect to hear that
 a caterpillar which figured as hero in 
one of my tales was an allegory of      
myself1 and that a cat mentioned in ,the
 ,new ,tobias is a travesty of my       
heart-experience4  ,now this is rather  
more than human natur can stand4 ,it is 
true that in my day and generation ,i   
have suffered as everybody does1 more or
 less4 ,it is likewise true that ,i have
 suffered from the same causes that     
other people do4 ,i am happy to state   
that in the allotments of this life     
authoresses are not looked upon as      
literary1 but simply as women1 and have 
the same general dispensations with the 
just and the unjust2 therefore1 in      
attempting to excite other people's     
sympathies1 ,i have certainly touched   
and told many stories that were not     
strange to my own consciousness2 ,i do  
not know very well how ,i could do      
otherwise4 ,and in trying to draw the   
common joys and sorrows of life1 ,i     

certainly have availed myself of        
experience as well as observation2 but  
,i should seem to myself singularly     
wanting in many traits which ,i believe 
,i possess1 were ,i to obtrude the      
details of my own personal and private  
affairs upon the public4 ,and ,i offer  
to those who have so interpreted me a   
declaration which ,i trust may relieve  
them from all responsibility of this    
kind in future2 ,i hereby declare1      
asseverate1 affirm1 and whatever else   
means to swear1 that ,i never have      
offered and never intend to offer any   
history whatever of my personal         
experience1 social1 literary1 or        
emotional1 to the readers of any        
magazine1 newspaper1 novel1 or          
correspondence whatever4 ,nor is there  
any one human being who has ever heard  
or ever will hear the whole of that     
experience1--no1 not even ,dunderhed    
,van ,nudel1 ,esquire1 should he buy me 
to-morrow6  ,also1 ,i wish to relieve   
the minds of many friendly readers1 who1

 hearing and believing these reports1   
bestow upon me a vast amount of sympathy
 that is worthy of a better fate4 ,my   
dear friends1 as ,i said before1 it is  
principally toothache2 poetry is next   
best to clove-oil1 and less injurious to
 the enamel4 ,i beg of you not to       
suppose that every poet who howls       
audibly in the anguish of his soul is   
really afflicted in the said soul2 but  
one must have respect for the dignity of
 ,high ,art4 ,answer me now with        
frankness1 what should you think of a   
poem that ran in this style8--      ,the
 sunset's gorgeous wonder       ,flashes
 and fades away2     ,but my back-tooth 
aches like thunder1       ,and ,i cannot
 now be gay6  ,now just see how         
affecting it is1 when you change the    
venue1 as lawyers say3--      ,the      
sunset's gorgeous wonder       ,flashes 
and fades away2     ,but ,i hear the    
muttering thunder1       ,and my sad    
heart dies like the day4  ,i leave it to
 any candid mind1 what would be the     

result to literature1 if such a course  
were pursued8  ,besides1 look at the    
facts in the case4 ,you read the most   
tearful strains of the most melancholy  
poet you know2 if you took them         
verbatim1 you would expect him to be    
found by the printer's-boy1 sent for    
copy1 by starlight on the north side of 
a tombstone1 as ,dr4 ,bellamy said1     
enjoying a northeaster without any      
umbrella1 and soaking the ground with   
tears1 unwittingly antiseptic1 in fact1 
as ,mr4 ,mantalini expressed himself1 a 
damp1 moist1 unpleasant body4 ,but      
where1 ,i ask1 does that imp find the   
aforesaid poet1 when he goes to get the 
seventh stanza of the ,lonely ,heart8   
,why1 in the gentlemen's parlor of a    
first-class hotel1 his feet tilted up in
 the window1 his apparel perfectly dry  
and shiny with various ornamental       
articles appended1 his eyes half open   
over a daily paper1 his parted lips     
clinging to a cigar1 his whole aspect   
well-to-do and comfortable4 ,and aren't 

you glad of it8 ,i am2 there is so much 
real misery in the world1 that don't    
know how to write for the papers1 and   
has to have its toothache all by itself1
 when a simple application of bread and 
milk or bread and meat would cure it1   
that ,i am glad to have the apparent sum
 of human misery diminished1 even at the
 expense of being a traitor in the camp4
  ,and still further1 for your sakes1   
dear tender-hearted friends1 who may    
suppose that ,i am wearing this mask of 
joy for the sake of deluding you into a 
grim and respectful sympathy1--you1 who 
will pity me whether or no1--,i confess 
that ,i have some material sorrows for  
which ,i will gladly accept your tears4 
,my best bonnet is very unbecoming4 ,i  
even heard it said the other day1       
striking horror to my soul1 that it     
looked literary6 ,and ,i'm afraid it    
does6 ,moreover1 my only silk dress that
 is presentable begins to show awful    
symptoms of decline and fall2 and though
 you may suppose literature to be a     

lucrative business1 between ourselves it
 is not so at all1 7very likely the     
,atlantic gentlemen will omit that      
sentence1 for fear of a libel-suit from 
the trade1--but it's all the same a     
fact1 unless you write for the          
,dodger17--and1 ,i'm likely to mend and 
patch and court-plaster the holes in    
that old black silk1 another year at    
least3 but this is my solitary real     
anguish at present4  ,i do assure all   
and sundry my reporters1 my             
sympathizers1 and my readers1 that all  
that ,i have stated in this present     
,memorial is unvarnished fact1 whatever 
they may say1 read1 or feel to the      
contrary1--and that1 although ,i am a   
literary woman1 and labor under all the 
liabilities and disabilities contingent 
thereto1 ,i am yet sound in mind and    
body1 7except for the toothache17 and a 
very amusing person to know1 with no    
quarrel against life in general or      
anybody in particular4 ,indeed1 ,i find 
one advantage in the very credulous and 

inquisitive gossip against which ,i     
memorialize2 for ,i think ,i may expect 
fact to be believed1 when fiction is    
swallowed whole2 and ,i feel sure of    
seeing1 directly on the publication of  
this document1 a notice in the          
,snapdragon1 the ,badger1 or the ,coon1 
7whichever paper gets that number of the
 magazine first17 running in this       
wise3--       ,,matilda ,,muffin4--,we  
welcome in the last number of the       
',atlantic ,monthly' a brief and        
spirited autobiography of this          
lady1 whose birth1 parentage1 and home  
have so long been wrapt      in mystery4
 ,the hand of genius has rent asunder   
the veil of      reserve1 and we welcome
 the fair writer to her proper position 
in the ,blank ,city ,directory1 and     
post-office list of boxes4  ,after      
which1 ,i shall resign myself tranquilly
 to my fate as a unit1 and glide down   
the stream of life under whatever skies 
shine or scowl above1 always and forever
 nobody but                ,,matilda    

,,muffin4     ,,blank1 #fg ,smith       
,street4     ,,some ,,account ,,of ,a   
,,visionary4   ,dear old ,visionary6 ,it
 was the epithet usually applied to     
,everett ,gray by his friends and       
neighbors4 ,it expresses very well the  
estimation in which he was held by      
nineteen-twentieths of his world4       
,people couldn't help feeling affection 
for him1 considerably leavened by a     
half-pitying1 half-wondering            
appreciation of his character4 ,he was  
so good1 so kind1 so gifted1 too4 ,pity 
he was so dreamy and romantic1 et       
cetera1 et cetera4  ,now1 from his youth
 up1 nay1 from very childhood1 ,everett 
had borne the character thus implied4 ,a
 verdict was early pronounced on him by 
an eminent phrenologist who happened to 
be visiting the family4 ,a beautiful    
mind1 a comprehensive intellect1 but    
marvellously unpractical1--singularly   
unfitted to cope with the difficulties  
of every-day life4 ,and ,everett's      
mother1 hanging on the words of the man 

of science1 breathless and tearful1     
murmured to herself1 while stroking her 
unconscious little son's bright         
curls1--,i always feared he was too good
 for this wicked world4  ,the child     
began to justify the professor's dictum 
with his very first entry into active   
life4 ,he entertained ideas for         
improving the social condition of       
rabbits1 some time before he could      
conveniently raise himself to a level   
with the hutch in which three of them1  
jointly belonging to himself and his    
brother1 abode4 ,his theory was         
consummate2 in practice1 however1 it    
proved imperfect1--and great wrath on   
the part of ,richard ,gray1 and much    
confusion and disappointment to         
,everett1 were the result4  ,richard1   
two years younger than ,everett by the  
calendar1 was at least three older than 
he in size1 appearance1 habits1 and     
self-assertion4 ,he was what is         
understood by a regular boy3 a fine1    
manly little fellow1 practical1         

unsensitive1 hard-headed1 and           
overflowing with life and vigor4 ,he had
 little patience with his brother's     
quiet ways2 and his unsuccessful        
attempts at working out theories met    
with no sympathy at his hands4  ,after  
the affair of the rabbits1 his          
experiments1 however certain of success 
he deemed them1 were always made on or  
with regard to his own belongings4 ,the 
little plot of garden-ground which he   
held in absolute possession was         
continually being dug up and            
refashioned1 in his eager efforts to    
convert it successively into a vineyard1
 a ,portuguese quinta1 7to effect which 
he diligently planted orange-pips and   
manured the earth with the peel17 or1   
favorite scheme of all1 a               
wheat-field1--dimensions1 eighteen feet 
by twelve1--the harvest of which was to 
provide all the poor children of the    
village with bread1 in those hard       
seasons when their pinched faces and    
shrill1 complaining cries appealed so   

mightily to little ,everett's heart4    
,nevertheless1 and in spite of all his  
care and watching1 it is to be feared   
that very few of the big loaves which   
found their way from the hall to the    
village1 that winter1 were composed of  
the produce of his corn-field4 ,more    
experienced farmers than this youthful  
agriculturist might not have been       
surprised at the failure of his crop4   
,he was4 ,indeed1 it was a valiant      
characteristic of him1 throughout his   
life1 that he never grew accustomed to  
failure1 however serenely he took it1   
when it came4 ,he grieved and perplexed 
himself about it1 silently1 but not     
hopelessly4 ,new ideas dawned on his    
mind1 fresh designs of relief were soon 
entertained1 and essayed to be put in   
practice4 ,these were many1 and of      
various degrees of feasibility1--ranging
 from the rigorously pursued plan of    
setting aside a portion of his daily    
bread and butter in a bag1 and of his   
milk in a can1 and bestowing the little 

store on the nearest eligible object1 up
 to the often pondered one of obtaining 
possession of the large barn in the     
cow-field1 furnishing the same1 and     
establishing therein all the numerous   
houseless wanderers who used to come and
 ask for aid at the hands of ,everett's 
worthy and magisterial father4  ,that   
father's judicial functions caused his  
eldest son considerable trouble and     
bewilderment of mind4 ,he asked         
searching questions sometimes1 when1 of 
an evening1 perched on ,mr4 ,gray's     
knee1 and looking with his wondering1   
steadfast eyes into the face of that    
erewhile stern and impassible           
magistrate4 ,the large justice-room1    
where the prisoners were examined1 had  
an awful fascination to him2 and so had 
the little strong-room1 in which        
sometimes they were locked up before    
being conveyed away to the county jail4 
,often1 he wandered restlessly near it1 
looking at the door with strange1       
mournful eyes2 and if by chance the     

culprit passed out before him1 under the
 guardianship of the terrible1 red-faced
 constable1--,everett's earliest and    
latest conception of the ,devil1--how   
wistfully he would gaze at him1 and what
 a world of thought and puzzled         
speculation would float through his     
childish mind6  ,once1 he had a somewhat
 serious adventure connected with that  
dreadful strong-room4  ,there had been a
 man brought up before ,mr4 ,gray1      
charged with poultry-stealing2 and he   
had been remanded for further           
examination4 ,meanwhile1 he was placed  
in the strong-room1 under               
lock-and-key1--,roger ,manby1 as usual1 
standing sentinel in the passage4 ,now  
,roger's red face betokened a lively    
appreciation of the sublunary and       
substantial attractions of beef and     
beer2 and it seems probable that the    
servants' dinner1 going on below-stairs1
 was too great a temptation for even    
that inflexible constable to resist4    
,howbeit1 when the prisoner should have 

been produced before the waiting bench1 
he was nowhere to be found4 ,he had     
vanished1 as by magic1 from the         
strong-room1 without bolt being         
wrenched1 or lock forced1 or bar broken4
 ,the door was unfastened1 and the      
prisoner gone4 ,great was the           
consternation1 profound the             
mystification of all parties4 ,roger was
 severely reprimanded1 and officers were
 sent off in various directions to      
recapture the offender4  ,mr4 ,gray     
seldom alluded to his public affairs    
when among his children2 but that       
evening he broke through the rule4 ,at  
dessert1 with little ,everett1 as usual1
 beside him1 he mentioned the mysterious
 incident of the morning to some friends
 who were dining with him1 adding his   
own conjectures as to the cause of the  
strange disappearance4  ,it is certain  
he was let out4 ,he could not have      
released himself4 ,circumstances are    
suspicious against ,manby1 too2 and he  
will probably lose his office4 ,like    

,csar's wife1 a constable should be     
beyond suspicion1 and he must be        
dismissed1 if----  ,oh1 papa6--and      
,everett's orange fell to the floor1 and
 ,everett's face was lifted to his      
father's1 all-aglow with eager1 painful 
feeling4  ,you don't like old ,roger1   
said ,mr4 ,gray1 patting his cheek4     
,well1 it is likely you won't be        
troubled by him any more4  ,oh1 papa6   
oh1 papa6 ,roger is an ugly1 cross man4 
,but he didn't1--he didn't----  ,didn't 
what1 my boy8  ,let the man out4 ,he was
 in the kitchen all the time4 ,i heard  
him laughing4  ,you heard him8 ,how8    
,i--,i--oh1 papa6  ,the curly head sunk 
on the inquisitor's shoulder4  ,go on1  
,everett4 ,what do you mean8 ,tell me   
the whole truth4 ,you are not afraid to 
do that8  ,no1 papa4  ,he looked up1    
with steady eyes1 but cheeks on which   
the color flickered most agitatedly4  ,i
 only wanted to look at the man2 and the
 men had left a ladder against the wall 
by the little grated window2 and ,i     

climbed up1 and looked in4 ,and1 oh6 he 
had such a miserable face1 papa6 ,and ,i
 couldn't help speaking to him4  ,well1 
go on4  ,the tone was not so peremptory 
as the words2 and the child1 too        
ignorant to be really frightened at what
 he had done1 went on with his          
confession1 quite heedless of the       
numerous eyes fixed upon him with       
various expressions of tenderness1      
amusement1 and dismay4 ,and very soon   
all came out4 ,everett had deliberately 
and intentionally done the deed4 ,he had
 been unable to withstand the misery and
 entreaties of the man1 and he had      
slipped down the ladder1 run round to   
the unguarded strong door1 and with much
 toil forced back the great bolt1       
unfastened the chain1 and set the       
prisoner free4  ,and do you know1       
,everett1 what it is you have done8--how
 wrong you have been8  ,i was afraid it 
was a little wrong1--he hesitated2      
but1--and his courage seemed to rise    
again at the recollection1--it would    

have been so dreadful for the poor man  
to go to prison6 ,he said he should be  
quite ruined1--quite ruined1 papa2 and  
his wife and the little children would  
starve4 ,you are not very angry1 are    
you8 ,oh1 papa6  ,for ,everett could    
hardly believe the stern gaze with which
 the magistrate forced himself to regard
 his little son2 and sternly uttered    
were the few words that followed1 by    
which he endeavored to make clear to the
 childish comprehension the gravity of  
the fault he had committed4 ,everett was
 utterly subdued4 ,the tone of          
displeasure smote on his heart and      
crushed it for the time4 ,only once he  
brightened up1 as with a sudden hope of 
complete justification1 when ,mr4 ,gray 
adverted to the crime of the man1 which 
had made it right and necessary that he 
should be punished4  ,but1 papa1 eagerly
 broke in the boy1 he hadn't stolen the 
things4 ,he told me so4 ,he wasn't a    
thief4  ,one case was proved beyond     
doubt4  ,indeed1 indeed1 papa1 you must 

be mistaken1 cried ,everett1 with       
tearful vehemence2 he couldn't have done
 it2 ,i know he couldn't4 ,he said1 upon
 his word1 he hadn't4  ,it was          
impossible to persuade him that such an 
asseveration could be false4 ,and when  
the little offender had left the room1  
various remarks and interjections were  
indulged in1--all breathing the same    
spirit4  ,what a jolly little muff      
,everett is6 was his brother ,dick's    
contingent4  ,innocent little fellow6   
said one4  ,happy little visionary6     
sighed another4  ,and ,everett grew in  
years and stature1 and still            
unconsciously maintained the same       
character4 ,it is true that he was a    
quiet1 sensitive boy1 with an almost    
feminine affectionateness and tenderness
 of heart1--and that keen1 exquisite    
appreciation both of the joyful and the 
painful1 which is a feminine            
characteristic1 too4 ,yet he was far    
enough from being effeminate4 ,he was   
thoughtful1 naturally1 yet he could be  

active and take pleasure in action4 ,he 
was always ready to work1 and feared    
neither hardship nor fatigue4 ,when the 
great flood came and caused such terror 
and distress in the village1 no one1 not
 even ,dick1 home from ,sandhurst for   
the midsummer holidays1 was more        
energetic or worked harder or more      
effectually than ,everett4 ,and the boys
 7his brother's chums at ,hazlewood7    
never forgot the day when ,everett found
 them ill-treating a little dog2 how he 
rescued it from them1 single-handed1 and
 knocked down young ,brooke1 who        
attacked him both with insults and      
blows4 ,dick1 not ill-pleased1 was      
looking on4 ,he never called his brother
 a sop from that day1 but praised him   
and patronized him considerably for a   
good while after1 and began1 as he said1
 to have hopes of him4  ,but the two    
brothers never had much in common1 and  
were1 indeed1 little thrown together4   
,everett was educated at home2 he was   
not strong1 and was naturally his       

mother's darling1 and she persuaded his 
father and herself that a public school 
would be harmful to him4 ,so he studied 
the classics with the clergyman of the  
parish1 and the lighter details of      
learning with his sister4 ,between that 
sister and himself there was a strong   
attachment1 though she1 too1 was of     
widely differing temperament and        
disposition4 ,agnes was two years older 
than he1--and overflowing with saucy    
life1 energy1 and activity4 ,she liked  
to run wild about the woods near their  
house1 or to gallop over the country on 
her pony1--to go scrambling in the      
hedges for blackberries1 or among the   
copses for nuts4 ,the still contentment 
that ,everett found in reading1--his    
thoughtful enjoyment of landscape1 or   
sunset1 or flower1--all this might have 
been incomprehensible to her1 only that 
she loved her dreamy brother so well4   
,love lends faith1 and faith makes many 
things clear2 and ,agnes learned to     
understand1 and would wait patiently    

beside him on such occasions1 only      
tapping her feet1 or swinging her bonnet
 by its strings1 as a relief for the    
superabundant vitality thus held in     
check4 ,and she was ,everett's          
confidante in all his schemes1 wishes1  
and anticipations4 ,to her he would     
unfold the various plans he was         
continually cogitating4 ,agnes would    
listen1 sympathizingly sometimes1 but   
reverently always4 ,she never called or 
thought him a ,visionary4 ,if his plans 
for the regeneration of the world were  
,utopian and impracticable1 it was the  
world that was in fault1 not he4 ,to her
 he was the dearest of brothers1 who    
would one day be acknowledged the       
greatest of men4  ,and thus ,everett    
grew to early manhood1 till the time    
arrived when he was to leave home for   
,cambridge4 ,it was his first advent in 
the world4 ,hitherto1 his world had been
 one of books and thought4 ,he imagined 
college to be a place wherein a studious
 life1 such as he loved1 would be most  

natural1 most easy to be pursued4 ,he   
should find a brother-enthusiast in     
every student2 he should meet with      
sympathy and help in all his dearest    
aspirations1 on every side4 ,perhaps it 
is needless to say that this young      
,visionary was disappointed1 and that   
his collegiate career was1 in fact1 the 
beginning of that crusade1 active and   
passive1 which it appeared to be his    
destiny to wage against what is         
generally termed ,real ,life4  ,he was  
considerably laughed at1 of course1 by  
the majority of those about him4 ,some  
few choice spirits tried to get up a    
lofty contempt of his quiet ways and    
simple earnestness1--but they           
failed1--it not being in human nature1  
even the most scampish1 to entertain    
scorn for that which is innately true   
and noble4 ,so1 finally1 the worst that 
befell him was ridicule1--which1 even   
when he was aware of it1 hurt him       
little4 ,often1 indeed1 he would receive
 their jests and artful civilities with 

implicit good faith2 acknowledging      
apparent attentions with a gentle1      
kindly courtesy1 indescribably          
mystifying to those excellent young men 
who expended so much needless pains on  
the easy work of selling ,old ,gray4    
,however1 from out the very ranks of the
 enemy1 before he left college at the   
end of his first term1 he had one       
intimate4 ,it would1 perhaps1 be        
difficult to understand how two-thirds  
of the friendships in the world have    
their birth and maintain their          
existence4 ,the connection between      
,everett and ,charles ,barclay appeared 
to be of this enigmatical order4 ,one   
would have said the two could possess no
 single taste or sentiment in common4   
,charles was a handsome1 athletic       
fellow1 warm-hearted1 impassioned1      
generous1 and thoughtless to cruelty4   
,he had splendid gifts1 but no          
application1--plenty of power1 but no   
perseverance4 ,supposed to be one of the
 most brilliant men of his years1 he had

 just been plucked1 to the dismay of his
 college and the immense wrath of his   
friends4 ,everybody knew that ,barclay  
was an orphan1 left with a very slender 
patrimony1 who had gained a scholarship 
at the grammar-school4 ,he was of no    
family1--he was poor1 and had his own   
way to make in life4 ,it was doubly     
necessary to him that he should succeed 
in his collegiate career4 ,it was       
probably while under the temporary      
shadow of the disgrace and              
disappointment of defeat1 that the young
 man suddenly turned to ,everett ,gray1 
fastened upon him with an affection most
 enthusiastic1 a devotion that everybody
 found unaccountable4 ,he had energy    
enough for what he willed to do4 ,he    
willed to have ,everett's friendship1   
and he would not be denied4 ,the        
incongruous pair became friends4        
,whereupon1 the rollicking comrades1 who
 had gladly welcomed ,barclay into their
 set1 for his fun and his wit and his   
convivial qualities1 turned sharp round1

 and marvelled at young ,gray1 who came 
of a high family1 for choosing as his   
intimate a fellow of no birth1 no       
position4 ,not but that it was just like
 the ,old ,visionary to do it2 he'd no  
idea of life1--not he2 and so forth4    
,during the next term1 the friendship   
grew and strengthened4 ,everett's       
influence was working for good1 and     
,barclay was in earnest addressing      
himself to study4 ,he accompanied       
,everett to his home at the long        
vacation4 ,and it ought to have         
surprised nobody who was acquainted with
 the rationale of such affairs1 that the
 principal event of that golden         
holiday-summer was the falling in love  
with each other of ,everett's sister and
 ,everett's friend4 ,agnes was the only 
daughter and special pride of a rich and
 well-born man4 ,barclay was of plebeian
 birth1 with nothing in the world to    
depend on but his own talents1 which he 
had abused1 and the before-named        
patrimony1 which was already nearly     

exhausted4 ,it will at once be seen that
 there could hardly be a more felicitous
 conjunction of circumstances to make   
everybody miserable by one easy1 natural
 step2 and the step was duly taken4 ,of 
course1 the young people fell in love   
immediately1--,everett1 the ,dreamer1   
looking on with a sort of reverent      
interest that was almost awe2 for the   
very thought of love thrilled him with a
 sense of new and strange               
life1--unknown1 unguessed of1 as heaven 
itself1 but as certain1 and hardly less 
beautiful4 ,so he watched the gradual   
progress of these two1 who were passing 
through that which was so untrodden a   
mystery to him4 ,if he ever thought     
about their love in a more definite way1
 it was--oh1 the ,visionary6--to        
congratulate himself and everybody      
concerned4 ,he saw nothing but what was 
most happy and desirable in it all4 ,he 
knew no one so worthy of ,agnes as      
,barclay1 whom1 in spite of all his     
faults1 he believed to be one of the    

noblest and greatest of men2 and he felt
 sure that all that was wanting to      
complete and solidify his character was 
just this love for a good1 high-souled  
woman1 which would arouse him to energy 
and action1 sustain and encourage him   
through all difficulties1 and make life 
at once more precious and more sacred4  
,unfortunately1 other members of the    
family1 who were rational beings1 and   
looked on life in a practical and       
sensible manner1 were very differently  
affected by the discovery of this       
attachment4 ,in brief1 there ensued upon
 the claircissement much storm on one   
side1 much grief on the other1 and keen 
pain to all1--to none more than to      
,everett4 ,our ,visionary's heart       
swelled hotly with alternate indignation
 and tenderness1 as he knew his friend  
was forbidden the house1 heard his      
father's wrathful comments upon him1 and
 saw his bright sister ,agnes broken    
down by all the heaviness of a first    
despair4 ,you may imagine his passionate

 denunciation of the spirit of          
worldliness1 which would1 for its own   
mean ends1 separate those whom the      
divine sacrament of ,love had joined    
together4 ,no less easily may be        
pictured the angry1 yet                 
half-compassionate reception of his     
vehemence1 the contemptuous wave of the 
hand with which the stern old banker    
deprecated discussion with one so       
ignorant of the world1 so utterly       
incapable of forming a judgment on such 
a question1 as his son4 ,his mother sat 
by1 during these scenes1 trembling and  
grieved4 ,it was not in her meek nature 
to take part against either husband or  
son4 ,she strove to soothe1 to soften   
each in turn1--with but little effect1  
it may be added4 ,for all he was so     
gentle and so loving1 ,everett was not  
to be persuaded or influenced in this   
matter4 ,he took up his friend's cause  
and withstood all antagonism1 resisted  
all entreaties to turn him from his     
fealty thereto4  ,ay1 and he bore up    

against what was harder yet to encounter
 than all these4 ,charles ,barclay's was
 one of those natures which1 being      
miserable1 are apt to become desperate4 
,to such men1 affliction seems to be    
torture1 but no discipline4 ,but our    
humanity perceives from a level1 and    
therefore a short-sighted point of view4
 ,we may well be thankful that the      
,great ,ruler sees above and around and 
on all sides the creatures to be        
governed1 the events to be disposed4    
,charles ,barclay went to ,london4 ,one 
or two brief and most miserable letters 
,everett received from him1--then all a 
blank silence4 ,everett's repeated      
appeals were unanswered1 unnoticed4 ,it 
might have been as if ,death had come   
between and separated these lovers and  
friends1 except that by indirect means  
they learned that he was alive and still
 in ,london4 ,at length came more       
definite tidings1 and the brother and   
sister knew that this ,charles ,barclay1
 whom they loved so well1 had plunged   

into a reckless life1 as into a         
whirlpool of destruction1--that he was  
among those associates1 of high rank    
socially1 of nearly the lowest morally1 
whom he had formerly known at college4  
,here was triumph for the prudent       
father1--desolation to the loving       
woman1--and to ,everett1 what8 ,pain1   
keen pain1 and bitter anxiety1--but no  
quailing of the heart4 ,he had too much 
faith in his friend for that4  ,he went 
after him to ,london1--he penetrated to 
him1 and would not be denied4 ,he braved
 his assumed anger and forced violence2 
he had the courage of twenty lions1 this
 ,visionary1 in battling with the devils
 that had entered into the spirit of his
 friend4 ,the struggle was fierce and   
lengthened4 ,love conquered at last1 as 
it always does1 could we so believe4    
,and during the time of utter depression
 into which the mercurial nature then   
relapsed1 ,everett cheered and sustained
 him1--till the young man's soul seemed 
melted within him1 and the surrender to 

the good influence was as absolute as   
the resistance had been passionate4     
,what have ,i done1 what am ,i1 he would
 oftentimes say1 that ,i should be saved
 and sustained and loved by you1        
,everett8 ,for1 truly1 he looked on him 
as no less than an angel1 whom ,god had 
sent to succor him4 ,it was one of those
 problems the mystery of which is most  
sacred and most sweet4 ,in proportion as
 the erring man needed it1 ,everett's   
love grew and deepened and widened1 and 
his influence strengthened with it      
almost unconsciously to himself4 ,he was
 too humble to recognize all that he was
 to his friend4  ,meanwhile1 imagine the
 turmoil at home1 in respect of         
,everett's absence1 and the errand which
 detained him4 ,no disguise was sought4 
,the son wrote to his mother frankly1   
stating where he was1 and under what    
circumstances4 ,he received a missive   
from his father of furious remonstrance2
 he replied by one so firm1 yet so      
loving withal1 that old ,mr4 ,gray could

 not choose but change his tone to one  
of angry compassion4 ,the boy believes  
he's doing right4 ,heaven send him a    
little sense6 was all he could say4     
,but there came a yet more overwhelming 
evidence of ,everett's utter destitution
 of that commodity4 ,a mercantile       
appointment was offered to ,charles     
,barclay in one of the colonies1 and    
,everett advanced the large sum         
necessary to enable his friend to accept
 it4 ,to do this1 he sacrificed the     
whole of what he possessed independently
 of his father1 namely1 a legacy left to
 him by his uncle1 over which he had    
full control4 ,it must be years before  
he could be repaid1 of course1--it might
 be never6 ,but1 rash as was the act1 he
 could not be hindered from doing it4   
,his father raged and stormed1 and again
 subsided into gloomy resignation4      
,henceforth he would wonder at nothing1 
for his son was mad1 unfit to take part 
in the world4 ,a mere visionary1 and no 
man1 the hapless parent said1 whenever  

he alluded to him4  ,when ,everett      
returned1 ,charles ,barclay was on his  
way to ,canada1 vigorously intent on the
 new life before him4 ,agnes drew       
strength and comfort from the steadfast 
look of her brother's eyes1 as he       
whispered to her1 ,don't fear4 ,trust   
,god1 and be patient4 ,the blight fell  
away from her1 after that4 ,if she was  
never a light-hearted girl again1 she   
became something even sweeter and       
nobler4 ,they never talked together     
about him1 for the father had forbidden 
it2 and1 indeed1 they needed not4       
,openly1 and before them all1 ,everett  
would say when he heard from his friend4
 ,and so the months passed on4  ,then   
came the era in our ,visionary's        
life1--an era1 indeed1 to such as       
he6--the first love4 ,first love1--and  
last1--to him it was nothing less than  
fateful4 ,it was his nature to be       
steadfast and thorough4 ,he could no    
more have transferred the love that rose
 straightly and purely from the very    

innermost fire of his soul than he could
 have changed the soul itself4 ,not many
 natures are thus created with the      
inevitable necessity to be constant4    
,few among women1 fewer yet among men1  
love as ,everett ,gray loved ,rosa      
,beauchamp4  ,when they became aware of 
this love1 at his home1 there ensued    
much marvelling4 ,mr4 ,gray cordially   
congratulated himself1 with wonder and  
pleasure1 to think that actually his mad
 boy should have chosen so reasonably4  
,captain ,gray1 home on leave1 observed 
that ,old ,everett wasn't such a flat as
 he seemed1 by ,jove6 to select the     
daughter of an ancient house1 and a     
wealthy house1 like the ,beauchamps of  
,hollingsley4 ,the alliance was in every
 way honorable and advantageous4 ,the   
family was one of the most influential  
in the county2 and a lady's being at the
 head of it--for ,sir ,ralph ,beauchamp 
had died many years before1 when his    
eldest son was but a child1 and ,lady   
,beauchamp had been sole regent over the

 property ever since--made it all the   
pleasanter4 ,everett1 if he chose1 might
 be virtual master of ,beauchamp2 for   
the young baronet was but a weak1       
good-natured boy1 whom any one might    
lead4 ,everett had displayed first-rate 
generalship4 ,these simple-seeming      
fellows are often deeper than most      
people1 argued the soldier1 wise in his 
knowledge of the world2 you may trust   
them to take care of themselves1 when it
 comes to the point4 ,everett's a shrewd
 fellow4  ,the father rubbed his hands1 
and was delighted to take this view of  
the case4 ,he should make something of  
his son and heir in time4 ,often as he  
had regretted that ,richard was not the 
elder1 on whom it would rest to keep up 
the distinction and honor of the family1
 he began to see an admirable fitness in
 things as they were4 ,everett was1     
after all1 better suited for the career 
that lay before him1 in which he trusted
 he would not need that knowledge of    
mankind and judgment on worldly matters 

that were indispensable to those who had
 to carve their own way in life4 ,it is 
better as it is1 thought the father1    
unconscious that he was echoing such an 
unsubstantial philosophy as a poet's4   
,and so the first days of ,everett's    
love were as cloudless and divinely     
radiant as a summer dawn4 ,but events   
were gathering1 like storm-clouds1 about
 the house of ,gray4 ,disaster1 most    
unforeseen1 was impending over this     
family4 ,for ,mr4 ,gray1 though1 as we  
have said1 a practical and              
matter-of-fact man1 and having neither  
sympathy nor patience with visionary    
schemes or ideas1 had yet1 as practical 
men will do1 indulged in divers         
speculations during his life1 in one of 
which he had at last been induced to    
embark to the utmost extent4 ,of course1
 it seemed safe and reasonable enough1  
even to the banker's shrewd eyes2 but1  
nevertheless1 it proved as delusive and 
destructive as any that ever led a less 
worldly man astray4 ,the fair-seeming   

bubble burst1 and the rich man of one   
day found himself on the morrow         
virtually reduced to beggary4 ,all he   
had had it in his power to risk was     
gone1 and liabilities remained to the   
extent of twice as much4 ,the crash     
came1 the bank stopped payment1 and the 
unhappy man was stricken to the dust4   
,he never lifted up his head again4 ,the
 shrewd man of the world utterly        
succumbed beneath this blow of fate2 it 
killed him4 ,old ,mr4 ,gray died of that
 supposed disease1 a broken             
heart1--leaving a legacy of ruin1 or the
 alternative of disgrace1 to his heir4  
,the reins of government thus fell into 
,everett's hands4 ,the poor ,grays6 it's
 all over with them6 said the pitying   
world4 ,and1 indeed1 the way in which   
the young man proceeded to arrange his  
father's affairs savored no less of the 
,visionary than had every action of his 
life theretofore4 ,captain ,gray1 who   
hastened home from his gay quarters in  
,dublin1 on the disastrous news reaching

 him1 found his brother already deeply  
engaged with lawyers1 bills1 and deeds4 
,you know1 ,richard1 there is but one   
thing to be done1 he said1 in his usual 
simple1 earnest way2 we must cut off the
 entail1 and sell the property to pay my
 father's debts4 ,it is a hard thing to 
do1--to part with the old place2 but it 
would be worse1 bitterer pain and       
crueler shame1 to hold it1 with the     
money that1 whatever the worldly code of
 morality may say1 is not ours4 ,there  
must be no widows and orphans reduced to
 poverty through us4 ,thank ,god1 there 
will be enough produced by the sale of  
the estate to clear off every           
liability1--to the last shilling4 ,you  
feel with me in this matter8 he went on1
 confidently appealing to his brother2  
yet with a certain inflection of anxiety
 in his voice4 ,it would have wounded   
,everett cruelly1 had he been           
misunderstood or rebuffed in this4 ,you 
have your commission1 and ,uncle        
,everett's legacy1 and the reversion of 

my mother's fortune1 which will not be  
touched4 ,this act of justice1          
therefore1 can injure no one4  ,except  
yourself1--yourself1 old fellow1 said   
,richard1 moved1 in spite of his light  
nature4 ,he grasped his brother's hand4 
,it's a noble thing to do2 but have you 
considered how it will affect your      
future8 ,you1 with neither fortune nor  
profession1--how do you propose to live8
 ,and your marriage1--the ,beauchamps   
will never consent to ,rosa becoming the
 wife of a--a----  ,not a beggar1       
,richard1 ,everett said1 smiling1 if    
that was the word you hesitated about2  
no1 ,i shall be no beggar4 ,i have plans
 for my own future2--you shall know of  
them4 ,our marriage will1 of course1 be 
delayed4 ,i must work1 to win a home and
 position for my wife4 ,he              
paused1--looked up bravely1--,it is no  
harder fate than falls to most men4 ,and
 for ,rosa1--true love1 true woman as   
she is1 she helps me1 she encourages me 
in all ,i do and purpose4  ,captain     

,gray shrugged his shoulders4 ,two mad  
young people6 he thought to himself4    
,they never think of consequences1 and  
it's of no use warning them1 ,i suppose4
  ,no4 ,it would have been useless to   
warn or advise ,everett against doing   
this thing1 which he held to be simply  
his duty4 ,and it was the characteristic
 of our ,visionary1 that1 when he saw a 
,duty so placed before him1 he knew no  
other course than straightly to pursue  
it1 looking neither to the right hand   
nor to the left1 unprevented by         
obstacles1 and fearless of consequences4
  ,so in this case4 ,his brother advised
 a temporizing course1--to mortgage the 
estate1 for instance1 and pay a moiety  
of the debts4 ,it was surely all that   
could be expected from a man who had not
 actually incurred them4 ,and then he   
might still be the nominal owner of     
,hazlewood1--he might still marry ,rosa4
  ,while1 if you do as you propose1     
argued the ,captain1 7and you know1 of  
course1 old fellow1 ,i fully appreciate 

your noble and honorable feeling in the 
matter17 you ruin your own hopes2 and ,i
 can't see that a fellow is called upon 
to do that1 as a point of filial duty4  
,what are you to do8 that's the thing4  
,it isn't as though you had anything to 
fall back upon1 by ,jove6 ,it's a case  
of beggaring yourself----  ,instead of  
beggaring other people1 ,everett said4  
,no1 ,richard1--,i cannot see either the
 justice or the wisdom of what you      
propose4 ,i will not cast the burden on 
other shoulders4 ,as my father's        
representative1 ,i must abide the       
penalty of his mistake1--and ,i only4 ,i
 cannot rest while our name is as the   
catchword of ruin and misery to         
thousands around us1 less able to bear  
both1 perhaps1 than ,i1 who am young and
 strong1--able to work both with head   
and hands4  ,but think of ,rosa6 said   
his brother4 ,how do you get over that8 
,isn't her happiness worth some         
consideration8  ,it has been my thought1
 night and day1 ever since1 ,everett    

said1 in a low voice4 ,it has come      
between me and what ,i felt to be the   
,right1 more than once4 ,you don't know 
what that thought has been1 or you would
 not challenge it against me now4       
,well1 well1--,i only want you to look  
on all sides of what you are about to   
do1 and to count the cost beforehand4   
,everett smiled quietly4 ,as if the cost
 were not already counted1 felt1 and    
suffered in that deep heart of his6 ,but
 he said nothing4  ,in the next place1  
what do you propose to do8 pursued his  
brother4 ,will you enter a profession8  
,can't say you're much adapted for a    
lawyer2 and perhaps you're too          
tender-hearted for a doctor1 either4    
,but ,i remember1 as a boy1 you always  
said you should like to be a clergyman4 
,and1 by ,jove6 when one comes to think 
of it1 you've a good deal of the cut of 
the village priest about you4 ,what do  
you say to that8  ,nothing4 ,i have     
other plans4 ,and ,everett proceeded    
briefly to tell him these4 ,he had heard

 from ,charles ,barclay1 now high in the
 confidence of one of the leading       
mercantile firms of ,montreal2 and      
through him1 he had obtained the offer  
of an appointment in the same house4    
,richard ,gray listened to all this1    
with ill-concealed amusement twitching  
the corners of his mouth4 ,he thought   
the idea of his brother's turning       
man-of-business one of the richest he   
had ever heard4  ,with your hard head   
and shrewd notions1 ,i should say you   
were likely to make a sensation in the  
mercantile world1 he observed4 ,it's a  
hopeful scheme1 altogether4 ,oh1 hang   
it6 proceeding from sarcasm to          
remonstrance1 that'll never do1         
,everett6 ,you'll be getting into some  
precious scrape or other4 ,you're not   
the fellow for a merchant's office1     
trust me4 ,now something in the way of a
 government appointment is much more    
like it4 ,a pleasant1 poetical sort of  
sinecure1--there are lots of them to be 
had4 ,you just trundle down for an hour 

or two every day1 write letters1 or     
poems1 or whatever you like1 with the   
official stationery1 and receive your   
salary quarterly4 ,you can't do any     
mischief in a place like that4 ,now     
that's the sort of thing for you1--if   
one could get hold of some of those     
fellows in power4 ,why6 brightening with
 the sudden dash of an idea1 there are  
the ,beauchamps themselves6 ,they've a  
legion of influential relatives4        
,couldn't they get you into a snug      
berth8 ,oh1 the ,devil6--for ,everett's 
look was not to be mistaken1--if you    
bring your high-flown ideas of dignity  
and independence into this plain1       
practical question of subsistence1 it's 
all up with you4 ,do you mean to tell me
 that you seriously think of this       
,canada scheme8  ,everett assented4     
,have you informed ,lady ,beauchamp of  
your intention of becoming a merchant's 
clerk8 ,i should like to see her face   
when you tell her2 she's such a shrewd  
old soul2 and when a woman does take to 

the sharp and worldly style of thing1   
it's the very deuse6 ,expect no         
indulgence in that quarter4  ,i don't   
ask it4 ,rosa1 of course1 cannot become 
my wife till ,i am able to give her a   
worthy home4 ,her mother will not wish  
to cancel our engagement in the mean    
time4  ,the deuse she won't6 ,trust her6
 the consolatory brother rejoined4 ,why1
 it will be her first natural step4 ,the
 idea of her daughter betrothed to a    
merchant's clerk is preposterous on the 
face of it4 ,you yourself must see that4
  ,no1 ,i don't1 ,everett said1 smiling4
  ,oh1 ,i suppose you intend to make a  
large fortune in a twelvemonth1 and then
 return and marry8  ,no1--but in ten    
years1--less than that1 ,god helping    
me1--if ,i live1 ,i will return and     
marry ,rosa4  ,you don't say so8 ,and   
poor little ,rosa is to wait patiently  
for you all that time6 ,by ,jove6 a     
modest expectation of yours6 ,it's a    
likely notion that ,miss ,beauchamp will
 remain unmarried for ten years1 because

 you choose to go to ,canada4  ,she will
 never marry1 if she does not marry me1 
,everett said1 with simple gravity4 ,it 
is not alone the outward sacrament of   
marriage that sanctifies a union4 ,the  
diviner and more vital consecration that
 binds us together1 it is too late1 now1
 to seek to undo4  ,oh1 hang it6 ,it's  
of no use talking poetry to me4 ,i don't
 understand that sort of thing1 ,captain
 ,gray frankly said4 ,i'll tell you     
what1--it'll never do to take those     
transcendental ideas with you into the  
world4 ,all very well to poetize and    
maunder about in quiet ,hazlewood2 but1 
by ,jove6 you'll find it won't do in    
practical life4 ,take my word for it1 if
 you go to ,canada1 long before the ten 
years are out1 ,rosa ,beauchamp will be 
wooed and won over again4 ',tisn't in   
nature that it should be otherwise4 ,in 
books1 very likely1 those sort of things
 happen often enough1--but not in real  
life1 my dear fellow1 ,i assure you4    
,when you return1 it will be to find her

 a thriving matron1 doing the honors of 
one of the neighboring mansions4 ,make  
up your mind to that4 ,foresee your     
future1 before you decide4  ,everett    
smiled1 sadly1 but trustfully4 ,his     
brother's arguments neither persuaded   
nor disturbed him4 ,he stood very quiet 
and thoughtful4 ,visionary-like1 he saw 
pictures of the future1 indeed1--but    
very different from the one just drawn4 
,he was not afraid4  ,and ,captain ,gray
 left him unconvinced and unmoved4 ,it  
was not probable the two brothers would 
see this matter in the same light4 ,they
 stood on different levels4 ,they must  
be content to differ4  ,the next        
conference on the subject was between   
,everett and ,lady ,beauchamp2 and the  
mother of ,rosa was1 it must be         
admitted1 a rather formidable person to 
encounter in such wise4 ,she was a busy1
 clever1 worldly woman1--kind-hearted1  
too1 and with both a strong will and    
strong affections4 ,she was one of those
 people in whom even an astute observer 

might often be deceived1 by failing to  
give her credit for certain good        
qualities which are commonly coexistent 
with worldliness1--especially in a      
woman4 ,there was a spice of something  
better latent amid her shrewdness and   
hard-headed sagacity2 the echo of more  
generous aspirations lingered through   
all the noise of this earth's ,babel in 
her heart4 ,and so1 when she heard of   
,everett's resolve to pay his father's  
debts by parting with the property1 her 
better and higher nature warmed to the  
young man2 and though she protested     
against his ,quixotism1 and frowned1 and
 talked of prudence1 and so forth1 her  
busy brain was1 in fact1 all the while  
setting itself to work for his benefit4 
,she was1 in a way1 fond of the young   
man4 ,no woman is quite insensible to   
that chivalrous deference which a       
,visionary like ,everett always         
manifests to womanhood1 collective and  
individual4 ,and though she certainly   
held him to be rash1 foolish1 unfit to  

deal with the world1 poetical1 7a       
capital crime in her eyes17 and dreamy1 
she yet liked him1 and was glad to      
discover a plan whereby the objections  
to his marriage with her daughter1 under
 the present adverse circumstances1     
might be smoothed away4  ,she was       
sitting at her big desk1 strewn with    
accounts1 in the sober-looking library  
where she always spent her mornings1 and
 she rose to receive her prospective    
son-in-law1 with an aspect serious and  
business-like1 yet not stern4  ,well1 my
 dear ,everett1 what is all this that ,i
 hear about you8 ,a very1 very sad      
affair1 of course2 but you must come and
 tell me how you intend to act4 ,yes1   
yes1--,i've heard something about it2   
but ,i don't quite understand the state 
of the case4 ,i want to have a talk with
 you4  ,and she leaned her comely face  
upon her plump1 white hand1 while       
gravely listening to ,everett's brief   
statement of what he had already done1  
and what were his plans for the future4 

,you will sell ,hazlewood1 pay your     
father's debts1 and begin life on your  
own account1 by going to ,canada and    
becoming a merchant's clerk6 ,she then  
recapitulated his plans in a sharp1     
pitiless tone4 ,very well6 and we have  
only to bid you good-bye and wish you   
success4 ,is it so8 ,for it appears to  
me that my daughter is left entirely out
 of your calculations1 and very properly
 so4 ,you cannot1 as a merchant's clerk 
on a hundred a year1 marry ,rosa        
,beauchamp1 ,i presume4  ,no1 ,everett  
said1 steadily1 and holding her1 as it  
were1 with his earnest eyes1 ,i cannot  
have ,rosa for my wife till ,i am able  
to give her a home worthy of her2 but   
you will not refuse to sanction our     
engagement during the years in which ,i 
shall work for that home8  ,lady        
,beauchamp tapped the table with her    
fingers in an ominous manner4  ,long    
engagements are most unsatisfactory1    
silly1 not to say dangerous things4     
,they never end well4 ,no man ought to  

wish so to bind a young girl1 unless he 
has a reasonable chance of soon being in
 a position to marry her4 ,now ,i ask   
you1 have you such a chance8 ,if you go 
to ,canada1 it may be years before you  
return4 ,just look at the thing in a    
common-sense light1 and tell me1 can you
 expect my daughter to wait an          
indefinite time1 while you go to seek   
and make your fortune8  ,she looked at  
him with an air of bland candor1 while  
thus appealing to his common sense4     
,everett's aspect remained unchanged1   
however1 in its calm steadfastness4  ,i 
would not bind her1 he said1 unless she 
herself felt it would be a comfort and a
 help1 in some sort1 during the weary   
years of separation1 so to be bound4    
,and that she does feel it1 you know1   
,lady ,beauchamp4  ,my dear ,sir1 you   
are not talking reasonably1 she         
rejoined1 impatiently4 ,a young girl    
like ,rosa1 in love for the first time1 
of course wishes to be bound1 as you    
say1 to the object of her first love4   

,but it would be doing her a cruel      
injustice to take her at her word4      
,surely you feel that8 ,it is very true1
 she might not forget you for six       
months1 or more1 perhaps4 ,but1 in the  
course of time1 as she enters on life   
and sees more of the world and of       
people1 it is simply impossible that she
 should remain constant to a dreamy     
attachment to some one thousands of     
miles away4 ,she would inevitably wish  
to form other ties2 and then the        
engagement that she desires to-day would
 be the blight and burden of her life4  
,no4 ,i say it is a cruel injustice to  
let young people decide for themselves  
on such a point4 ,half the misery in the
 world springs from these mistakes4     
,think over the matter coolly1 and you  
will see it as ,i do4  ,it is you who do
 ,rosa injustice1 ,everett answered1 and
 paused4 ,were it to be as you wish1 he 
added1 and we to separate utterly1 with 
no outwardly acknowledged tie to link   
us1 no letters to pass between us1 no   

word or sign from one to the other      
during all the coming years1--suppose it
 so1--you would shadow our lives with   
much unnecessary misery2 but you are    
mistaken1 if you think you would really 
part us4 ,you do not understand4        
,nonsense6 ,you talk like a young man in
 love4 ,you must be reasonable4  ,lady  
,beauchamp1 by this time1 had worked    
herself into the usual warmth with which
 she argued all questions1 great and    
small1 and forgot that her original     
intention in speaking to ,everett had   
only been to set before him the         
disadvantages of his plans1 in order    
that her own might come to the rescue   
with still greater brilliancy and       
effect4  ,you must be reasonable1 she   
repeated4 ,you don't suppose ,i have not
 my child's happiness at heart in all ,i
 plan and purpose8 ,trust me1 ,i have   
had more experience of life than either 
of you1 and it is for me to interpose   
between you and the dangers you would   
blindly rush upon4 ,some day you will   

both thank me for having done so1 hard  
and cruel as you may think me now4  ,no1
 ,i do not think you either hard or     
cruel4 ,you are mistaken1 simply4 ,i    
believe you desire our happiness4 ,i do 
not reproach or blame you1 ,lady        
,beauchamp1 ,everett said1 sadly4       
,come1 come1 she cried1 touched by his  
look and manner to an immediate         
unfolding of her scheme1 let us look at 
things again4 ,perhaps we shall not find
 them so hopeless as they look4 ,if ,i  
am prudent1 ,everett1 ,i am not         
mercenary4 ,i only want to see ,rosa    
happy4 ,i don't care whether it is on   
hundreds a year1 or thousands4 ,and the 
fact is1 ,i have not condemned your     
plans without having a more satisfactory
 one to offer to your choice4 ,listen to
 me4  ,and she proceeded1 with a cleared
 brow1 and the complacency of one who   
feels she is performing the part of a   
good genius1 setting everything to      
rights1 and making everybody            
comfortable1 to unfold the plan she had 

devised1 by which ,everett's future was 
to be secured1 and his marriage with    
,rosa looked to as something better than
 a misty uncertainty at the end of a    
vista of years4  ,everett must go into  
the ,church4 ,that was1 in fact1 the    
profession most suited to him1 and which
 most naturally offered itself for his  
acceptance4 ,his education1 his tastes1 
his habits1 all suited him for such a   
career4 ,by a happy coincidence1 too1 it
 was one in which ,lady ,beauchamp could
 most importantly assist him through her
 connections4 ,her eldest son1 the young
 baronet1 had preferment in his own     
gift1 which was to say1 in hers2 and not
 only this1 but her sister's husband1   
the uncle of ,rosa1 was a bishop1 and   
one over whom she1 ,lady ,beauchamp1 had
 some influence4 ,once in orders1       
,everett's prosperity was assured4 ,the 
present incumbent of ,hollingsley was   
aged2 by the time ,everett was eligible1
 he might1 in all probability1 be       
inducted into that living1 and ,rosa    

might then become his wife4 ,five       
hundred a year1 beside ,miss            
,beauchamp's dowry1 with such shining   
prospects of preferment to look forward 
to1 was not an unwise commencement2 for 
,rosa was no mere fine lady1 the proud  
mother said1--she was sensible and      
prudent2 she would adapt herself to     
circumstances4 ,and though1 of course1  
it was not such an establishment as she 
well might expect for her daughter1     
still1 since the young people loved one 
another1 and thought they could be happy
 under these reduced circumstances1 she 
would not be too exacting4 ,and ,lady   
,beauchamp at last paused1 and looked in
 ,everett's face for some manifestation 
of his joy4  ,well1--of his gratitude   
there could be no question4 ,the tears  
stood in his earnest eyes1 as he took   
,lady ,beauchamp's hand and thanked     
her1--thanked her again and again4      
,there1 there1 you foolish boy6 ,i don't
 want thanks1 cried she1 coloring with  
pleasure though1 as she spoke4 ,my only 

wish is to see you two children happy4  
,i am fond of you1 ,everett2 ,i shall   
like to see you my son1 she said4 ,i    
have tried to smooth the way for you1 as
 far as ,i can1 over the many           
difficulties that obstruct it2 and ,i   
fancy ,i have succeeded4 ,what do you   
say to my plan8 ,when can you be        
ordained8  ,everett sighed1 as he       
released her hand1 and looked at her    
face1 now flushed with generous1 kindly 
warmth4 ,well he knew the bitter change 
that would come over that face1--the    
passion of disappointment and           
displeasure which would follow his      
answer to that question4  ,he could     
never enter the ,church4 ,sorrowfully1  
but firmly1 he said it1--with that calm1
 steady voice and look1 of which all who
 knew him knew the significance4 ,he    
could not take orders4  ,lady           
,beauchamp1 at first utterly overwhelmed
 and dumfounded1 stood staring at him in
 blank silence4 ,then she icily uttered 
a few words4 ,his reasons1--might she   

ask8  ,they were many1 ,everett said4   
,even if no other hindrance existed1 in 
his own mind and opinions1 his reverence
 for so sacred an office would not      
permit him to embrace it as a mere      
matter of worldly advantage to himself4 
,grant me patience1 young man6 ,do you  
mean to tell me you would decline this  
career because it promises to put an end
 to your difficulties8 ,are you quite a 
fool8 the lady burst out1 astonishment  
and anger quite startling her from all  
control4  ,bear with what may at first  
seem to you only folly1 ,everett        
answered her1 gently4 ,i don't think    
your calmer judgment can call it so4    
,would you have me take upon myself     
obligations that ,i feel to be most     
solemn and most vital1 feeling myself   
unfitted1 nay1 unable1 rightly to fulfil
 them8 ,would you have me commit the    
treachery to ,god and man of swearing   
that ,i felt called to that special     
service1 when my heart protested against
 my profession8  ,romantic nonsense6 ,a 

mere matter of modest scruples6 ,you    
underrate yourself1 ,everett4 ,you are  
the very man for a clergyman1 trust me4 
,but ,everett went on to explain1 that  
it was no question of under-estimation  
of himself4  ,you do not know1 perhaps1 
he proceeded1 while ,lady ,beauchamp1   
sorely tried1 tapped her fingers on the 
table1 and her foot upon the floor1--you
 do not know1 that1 when ,i was a boy1  
and until two or three years ago1 my    
desire and ambition were to be a        
minister of the ,church of ,england4    
,well1 ,sir1--what has made you so much 
better1 or so much worse1 since then1 as
 to alter your opinion of the calling8  
,the reasons which made me abandon the  
idea three years since1 and which render
 it impossible for me to consider it    
now1 have nothing to do with my mental  
and moral worthiness or unworthiness4   
,the fact is simply1 ,i cannot become a 
minister of a ,church with many of whose
 doctrines ,i cannot agree1 and to      
which1 indeed1 ,i can no longer say ,i  

belong4 ,in your sense of the word1 ,i  
am far from being a ,churchman4  ,do you
 mean to say you have become a          
,dissenter8 cried ,lady ,beauchamp2 and1
 as if arrived at the climax of         
endurance1 she stood transfixed1        
regarding the young man with a species  
of sublime horror4  ,again1 not in your 
sense of the term1 ,everett said1       
smiling2 for ,i have joined no sect1    
attached myself to no recognized body of
 believers4  ,you belong to nothing1    
then8 ,you believe in nothing1 ,i       
suppose8 she said1 with the instinctive 
logic of her class4 ,oh1 ,everett6 real 
distress for the moment overpowering her
 indignation1 it is those visionary     
notions of yours that have brought you  
to this4 ,it was to be expected4 ,you   
poets and dreamers go on refining your  
ideas1 forsooth1 till even the religion 
of the ordinary world isn't good enough 
for you4  ,everett waited patiently till
 this first gust had passed by4 ,then1  
with that steady1 calm lucidity which1  

strange to say1 was characteristic of   
this ,visionary's mind and intellect1 he
 explained1 so far as he could1 his     
views and his reasons4 ,it could not be 
expected that his listener should       
comprehend or enter into what he said4  
,at first1 indeed1 she appeared to      
derive some small consolation from the  
fact that at least ,everett had not     
turned ,dissenter4 ,she hated           
,methodists1 she declared1--intending   
thus to include with sweeping liberality
 all denominations in the ban of her    
disapproval4 ,she would have deemed it  
an unpardonable crime1 had the young man
 deserted the ,church of his fathers in 
order to join the ,congregation1 some   
ranting conventicle4 ,but if her        
respectability was shocked at the idea  
of his becoming a ,methodist1 her better
 feelings were outraged when she found1 
as she said1 that he belonged to        
nothing4 ,she viewed with dislike and   
distrust all forms of religion that     
differed from her own2 but she could not

 believe in the possibility of a        
religion that had no external form at   
all4 ,she was dismayed and perplexed1   
poor lady6 and even paused midway in her
 wrathful remonstrance to the misguided 
young man1 to lament anew over his fatal
 errors4 ,she could not understand1 she 
said1 truly enough1 what in the world he
 meant4 ,his notions were perfectly     
extraordinary and incomprehensible4 ,she
 was deeply1 deeply shocked1 and grieved
 for him1 and for every one connected   
with him4  ,in fact1 the very           
earnestness and sincerity in their own  
opinions of a certain calibre of minds  
make them incapable of understanding    
such a state of things4 ,that a man     
should believe differently from all they
 have been taught to believe appears to 
them as simply preposterous as that he  
should breathe differently4 ,and so it  
is that only the highest order of belief
 can afford to be tolerant2 and1 as     
extremes meet1 it requires a very       
perfect ,faith to be able to sympathize 

and bear patiently with ,doubt4  ,there 
was no chance of ,lady ,beauchamp's     
comprehending ,everett in this matter4  
,there was something almost pathetic in 
her mingled anger1 perplexity1 and      
disappointment4 ,she could only look on 
him as a headstrong young man1          
suicidally bent on his own              
ruin1--turning obstinately from every   
offered aid1 and putting the last climax
 of wretchedness to his isolated and    
fallen position by turning from the     
faith of his fathers1 as she rather     
imaginatively described his secession   
from ,orthodoxy4  ,and1 as may be       
concluded1 the mother of ,rosa was      
inexorable1 as regarded the engagement  
between the young people4 ,it must at   
once be cancelled4 ,she could not for   
one moment suffer the idea of her       
daughter's remaining betrothed to the   
mere adventurer she considered ,everett 
,gray had now become4 ,if1 poor as he   
was1 he had thought fit to embrace a    
profession worthy of a gentleman1 the   

case would have been different4 ,but if 
his romantic notions led him to pursue  
such an out-of-the-way course as he had 
laid out for himself1 he must excuse    
her1 if she forbade her child from      
sharing it4 ,under present              
circumstances1 his alliance could but be
 declined by the ,beauchamp family1 she 
said1 with her stateliest air4 ,and the 
next minute1 as ,everett held her hand1 
and said good-bye1 she melted again from
 that frigid dignity1 and1 looking into 
the frank1 manly1 yet gentle face of the
 young man1 cried1--  ,are you quite    
decided1 ,everett8 ,will you take time  
to consider8 ,will you talk to ,rosa    
about it1 first8  ,no1 dear ,lady       
,beauchamp4 ,i know already what she    
would say4 ,i have quite decided4 ,thank
 you for all your purposed kindness4    
,believe that ,i am not ungrateful1 even
 if ,i seem so4  ,oh1                   
,everett1--,everett ,gray6 ,i am very   
sorry for you1 and for your mother1 and 
for all connected with you4 ,it is a    

most unhappy business4 ,it gives me     
great pain thus to part with you1 said  
,lady ,beauchamp1 with real feeling4    
,and so the interview ended1 and so     
ended the engagement4  ,nothing else    
could have been expected1 every one said
 who heard the state of the case1 and   
knew what ,lady ,beauchamp had wished   
and ,everett had declined4 ,there were  
no words to describe how foolishly and  
weakly he had acted4 ,everybody quite   
gave him up now4 ,with his romantic1    
transcendental notions1 what would      
become of him1 when he had his own way  
to make in the world8  ,but ,everett had
 consolation and help through it all2   
for ,rosa1 the woman he loved1 his      
mother1 and his sister believed in him1 
and gloried in what other people called 
his want of common sense4 ,ay1 though   
the horrible wrench of parting was      
suffered by ,rosa every minute of every 
day1 and the shadow of that dreadful1   
unnatural separation began to blacken   
her life even before it actually fell   

upon her1--through it all1 she never    
wavered4 ,when he first told her that he
 must go1 that it was the one thing he  
held it wise and right to do1 she shrunk
 back affrighted1 trembling at the      
coming blankness of a life without him4 
,but after a while1 seeing the misery   
that came into his face reflected from  
hers1 she rose bravely above the        
terrible woe1 and then1 with her arms   
round him and her eyes looking          
steadfastly into his1 she said1 ,i love 
you better than the life you are to me4 
,so ,i can bear that you should go4     
,and he said1 ,there can be no real     
severance between those who love as we  
do4 ,god1 in ,his mercy and tenderness1 
will help us to feel that truth1 every  
hour and every day4  ,for they believed 
thus1--these two young                  
,visionaries1--and lived upon that      
belief1 perhaps1 when the time of       
parting came4 ,and it may be that the   
thought of each was very constantly1    
very intimately present to the other1   

during the many years that followed4 ,it
 may be that this species of mental     
atmosphere1 so surrounding and          
commingling with all other things more  
visibly and palpably about them1 did    
cause these dreamers to be happier in   
their love than many externally united  
ones1 whose lot appears to us most fair 
and smooth and blissful4 ,time and      
distance1 leagues of ocean and years of 
suspense1 are not the most terrible     
things that can come between two people 
who love one another4         99        
99       99       99       99  ,and so  
,everett ,gray1 his mother1 and his     
sister1 went to ,canada4 ,a year after1 
,agnes was married to ,charles ,barclay1
 then a thriving merchant in ,montreal4 
,when the people at home heard of this1 
they very wisely acknowledged how much  
good there had been in that young man1  
in spite of his rashness and folly in   
early days4 ,no fear about such a man's 
getting on in life1 when once he gave   
his mind to it1 and so forth4           

,meanwhile1 our ,visionary----,but what 
need is there to trace him1 step by     
step1 in the new life he doubtless found
 fully as arduous as he had anticipated8
 ,that it was a very struggling1        
difficult1 and uncongenial life to him  
can be well understood4 ,these          
reminiscences of ,everett ,gray relate  
to a long past time4 ,we can look on his
 life now as almost complete and        
finished1 and regard his past as those  
in the valley look up to the hill that  
has nothing between it and heaven4      
,many years he remained in ,canada1     
working hard4 ,tidings occasionally     
reached ,england of his progress4 ,rosa1
 perhaps1 heard such at rare            
intervals1--though somewhat distorted1  
it may be1 from their original tenor1   
before they reached her4 ,but it        
appeared certain that he was getting on4
 ,in defiance and utter contradiction of
 all the sapient predictions there      
anent1 it seemed that this dreamy1      
poetizing ,everett ,gray was absolutely 

successful in his new vocation of       
man-of-business4  ,the news that he had 
become a partner in the firm he had     
entered as a clerk was communicated in a
 letter from himself to ,lady           
,beauchamp4 ,in it he1 for the first    
time since his departure1 spoke of      
,rosa2 but he spoke of her as if they   
had parted but yesterday2 and1 in asking
 her mother's sanction to their         
betrothal now1 urged1 as from them both1
 their claim to have that boon granted  
at last4  ,lady ,beauchamp hastily      
questioned her daughter4  ,you must have
 been corresponding with the young man  
all this time8 she said4  ,but ,rosa's  
denial was not to be mistaken4  ,he has 
heard of you1 then1 through some one1   
the practical lady went on2 or1 for     
anything he knows1 you may be married1  
or going to be married1 instead of      
waiting for him1 as he seems to take it 
for granted you have been all this time4
  ,he was right1 mother1 ,rosa only     
said4  ,right1 you foolish girl8 ,you   

haven't half the spirit ,i had at your  
age4 ,i would have scorned that it      
should have been said of me that ,i     
'waited' for any man4  ,but if you loved
 him8  ,well1 if he loved you1 he should
 have taken more care than to leave you 
on such a ,quixotic search for          
independence as his4  ,he thought it    
right to go1 and he trusted me2 we had  
faith in one another1 ,rosa said2 and   
she wound her arms round her mother1 and
 looked into her face with eyes lustrous
 with happy tears4 ,for1 from that      
lady's tone and manner1 despite her     
harsh words1 she knew that the          
opposition was withdrawn1 and that      
,everett's petition was granted4  ,they 
were married4 ,it is years ago1 now1    
since their wedding-bells rung out from 
the church-tower of ,hazlewood1 blending
 with the sweet spring-air and sunshine 
of a joyous ,may-day4 ,the first few    
years of their married life were spent  
in ,canada4 ,then they returned to      
,england1 and ,everett ,gray put the    

climax to the astonishment of all who   
knew him by purchasing back a great part
 of ,hazlewood with the fruits of his   
commercial labors in the other country4 
,at ,hazlewood they settled1 therefore4 
,and there1 when he grew to be an old   
man1 ,everett ,gray lived1 at last1 the 
peaceful1 happy life most natural and   
most dear to him4 ,no one would venture 
to call the successful merchant a       
,visionary2 and even his brother owns   
that the old fellow has got more brains1
 after all1 by ,jove6 than he ever gave 
him credit for4 ,yet1 as the same       
critic1 and others of his calibre1 often
 say of him1 ,he has some remarkably    
queer notions4 ,there's no making him   
out1--he is so different from other     
people4  ,which he is4 ,there is no     
denying this fact1 which is equally     
evident in his daily life1 his education
 of his children1 his conduct to his    
servants and dependants1 his employment 
of time1 his favorite aims in life1 and 
in everything he does or says1 in brief4

 ,and of course there are plenty who    
cavil at his peculiar views1 and who    
cannot at all understand his            
unconventional ways1 and his apparent   
want of all worldly wisdom in the       
general conduct of his affairs4 ,and    
yet1 somehow1 these affairs prosper4    
,although he declined a valuable        
appointment for his son1 and preferred  
that he should make his own way in the  
profession he had chosen1 bound by no   
obligation1 and unfettered by the       
trammels of any party1--although he did 
this1 to the astonishment of all who did
 not know him1 yet is it not a fact that
 the young barrister's career has been1 
and is1 as brilliant and successful as  
though he had had a dozen influential   
personages to advance him8 ,and though  
he permitted his daughter to marry1 not 
the rich squire's son1 nor the baronet1 
who each sought her hand1 but a man     
comparatively poor and unknown1 who     
loved her1 and whom she loved1 did it   
not turn out to be one of those         

marriages that we can recognize to have 
been made in heaven1 and even the       
worldly-wise see to be happy and        
prosperous8  ,but our ,everett is       
growing old4 ,his hair is silver-white1 
and his tall figure has learned to droop
 somewhat as he walks4 ,under the great 
beech-trees at ,hazlewood you may have  
seen him sitting summer evenings1 or    
sauntering in spring and autumn days1   
sometimes with his grandchildren playing
 about him1 but always with one figure  
near him1 bent and bowed yet more than  
his own1 with a still sweet and lovely  
face looking placidly forth from between
 its bands of soft1 white hair4  ,how   
they have loved1 and do love one        
another1 even to this their old age6    
,all the best and truest light of that  
which we call ,romance shines steadily  
about them yet4 ,no sight so dear to    
,everett's eyes as that quiet           
figure1--no sound so welcome to his ears
 as her voice4 ,she is all to him that  
she ever was1--the sweetest1 dearest1   

best portion of that which we call his  
life4  ,yes1 ,i speak advisedly1 and say
 he is1 they are4 ,it is strange that   
this ,visionary1 who was wont to be     
reproached with the unpracticality of   
all he did or purposed1 the unreality of
 whose life was a byword1 should yet    
impress himself and his existence so    
vividly on those about him that even now
 we cannot speak of him as one that is  
no more4 ,he seems still to be of us1   
though we do not see him1 and his place 
is empty in the world4  ,his wife went  
first4 ,she died in her sleep1 while he 
was watching her1 holding her hand fast 
in his4 ,he laid the last kisses on her 
eyes1 her mouth1 and those cold hands4  
,after that1 he seemed to wait4 ,they   
who saw him sitting alone under the     
beech-trees1 day by day1 found something
 very strangely moving in the patient   
serenity of his look4 ,he never seemed  
sad or lonely through all that          
time1--only patiently hopeful1 placidly 
expectant4 ,so the autumn twilights     

often came to him as he stood1 his face 
towards the west1 looking out from their
 old favorite spot4  ,one evening1 when 
his daughter and her husband came out to
 him1 he did not linger1 as was usual   
with him1 but turned and went forward to
 meet them1 with a bright smile1        
brighter than the sunset glow behind    
him1 on his face4 ,he leaned rather     
heavily on their supporting arms1 as    
they went in4 ,at the door1 the little  
ones came running about him1 as they    
loved to do4 ,perhaps the very lustre of
 his face awed them1 or the sight of    
their mother's tears2 for a sort of hush
 came over them1 even to the youngest1  
as he kissed and blessed them all4  ,and
 then1 when they had left the room1 he  
laid his head upon his daughter's       
breast1 and uttered a few low words4 ,he
 had been so happy1 he said1 and he     
thanked ,god for all1--even to this1 the
 end4 ,it had been so good to live6--it 
was so happy to die6 ,then he paused    
awhile1 and closed his eyes4  ,in the   

silence1 ,i can hear your mother's      
voice1 he murmured1 and he clasped his  
hands4 ,o thou most merciful ,father1   
who givest this last1 great blessing1 of
 the new ,home1 where she waits for     
me6--and ,god's love is over all ,his   
worlds6  ,he looked up once again1 with 
the same bright1 assured smile4 ,that   
smile never faded from the dead face2 it
 was the last look which they who loved 
him bore forever in their memory4  ,and 
so passed our ,visionary from that which
 we call ,life4     ,,the ,,truce ,,of  
,,piscataqua4  #afge4       ,raze these 
long blocks of brick and stone1         
,these huge mill-monsters overgrown2    
,blot out the humbler piles as well1    
,where1 moved like living shuttles1     
dwell     ,the weaving genii of the     
bell2     ,tear from the wild ,cocheco's
 track     ,the dams that hold its      
torrents back2     ,and let the         
loud-rejoicing fall     ,plunge1        
roaring1 down its rocky wall2     ,and  
let the ,indian's paddle play     ,on   

the unbridged ,piscataqua6     ,wide    
over hill and valley spread     ,once   
more the forest1 dusk and dread1        
,with here and there a clearing cut     
,from the walled shadows round it shut2 
,each with its farm-house builded rude1 
,by ,english yeoman squared and hewed1  
,and the grim1 flankered blockhouse1    
bound     ,with bristling palisades     
around4      ,so1 haply1 shall before   
thine eyes     ,the dusty veil of       
centuries rise1     ,the old1 strange   
scenery overlay     ,the tamer pictures 
of to-day1     ,while1 like the actors  
in a play1     ,pass in their ancient   
guise along     ,the figures of my      
border song3     ,what time beside      
,cocheco's flood     ,the white man and 
the red man stood1     ,with words of   
peace and brotherhood2     ,when passed 
the sacred calumet     ,from lip to lip 
with fire-draught wet1     ,and1 puffed 
in scorn1 the peace-pipe's smoke        
,through the gray beard of ,waldron     
broke1     ,and ,squando's voice1 in    

suppliant plea     ,for mercy1 struck   
the haughty key     ,of one who held in 
any fate     ,his native pride          
inviolate6             99       99      
99       99       99      ,let your ears
 be opened wide6     ,he who speaks has 
never lied4     ,waldron of ,piscataqua1
     ,hear what ,squando has to say6    
,squando shuts his eyes and sees1       
,far off1 ,saco's hemlock-trees4     ,in
 his wigwam1 still as stone1     ,sits a
 woman all alone1      ,wampum beads and
 birchen strands     ,dropping from her 
careless hands1     ,listening ever for 
the fleet     ,patter of a dead child's 
feet6      ,when the moon a year ago    
,told the flowers the time to blow1     
,in that lonely wigwam smiled           
,menewee1 our little child4      ,ere   
that moon grew thin and old1     ,he was
 lying still and cold2     ,sent before 
us1 weak and small1     ,when the       
,master did not call6      ,on his      
little grave ,i lay2     ,three times   
went and came the day2     ,thrice above

 me blazed the noon1     ,thrice upon me
 wept the moon4      ,in the third      
night-watch ,i heard1     ,far and low1 
a spirit-bird2     ,very mournful1 very 
wild1     ,sang the totem of my child4  
',menewee1 poor ,menewee1     ,walks a  
path he cannot see3     ,let the white  
man's wigwam light     ,with its blaze  
his steps aright4      ',all-uncalled1  
he dares not show     ,empty hands to   
,manito3     ,better gifts he cannot    
bear     ,than the scalps his slayers   
wear4'      ,all the while the totem    
sang1     ,lightning blazed and thunder 
rang2     ,and a black cloud1 reaching  
high1     ,pulled the white moon from   
the sky4      ,i1 the medicine-man1     
whose ear     ,all that spirits hear can
 hear1--     ,i1 whose eyes are wide to 
see     ,all the things that are to     
be1--      ,well ,i knew the dreadful   
signs     ,in the whispers of the pines1
     ,in the river roaring loud1     ,in
 the mutter of the cloud4      ,at the  
breaking of the day1     ,from the grave

 ,i passed away2     ,flowers bloomed   
round me1 birds sang glad1     ,but my  
heart was hot and mad4      ,there is   
rust on ,squando's knife     ,from the  
warm red springs of life2     ,on the   
funeral hemlock-trees     ,many a scalp 
the totem sees4      ,blood for blood6  
,but evermore     ,squando's heart is   
sad and sore2     ,and his poor squaw   
waits at home     ,for the feet that    
never come6      ,waldron of ,cocheco1  
hear6     ,squando speaks1 who laughs at
 fear3     ,take the captives he has    
ta'en2     ,let the land have peace     
again6      ,as the words died on his   
tongue1     ,wide apart his warriors    
swung2     ,parted1 at the sign he gave1
     ,right and left1 like ,egypt's     
wave4      ,and1 like ,israel passing   
free     ,through the prophet-charmd    
sea1     ,captive mother1 wife1 and     
child     ,through the dusky terror     
filed4      ,one alone1 a little maid1  
,middleway her steps delayed1           
,glancing1 with quick1 troubled sight1  

,round about from red to white4         
,then his hand the ,indian laid     ,on 
the little maiden's head1     ,lightly  
from her forehead fair     ,smoothing   
back her yellow hair4      ,gift or     
favor ask ,i none2     ,what ,i have is 
all my own3     ,never yet the birds    
have sung1     ',squando hath a beggar's
 tongue4'      ,yet1 for her who waits  
at home     ,for the dead who cannot    
come1     ,let the little ,gold-hair be 
,in the place of ,menewee6              
,mishanock1 my little star6     ,come to
 ,saco's pines afar6     ,where the sad 
one waits at home1     ,wequashim1 my   
moonlight1 come6      ,what6 quoth      
,waldron1 leave a child                 
,christian-born to heathens wild8       
,as ,god lives1 from ,satan's hand      
,i will pluck her as a brand6      ,hear
 me1 white man6 ,squando cried1     ,let
 the little one decide4     ,wequashim1 
my moonlight1 say1     ,wilt thou go    
with me1 or stay8      ,slowly1 sadly1  
half-afraid1     ,half-regretfully1 the 

maid     ,owned the ties of blood and   
race1     ,turned from ,squando's       
pleading face4      ,not a word the     
,indian spoke1     ,but his wampum chain
 he broke1     ,and the beaded wonder   
hung     ,on that neck so fair and      
young4      ,silence-shod1 as phantoms  
seem     ,in the marches of a dream1    
,single-filed1 the grim array           
,through the pine-trees wound away4     
,doubting1 trembling1 sore amazed1      
,through her tears the young child      
gazed4     ,god preserve her6 ,waldron  
said2     ,satan hath bewitched the     
maid6             99       99       99  
99       99      ,years went and came4  
,at close of day     ,singing came a    
child from play1     ,tossing from her  
loose-locked head     ,gold in sunshine1
 brown in shade4      ,pride was in the 
mother's look1     ,but her head she    
gravely shook1     ,and with lips that  
fondly smiled     ,feigned to chide her 
truant child4      ,unabashed the maid  
began3     ,up and down the brook ,i    

ran1     ,where1 beneath the bank so    
steep1     ,lie the spotted trout       
asleep4      ',chip6' went squirrel on  
the wall1     ,after me ,i heard him    
call1     ,and the cat-bird on the tree 
,tried his best to mimic me4      ,where
 the hemlocks grew so dark1     ,that ,i
 stopped to look and hark1     ,on a    
log1 with feather-hat1     ,by the path1
 an ,indian sat4      ,then ,i cried1   
and ran away2     ,but he called and    
bade me stay2     ,and his voice was    
good and mild     ,as my mother's to her
 child4      ,and he took my wampum     
chain1     ,looked and looked it o'er   
again2     ,gave me berries1 and1       
beside1     ,on my neck a plaything     
tied4      ,straight the mother stooped 
to see     ,what the ,indian's gift     
might be4     ,on the braid of wampum   
hung1     ,lo6 a cross of silver swung4 
,well she knew its graven sign1         
,squando's bird and totem pine2         
,and1 a mirage of the brain1     ,flowed
 her childhood back again4      ,flashed

 the roof the sunshine through1         
,into space the walls outgrew1     ,on  
the ,indian's wigwam mat                
,blossom-crowned again she sat4         
,cool she felt the west wind blow1      
,in her ear the pines sang low1         
,and1 like links from out a chain1      
,dropped the years of care and pain4    
,from the outward toil and din1         
,from the griefs that gnaw within1      
,to the freedom of the woods     ,called
 the birds and winds and floods4        
,well1 ,o painful minister1     ,watch  
thy flock1 but blame not her1     ,if   
her ear grew sharp to hear     ,all     
their voices whispering near4           
,blame her not1 as to her soul     ,all 
the desert's glamour stole1     ,that a 
tear for childhood's loss     ,dropped  
upon the ,indian's cross4      ,when1   
that night1 the ,book was read1     ,and
 she bowed her widowed head1     ,and a 
prayer for each loved name     ,rose    
like incense from a flame1      ,to the 
listening ear of ,heaven1     ,lo6      

another name was given3     ,father6    
give the ,indian rest6     ,bless him6  
for his love has blest6     ,,the       
,,maroons ,,of ,,jamaica4   ,the        
,maroons6 it was a word of peril once2  
and terror spread along the skirts of   
the blue mountains of ,jamaica1 when    
some fresh foray of those unconquered   
guerrillas swept down upon the outlying 
plantations1 startled the ,assembly from
 its order1 ,general ,williamson from   
his billiards1 and ,lord ,balcarres from
 his diplomatic ease1--endangering1     
according to the official statement1    
public credit1 civil rights1 and the    
prosperity1 if not the very existence of
 the country1 until they were persuaded 
to make peace at last4 ,they were the   
,circassians of the ,new ,world2 but    
they were black1 instead of white2 and  
as the ,circassians refused to be       
transferred from the ,sultan to the     
,czar1 so the ,maroons refused to be    
transferred from ,spanish dominion to   
,english1 and thus their revolt began4  

,the difference is1 that1 while the     
white mountaineers numbered four hundred
 thousand1 and only defied ,nicholas1   
the black mountaineers numbered less    
than two thousand1 and defied ,cromwell2
 and while the ,circassians1 after      
thirty years of revolt1 seem now at last
 subdued1 the ,maroons1 on the other    
hand1 who rebelled in #afee1 were never 
conquered1 but only made a compromise of
 allegiance1 and exist as a separate    
race to-day4  ,when ,admirals ,penn and 
,venables landed in ,jamaica1 in #afee1 
there was not a remnant left of the     
sixty thousand natives whom the         
,spaniards had found there a century and
 a half before4 ,their pitiful tale is  
told only by those caves1 still known   
among the mountains1 where thousands of 
human skeletons strew the ground4 ,in   
their place dwelt two foreign races1--an
 effeminate1 ignorant1 indolent white   
community of fifteen hundred1 with a    
black slave population quite as large   
and infinitely more hardy and energetic4

 ,the ,spaniards were readily subdued by
 the ,english1--the negroes remained    
unsubdued2 the slaveholders were        
banished from the island1--the slaves   
only banished themselves to the         
mountains3 thence the ,english could not
 dislodge them1 nor the buccaneers1 whom
 the ,english employed4 ,and when       
,jamaica subsided into a ,british       
colony1 and peace was made with ,spain1 
and the children of ,cromwell's ,puritan
 soldiers were beginning to grow rich by
 importing slaves for ,roman ,catholic  
,spaniards1 the ,maroons still held     
their own wild empire in the mountains1 
and1 being sturdy heathens every one1   
practised ,obeah rites in approved pagan
 fashion4  ,the word ,maroon is derived1
 according to one etymology1 from the   
,spanish word ,marrano1 a               
wild-boar1--these fugitives being all   
boar-hunters1--according to another1    
from ,marony1 a river separating ,french
 and ,dutch ,guiana1 where a colony of  
them dwelt and still dwells2 and by     

another still1 from ,cimarron1 a word   
meaning untamable1 and used alike for   
apes and runaway slaves4 ,but whether   
these rebel-marauders were regarded as  
monkeys or men1 they made themselves    
equally formidable4 ,as early as #affc1 
the ,governor and ,council of ,jamaica  
offered to each ,maroon1 who should     
surrender1 his freedom and twenty acres 
of land2 but not one accepted the terms4
 ,during forty years1 forty-four acts of
 ,assembly were passed in respect to    
them1 and at least a quarter of a       
million pounds sterling were expended in
 the warfare against them4 ,in #agcc1   
the force employed against them         
consisted of two regiments of regular   
troops and the whole militia of the     
island1 and the ,assembly said that the 
,maroons had within a few years greatly 
increased1 notwithstanding all the      
measures that had been concerted for    
their suppression1 to the great terror  
of his ,majesty's subjects1 and to the  
manifest weakening and preventing the   

further increase of the strength and    
inhabitants of the island4  ,the special
 affair in progress1 at the time of     
these statements1 was called ,cudjoe's  
,war4 ,cudjoe was a gentleman of extreme
 brevity and blackness1 whose           
full-length portrait can hardly be said 
to adorn ,dallas's ,history2 but he was 
as formidable a guerrilla as ,marion4   
,under his leadership1 the various      
bodies of fugitives were consolidated   
into one force and thoroughly organized4
 ,cudjoe1 like ,schamyl1 was religious  
as well as military head of his people2 
by ,obeah influence he established a    
thorough freemasonry among both slaves  
and insurgents2 no party could be sent  
forth by the government but he knew it  
in time to lay an ambush1 or descend    
with fire and sword on the region left  
unprotected4 ,he was thus always        
supplied with arms and ammunition2 and  
as his men were perfect marksmen1 never 
wasted a shot and never risked a battle1
 his forces naturally increased while   

those of his opponents were decimated4  
,his men were never captured1 and never 
took a prisoner2 it was impossible to   
tell when they were defeated2 in dealing
 with them1 as ,pelissier said of the   
,arabs1 peace was not purchased by      
victory2 and the only men who could     
obtain the slightest advantage against  
them were the imported ,mosquito        
,indians1 or the ,black ,shot1 a company
 of government negroes4 ,for nine full  
years this particular war continued     
unchecked1 ,general ,williamson ruling  
,jamaica by day and ,cudjoe by night4   
,the rebels had every topographical     
advantage1 for they held possession of  
the ,cockpits4 ,those highlands are     
furrowed through and through1 as by an  
earthquake1 with a series of gaps or    
ravines1 resembling the ,california     
caons1 or those similar fissures in     
various parts of the ,atlantic ,states1 
known to local fame either poetically as
 ice-glens1 or symbolically as          
purgatories4 ,these chasms vary from two

 hundred yards to a mile in length2 the 
rocky walls are fifty or a hundred feet 
high1 and often absolutely inaccessible1
 while the passes at each end admit but 
one man at a time4 ,they are thickly    
wooded1 wherever trees can grow2 water  
flows within them2 and they often       
communicate with one another1 forming a 
series of traps for an invading force4  
,tired and thirsty with climbing1 the   
weary soldiers toil on1 in single file1 
without seeing or hearing an enemy2 up  
the steep and winding path they traverse
 one cockpit1 then enter another4       
,suddenly a shot is fired from the dense
 and sloping forest on the right1 then  
another and another1 each dropping its  
man2 the startled troops face hastily in
 that direction1 when a more murderous  
volley is poured from the other side2   
the heights above flash with musketry1  
while the precipitous path by which they
 came seems to close in fire behind     
them4 ,by the time the troops have      
formed in some attempt at military      

order1 the woods around them are empty1 
and their agile and noiseless foes have 
settled themselves into ambush again1   
farther up the defile1 ready for a      
second attack1 if needed4 ,but one is   
usually sufficient2--disordered1        
exhausted1 bearing their wounded with   
them1 the soldiers retreat in panic1 if 
permitted to escape at all1 and carry   
fresh dismay to the barracks1 the       
plantations1 and the ,government ,house4
  ,it is not strange1 then1 that high   
military authorities1 at that period1   
should have pronounced the subjugation  
of the ,maroons a thing more difficult  
than to obtain a victory over any army  
in ,europe4 ,moreover1 these people were
 fighting for their liberty1 with which 
aim no form of warfare could be         
unjustifiable2 and the description given
 by ,lafayette of the ,american         
,revolution was true of this one1--the  
grandest of causes1 won by contests of  
sentinels and outposts4 ,the utmost hope
 of a ,british officer1 ordered against 

the ,maroons1 was to lay waste a        
provision-ground or cut them off from   
water4 ,but there was little            
satisfaction in this2 the wild          
pine-leaves and the grapevine-withes    
supplied the rebels with water1 and     
their plantation-grounds were the wild  
pine-apple and the plantain groves1 and 
the forests1 where the wild-boars       
harbored and the ringdoves were as      
easily shot as if they were militia-men4
 ,nothing but sheer weariness of        
fighting seems to have brought about a  
truce at last1 and then a treaty1       
between those high contracting parties1 
,cudjoe and ,general ,williamson4  ,but 
how to execute a treaty between these   
wild ,children of the ,mist and         
respectable diplomatic ,englishmen8 ,to 
establish any official relations without
 the medium of a preliminary bullet     
required some ingenuity of manoeuvring4 
,cudjoe was willing1 but inconveniently 
cautious2 he would not come half-way to 
meet any one2 nothing would content him 

but an interview in his own chosen      
cockpit4 ,so he selected one of the most
 difficult passes1 posting in the       
forests a series of outlying parties1 to
 signal with their horns1 one by one1   
the approach of the plenipotentiaries1  
and then to retire on the main body4    
,through this line of perilous signals1 
therefore1 ,colonel ,guthrie and his    
handful of men bravely advanced2 horn   
after horn they heard sounded1 but there
 was no other human noise in the woods1 
and they had advanced till they saw the 
smoke of the ,maroon huts before they   
caught a glimpse of a human form4  ,a   
conversation was at last opened with the
 invisible rebels4 ,on their promise of 
safety1 ,dr4 ,russell advanced alone to 
treat with them1 then several ,maroons  
appeared1 and finally ,cudjoe himself4  
,the formidable chief was not highly    
military in appearance1 being short1    
fat1 humpbacked1 dressed in a tattered  
blue coat without skirts or sleeves1 and
 an old felt hat without a rim4 ,but if 

he had blazed with regimental scarlet1  
he could not have been treated with more
 distinguished consideration2 indeed1 in
 that case1 the exchange of hats with   
which ,dr4 ,russell finally volunteered1
 in ,maroon fashion1 to ratify          
negotiations1 would have been a less    
severe test of good fellowship4 ,this   
fine stroke of diplomacy had its effect1
 therefore2 the rebel captains agreed to
 a formal interview with ,colonel       
,guthrie and ,captain ,sadler1 and a    
treaty was at last executed with all due
 solemnity1 under a large cotton-tree at
 the entrance of ,guthrie's ,defile4    
,this treaty recognized the military    
rank of ,captain ,cudjoe1 ,captain      
,accompong1 and the rest2 gave assurance
 that the ,maroons should be forever    
hereafter in a perfect state of freedom 
and liberty2 ceded to them fifteen      
hundred acres of land2 and stipulated   
only that they should keep the peace1   
should harbor no fugitive from justice  
or from slavery1 and should allow two   

white commissioners to remain among     
them1 simply to represent the ,british  
government4  ,during the following year 
a separate treaty was made with another 
large body of insurgents1 called the    
,windward ,maroons4 ,this was not       
effected1 however1 until after an       
unsuccessful military attempt1 in which 
the mountaineers gained a signal        
triumph4 ,by artful devices1--a few     
fires left burning1 with old women to   
watch them1--a few provision-grounds    
exposed by clearing away the            
bushes1--they lured the troops far up   
among the mountains1 and then surprised 
them by an ambush4 ,the militia all     
fled1 and the regulars took refuge under
 a large cliff in a stream1 where they  
remained four hours up to their waists  
in water1 until finally they forded the 
river1 under full fire1 with terrible   
loss4 ,three months after this1 however1
 the ,maroons consented to an amicable  
interview1 exchanging hostages first4   
,the position of the white hostage1 at  

least1 was not the most agreeable2 he   
complained that he was beset by the     
women and children1 with indignant cries
 of ,buckra1 ,buckra1 while the little  
boys pointed their fingers at him as if 
stabbing him1 and that with evident     
relish4 ,however1 ,captain ,quao1 like  
,captain ,cudjoe1 made a treaty at last1
 and hats were interchanged instead of  
hostages4  ,independence being thus won 
and acknowledged1 there was a suspension
 of hostilities for some years4 ,among  
the wild mountains of ,jamaica1 the     
,maroons dwelt in a savage freedom4 ,so 
healthful and beautiful was the         
situation of their chief town1 that the 
,english government has erected barracks
 there of late years1 as being the most 
salubrious situation on the island4     
,they breathed an air ten degrees cooler
 than that inhaled by the white         
population below1 and they lived on a   
daintier diet1 so that the ,english     
epicures used to go up among them for   
good living4 ,the mountaineers caught   

the strange land-crabs1 plodding in     
companies of millions their sidelong    
path from mountain to ocean1 and from   
ocean to mountain again4 ,they hunted   
the wild-boars1 and prepared the flesh  
by salting and smoking it in layers of  
aromatic leaves1 the delicious jerked   
hog of ,buccaneer annals4 ,they reared  
cattle and poultry1 cultivated corn and 
yams1 plantains and cocoas1 guavas and  
papaws and mameys and avocados and all  
luxurious ,west ,indian fruits2 the very
 weeds of their orchards had tropical   
luxuriance in their fragrance and in    
their names2 and from the doors of their
 little thatched huts they looked across
 these gardens of delight to the        
magnificent lowland forests1 and over   
those again to the faint line of far-off
 beach1 the fainter ocean-horizon1 and  
the illimitable sky4  ,they had senses  
like those of our ,indians1 tracked each
 other by the smell of the smoke of     
fires in the air1 and called to each    
other by horns1 using a special note to 

designate each of their comrades1 and   
distinguishing it beyond the range of   
ordinary hearing4 ,they spoke ,english  
diluted with ,spanish and ,african      
words1 and practised ,obeah rites quite 
undiluted with ,christianity4 ,of course
 they associated largely with the       
slaves1 without any very precise regard 
to treaty stipulations2 sometimes       
brought in fugitives1 and sometimes     
concealed them2 left their towns and    
settled on the planters' lands1 when    
they preferred them1 but were quite     
orderly and luxuriously happy4 ,during  
the formidable insurrection of the      
,koromantyn slaves1 in #agfj1 they      
played a dubious part3 when left to go  
on their own way1 they did something    
towards suppressing it1--but when placed
 under the guns of the troops and       
ordered to fire on those of their own   
color1 they threw themselves on the     
ground without discharging a shot4      
,nevertheless1 they gradually came up   
into rather reputable standing2 they    

grew more and more industrious and      
steady2 and after they had joined very  
heartily in resisting ,d',estaing's     
threatened invasion of the island in    
#aggi1 it became the fashion to speak of
 our faithful and affectionate ,maroons4
  ,in #agie1 their position was as      
follows3--,their numbers had not        
materially increased1 for many had      
strayed off and settled on the outskirts
 of plantations1--nor materially        
diminished1 for many runaway slaves had 
joined them1--while there were also     
separate settlements of fugitives1 who  
had maintained their freedom for twenty 
years4 ,the white superintendents had   
lived with the ,maroons in perfect      
harmony1 without the slightest official 
authority1 but with a great deal of     
actual influence4 ,but there was an     
irrepressible conflict behind all this  
apparent peace1 and the slightest       
occasion might at any moment revive all 
the ,old terror4 ,that occasion was     
close at hand4  ,captain ,cudjoe and    

,captain ,accompong and the other       
founders of ,maroon independence had    
passed away1 and ,old ,montagu reigned  
in their stead1 in ,trelawney ,town4    
,old ,montagu had all the pomp and      
circumstance of ,maroon majesty2 he wore
 a laced red coat1 and a hat superb with
 gold-lace and plumes2 none but captains
 could sit in his presence2 he was      
helped first at meals1 and no woman     
could eat beside him2 he presided at    
councils as magnificently as at table1  
though with less appetite2--and         
possessed1 meanwhile1 not an atom of the
 love or reverence of any human being4  
,the real power lay entirely with ,major
 ,james1 the white superintendent1 who  
had been brought up among the ,maroons  
by his father 7and predecessor71 and who
 was the idol of this wild race4 ,in an 
evil hour1 the government removed him1  
and put a certain unpopular ,captain    
,craskell in his place2 and as there    
happened to be1 about the same time1 a  
great excitement concerning a hopeful   

pair of young ,maroons who had been     
seized and publicly whipped1 on a charge
 of hog-stealing1 their kindred refused 
to allow the new superintendent to      
remain in the town4 ,a few attempts at  
negotiation only brought them to a      
higher pitch of wrath1 which ended in   
their despatching the following         
remarkable diplomatic note to the ,earl 
of ,balcarres3--,the ,maroons wishes    
nothing else from the country but       
battle1 and they desires not to see ,mr4
 ,craskell up here at all4 ,so they are 
waiting every moment for the above on   
,monday4 ,mr4 ,david ,schaw will see you
 on ,sunday morning for an answer4 ,they
 will wait till ,monday1 nine o'clock1  
and if they don't come up1 they will    
come down themselves4 ,signed1 ,colonel 
,montagu and all the rest4  ,it turned  
out1 at last1 that only two or three of 
the ,maroons were concerned in this     
remarkable defiance2 but meanwhile it   
had its effect4 ,several ambassadors    
were sent among the insurgents1 and were

 so favorably impressed by their        
reception as to make up a subscription  
of money for their hosts1 on departing2 
only the gallant ,colonel ,gallimore1 a 
,jamaica ,camillus1 gave iron instead of
 gold1 by throwing some bullets into the
 contribution-box4 ,and it was probably 
in accordance with his view of the      
subject1 that1 when the ,maroons sent   
ambassadors in return1 they were at once
 imprisoned1 most injudiciously and     
unjustly2 and when ,old ,montagu himself
 and thirty-seven others1 following1    
were seized and imprisoned also1 it is  
not strange that the ,maroons1 joined by
 many slaves1 were soon in open         
insurrection4  ,martial law was         
instantly proclaimed throughout the     
island4 ,the fighting-men among the     
insurgents were not1 perhaps1 more than 
five hundred2 against whom the          
government could bring nearly fifteen   
hundred regular troops and several      
thousand militia-men4 ,lord ,balcarres  
himself took the command1 and1 eager to 

crush the affair1 promptly marched a    
large force up to ,trelawney ,town1 and 
was glad to march back again as         
expeditiously as possible4 ,in his very 
first attack1 he was miserably defeated1
 and had to fly for his life1 amid a    
perfect panic of the troops1 in which   
some forty or fifty were                
killed1--including ,colonel ,sandford1  
commanding the regulars1 and the        
bullet-loving ,colonel ,gallimore1 in   
command of the militia1--while not a    
single ,maroon was even wounded1 so far 
as could be ascertained4  ,after this a 
good deal of bush-fighting took place4  
,the troops gradually got possession of 
several ,maroon villages1 but not till  
every hut had been burnt by its owner4  
,it was in the height of the rainy      
season1 and1 between fire and water1 the
 discomfort of the soldiers was         
enormous4 ,meanwhile the ,maroons       
hovered close around them in the woods1 
heard all their orders1 picked off their
 sentinels1 and1 penetrating through    

their lines at night1 burned houses and 
destroyed plantations1 far below4 ,the  
only man who could cope with their      
peculiar tactics was ,major ,james1 the 
superintendent just removed by          
government1--and his services were not  
employed1 as he was not trusted4 ,on one
 occasion1 however1 he led a volunteer  
party farther into the mountains than   
any of the assailants had yet           
penetrated1 guided by tracks known to   
himself only1 and by the smell of the   
smoke of ,maroon fires4 ,after a very   
exhausting march1 including a climb of a
 hundred and fifty feet up the face of a
 precipice1 he brought them just within 
the entrance of ,guthrie's ,defile4 ,so 
far1 said he1 pointing to the entrance1 
you may pursue1 but no farther2 no force
 can enter here2 no white man except    
myself1 or some soldier of the ,maroon  
establishment1 has ever gone beyond     
this4 ,with the greatest difficulty ,i  
have penetrated four miles farther1 and 
not ten ,maroons have gone so far as    

that4 ,there are two other ways of      
getting into the defile1 practicable for
 the ,maroons1 but not for any one of   
you4 ,in neither of them can ,i ascend  
or descend with my arms1 which must be  
handed to me1 step by step1 as practised
 by the ,maroons themselves4 ,one of the
 ways lies to the eastward1 and the     
other to the westward2 and they will    
take care to have both guarded1 if they 
suspect that ,i am with you2 which1 from
 the route you have come to-day1 they   
will4 ,they now see you1 and if you     
advance fifty paces more1 they will     
convince you of it4 ,at this moment a   
,maroon horn sounded the notes          
indicating his name1 and1 as he made no 
answer1 a voice was heard1 inquiring if 
he were among them4 ,if he is1 said the 
voice1 let him go back1 we do not wish  
to hurt him2 but as for the rest of you1
 come on and try battle1 if you choose4 
,but the gentlemen did not choose4  ,in 
,september the ,house of ,assembly met4 
,things were looking worse and worse4   

,for five months a handful of negroes   
and mulattoes had defied the whole force
 of the island2 and they were defending 
their liberty by precisely the same     
tactics through which their ancestors   
had won it4 ,half a million pounds      
sterling had been spent within this     
time1 besides the enormous loss incurred
 by the withdrawal of so many           
able-bodied men from their regular      
employments4 ,cultivation was suspended1
 says an eye-witness2 the courts of law 
had long been shut up2 and the island at
 large seemed more like a garrison under
 the power of law-martial1 than a       
country of agriculture and commerce1 of 
civil judicature1 industry1 and         
prosperity4 ,hundreds of the militia had
 died of fatigue1 large numbers had been
 shot down1 the most daring of the      
,british officers had fallen1 while the 
insurgents had been invariably          
successful1 and not one of them was     
known to have been killed4 ,captain     
,craskell1 the banished superintendent1 

gave it to the ,assembly as his opinion1
 that the whole slave population of the 
island was in sympathy with the         
,maroons1 and would soon be beyond      
control4 ,more alarming still1 there    
were rumors of ,french emissaries behind
 the scenes2 and though these were      
explained away1 the vague terror        
remained4 ,indeed1 the                  
,lieutenant-,governor announced in his  
message that he had satisfactory        
evidence that the ,french ,convention   
was concerned in the revolt4 ,a ,french 
prisoner named ,murenson had testified  
that the ,french agent at ,philadelphia 
7,fauchet7 had secretly sent a hundred  
and fifty emissaries to the island1 and 
threatened to land fifteen hundred      
negroes4 ,and though ,murenson took it  
all back at last1 yet the ,assembly was 
moved to make a new offer of three      
hundred dollars for killing or taking a 
,trelawney ,maroon1 and a hundred and   
fifty dollars for killing or taking any 
fugitive slave who had joined them4     

,they also voted five hundred pounds as 
a gratuity to the ,accompong tribe of   
,maroons1 who had thus far kept out of  
the insurrection2 and various prizes and
 gratuities were also offered by the    
different parishes1 with the same object
 of self-protection4  ,the              
commander-in-chief being among the      
killed1 ,colonel ,walpole was promoted  
in his stead1 and brevetted as ,general1
 by way of incentive4 ,he found a people
 in despair1 a soldiery thoroughly      
intimidated1 and a treasury1 not empty1 
but useless4 ,but the new general had   
not served against the ,maroons for     
nothing1 and was not ashamed to go to   
school to his opponents4 ,first1 he     
waited for the dry season2 then he      
directed all his efforts towards cutting
 off his opponents from water2 and1 most
 effectual move of all1 he attacked each
 successive cockpit by dragging up a    
howitzer1 with immense labor1 and       
throwing in shells4 ,shells were a      
visitation not dreamed of in ,maroon    

philosophy1 and their quaint compliments
 to their new opponent remain on record4
 ,damn dat little buckra6 they said2 he 
cunning more dan dem toder4 ,dis here da
 new fashion for fight3 him fire big    
ball arter you1 and when big ball 'top1 
de damn sunting 7something7 fire arter  
you again4 ,with which ,parthian arrows 
of rhetoric the mountaineers retreated4 
,but this did not last long4 ,the       
,maroons soon learned to keep out of the
 way of the shells1 and the island      
relapsed into terror again4 ,it was     
deliberately resolved at last1 by a     
special council convoked for the        
purpose1 to persuade the rebels to make 
peace4 ,but as they had not as yet shown
 themselves very accessible to softer   
influences1 it was thought best to      
combine as many arguments as possible1  
and a certain ,colonel ,quarrell had hit
 upon a wholly new one4 ,his plan simply
 was1 since men1 however well           
disciplined1 had proved powerless       
against ,maroons1 to try a ,spanish     

fashion against them1 and use dogs4 ,the
 proposition was met1 in some quarters1 
with the strongest hostility4 ,england1 
it was said1 had always denounced the   
,spaniards as brutal and dastardly for  
hunting down the natives of that very   
soil with hounds1--and should ,england  
now follow the humiliating example8 ,on 
the other side1 there were plenty who   
eagerly quoted all known instances of   
zological warfare3 all ,oriental        
nations1 for instance1 used elephants in
 war1 and no doubt would gladly use     
lions and tigers1 also1 but for their   
extreme carnivorousness1 and their      
painful indifference to the distinction 
between friend and foe2--why not1 then1 
use these dogs1 comparatively innocent  
and gentle creatures8 ,at any rate1     
something must be done2 the final       
argument always used1 when a bad or     
desperate project is to be made         
palatable4 ,so it was voted at last to  
send to ,havana for an invoice of       
,spanish dogs1 with their accompanying  

chasseurs1 and the efforts at persuading
 the ,maroons were postponed till the   
arrival of these additional persuasives4
 ,and when ,colonel ,quarrell finally   
set sail as commissioner to obtain the  
new allies1 all scruples of conscience  
vanished in the renewal of public       
courage and the chorus of popular       
gratitude2 a thing so desirable must be 
right2 thrice were they armed who knew  
their ,quarrell just4  ,but after the   
parting notes of gratitude died away in 
the distance1 the commissioner began to 
discover that he was to have a hard time
 of it4 ,he sailed for ,havana in a     
schooner manned with ,spanish           
renegadoes1 who insisted on fighting    
everything that came in their           
way1--first a ,spanish schooner1 then a 
,french one4 ,he landed at ,batabano1   
struck across the mountains towards     
,havana1 stopped at ,besucal to call on 
the wealthy ,marquesa de ,san ,felipe y 
,san ,jorge1 grand patroness of dogs and
 chasseurs1 and finally was welcomed to 

,havana by ,don ,luis de las ,casas1 who
 overlooked1 for this occasion only1 an 
injunction of his court against         
admitting foreigners within his         
government1--the only accustomed        
exception being1 as ,don ,luis          
courteously assured him1 in favor of    
foreign traders who came with new       
negroes4 ,to be sure1 the commissioner  
had not brought any of these            
commodities1 but then he had come to    
obtain the means of capturing some1 and 
so might pass for an irregular          
practitioner of the privileged          
profession4  ,accordingly1 ,don         
,guillermo ,dawes ,quarrell 7so ran his 
passport7 found no difficulty in        
obtaining permission from the governor  
to buy as many dogs as he desired4      
,when1 however1 he carelessly hinted at 
the necessity of taking1 also1 a few men
 who should have care of the dogs1--this
 being1 after all1 the essential part of
 his expedition1--,don ,luis de las     
,casas put on instantly a double force  

of courtesy1 and assured him of the     
entire impossibility of recruiting a    
single ,spaniard for ,english service4  
,finally1 however1 he gave permission   
and passports for six chasseurs4 ,under 
cover of this1 the commissioner lost no 
time in enlisting forty2 he got them    
safe to ,batabano1 but at the last      
moment1 learning the state of affairs1  
they refused to embark on such very     
irregular authority4 ,when he had       
persuaded them1 at length1 the officer  
of the fort interposed objections4 ,this
 was not to be borne1 so ,don ,guillermo
 bribed him and silenced him2 a dragoon 
was1 however1 sent to report to the     
governor2 ,don ,guillermo sent a        
messenger after him and bribed him1 too2
 and thus1 at length1 after myriad      
rebuffs1 and after being obliged to     
spend the last evening at a puppet-show1
 in which the principal figure was a    
burlesque on his own personal           
peculiarities1 the weary ,don           
,guillermo1 with his crew of renegadoes1

 and his forty chasseurs and their one  
hundred and four muzzled dogs1 set sail 
for ,jamaica4  ,these new allies were   
certainly something formidable1 if we   
may trust the pictures and descriptions 
in ,dallas's ,history4 ,the chasseur was
 a tall1 meagre1 swarthy ,spaniard or   
mulatto1 lightly clad in cotton shirt   
and drawers1 with broad straw-hat and   
moccasins of raw hide2 his belt         
sustaining his long1 straight1 flat     
sword or machete1 like an iron bar      
sharpened at one end2 and he wore by the
 same belt three cotton leashes for his 
three dogs1 sometimes held also by      
chains4 ,the dogs were a fierce breed1  
crossed between hound and mastiff1 never
 unmuzzled but for attack1 and          
accompanied by smaller dogs called      
finders4 ,it is no wonder1 when these   
wild and powerful creatures were landed 
at ,montego ,bay1 that terror ran       
through the town1 doors were everywhere 
closed and windows crowded1 not a negro 
dared to stir1 and the muzzled dogs1    

infuriated by confinement on shipboard1 
filled the silent streets with their    
noisy barking and the rattling of their 
chains4  ,how much would have come of   
all this in actual conflict does not    
appear4 ,the ,maroons had already been  
persuaded to make peace upon certain    
conditions and guaranties1--a decision  
probably accelerated by the terrible    
rumors of the bloodhounds1 though they  
never saw them4 ,it was the declared    
opinion of the ,assembly1 confirmed by  
that of ,general ,walpole1 that nothing 
could be clearer than that1 if they had 
been off the island1 the rebels could   
not have been induced to surrender4     
,nevertheless a treaty was at last made1
 without the direct intervention of the 
quadrupeds4 ,again commissioners went up
 among the mountains to treat with      
negotiators at first invisible2 again   
were hats and jackets interchanged1 not 
without coy reluctance on the part of   
the well-dressed ,englishmen2 and a     
solemn agreement was effected4 ,the most

 essential part of the bargain was a    
guaranty of continued independence1     
demanded by the suspicious ,maroons4    
,general ,walpole1 however1 promptly    
pledged himself that no such unfair     
advantage should be taken of them as had
 occurred with the hostages previously  
surrendered1 who were placed in irons1  
nor should any attempt be made to remove
 them from the island4 ,it is painful to
 add1 that this promise was outrageously
 violated by the ,colonial government1  
to the lasting grief of ,general        
,walpole1 on the ground that the        
,maroons had violated the treaty by a   
slight want of punctuality in complying 
with its terms1 and by remissness in    
restoring the fugitive slaves who had   
taken refuge among them4 ,as many of the
 tribe as surrendered1 therefore1 were  
at once placed in confinement1 and      
ultimately shipped from ,port ,royal to 
,halifax1 to the number of six hundred1 
on the #fth of ,june1 #agif4 ,for the   
credit of ,english honor1 we rejoice to 

know that ,general ,walpole not merely  
protested against this utter breach of  
faith1 but indignantly declined the     
sword of honor which the ,assembly voted
 him in its gratitude1 and retired from 
military service forever4  ,the         
remaining career of this portion of the 
,maroons is easily told4 ,they were     
first dreaded by the inhabitants of     
,halifax2 then welcomed1 when seen2 and 
promptly set to work on the citadel1    
then in process of reconstruction1 where
 the ,maroon ,bastion still             
remains1--their only visible memorial4  
,two commissioners had charge of them1  
one being the redoubtable ,colonel      
,quarrell1 and twenty-five thousand     
pounds were appropriated for their      
temporary support4 ,of course they did  
not prosper2 pensioned colonists never  
do1 for they are not compelled into     
habits of industry4 ,after their        
delicious life in the mountains of      
,jamaica1 it seemed rather monotonous to
 dwell upon that barren soil1--for      

theirs was such that two previous       
colonies had deserted it1--and in a     
climate where winter lasts seven months 
in the year4 ,they had a schoolmaster1  
and he was also a preacher2 but they did
 not seem to appreciate that luxury of  
civilization1--utterly refusing1 on     
grounds of conscience1 to forsake       
polygamy1 and1 on grounds of personal   
comfort1 to listen to the doctrinal     
discourses of their pastor1 who was an  
ardent ,sandemanian4 ,they smoked their 
pipes during service-time1 and left ,old
 ,montagu1 who still survived1 to lend a
 vicarious attention to the sermon4 ,one
 discourse he briefly reported as       
follows1 very much to the point3--,massa
 parson say no mus tief1 no mus meddle  
wid somebody wife1 no mus quarrel1 mus  
set down softly4 ,so they sat down very 
softly1 and showed an extreme           
unwillingness to get up again4 ,but1 not
 being naturally an idle race1 7at      
least1 in ,jamaica the objection lay    
rather on the other side17 they soon    

grew tired of this inaction4            
,distrustful of those about them1       
suspicious of all attempts to scatter   
them among the community at large1      
frozen by the climate1 and constantly   
petitioning for removal to a milder one1
 they finally wearied out all patience4 
,a long dispute ensued between the      
authorities of ,nova ,scotia and        
,jamaica1 as to which was properly      
responsible for their support2 and thus 
the heroic race1 that for a century and 
a half had sustained themselves in      
freedom in ,jamaica1 were reduced to the
 position of troublesome and            
impracticable paupers1 shuttlecocks     
between two selfish parishes4 ,so passed
 their unfortunate lives1 until1 in     
#ahjj1 their reduced population was     
transported to ,sierra ,leone1 at a cost
 of six thousand pounds1 since which    
they disappear from history4  ,it was   
judged best not to interfere with those 
bodies of ,maroons which had kept aloof 
from the late outbreak1 as the          

,accompong settlement1 and others4 ,they
 continued to preserve a qualified      
independence1 and retain it even now4   
,in #ahce1 two years after the abolition
 of slavery in ,jamaica1 there were     
reported sixty families of ,maroons as  
residing at ,accompong ,town1 eighty    
families at ,moore ,town1 one hundred   
and ten families at ,charles ,town1 and 
twenty families at ,scott ,hall1 making 
two hundred and seventy families in     
all1--each station being1 as of old1    
under the charge of a superintendent4   
,but there can be little doubt1 that1   
under the influences of freedom1 they   
are rapidly intermingling with the mass 
of colored population in ,jamaica4  ,the
 story of the exiled ,maroons attracted 
attention in high quarters1 in its time2
 the wrongs done to them were denounced 
in ,parliament by ,sheridan and mourned 
by ,wilberforce2 while the employment of
 bloodhounds against them was vindicated
 by ,dundas1 and the whole conduct of   
the ,colonial government defended1      

through thick and thin1 by ,bryan       
,edwards4 ,this thorough partisan even  
had the assurance to tell ,mr4          
,wilberforce1 in ,parliament1 that he   
knew the ,maroons1 from personal        
knowledge1 to be cannibals1 and that1 if
 a missionary were sent among them in   
,nova ,scotia1 they would immediately   
eat him2 a charge so absurd that he did 
not venture to repeat it in his ,history
 of the ,west ,indies1 though his       
injustice to the ,maroons is even there 
so glaring as to provoke the indignation
 of the more moderate ,dallas4 ,but1 in 
spite of ,mr4 ,edwards1 the public      
indignation ran quite high1 in ,england1
 against the bloodhounds and their      
employers1 so that the home ministry    
found it necessary to send a severe     
reproof to the ,colonial government4    
,for a few years the tales of the       
,maroons thus emerged from mere colonial
 annals1 and found their way into       
,annual ,registers and ,parliamentary   
,debates1--but they have vanished from  

popular memory now4 ,their record still 
retains its interest1 however1 as that  
of one of the heroic races of the world2
 and all the more1 because it is with   
their kindred that this nation has to   
deal1 in solving the tremendous problem 
of incorporating their liberties with   
our own4 ,we must remember the story of 
the ,maroons1 because we cannot afford  
to ignore a single historic fact which  
bears upon a question so momentous4     
,,the ,,professor',s ,,story4           
,,chapter ,,iii4  ,,mr4 ,,bernard       
,,tries ,,his ,,hand4  ,whether the     
,student advertised for a school1 or    
whether he fell in with the             
advertisement of a school-committee1 is 
not certain4 ,at any rate1 it was not   
long before he found himself the head of
 a large district1 or1 as it was called 
by the inhabitants1 deestric school1 in 
the flourishing inland village of       
,pequawkett1 or1 as it is commonly      
spelt1 ,pigwacket ,centre4 ,the natives 
of this place would be surprised1 if    

they should hear that any of the readers
 of a periodical published in ,boston   
were unacquainted with so remarkable a  
locality4 ,as1 however1 some copies of  
this periodical may be read at a        
distance from this distinguished        
metropolis1 it may be well to give a few
 particulars respecting the place1 taken
 from the ,universal ,gazetteer4        
,,pigwacket1 sometimes spelt            
,pequawkett4 ,a post-village and        
township in ---- ,co41 ,state of ----1  
situated in a fine      agricultural    
region1 #b thriving villages1 ,pigwacket
 ,centre and      ,smithville1 #c       
churches1 several schoolhouses1 and many
 handsome      private residences4 ,mink
 ,river runs through the town1 navigable
      for small boats after heavy rains4
 ,muddy ,pond at ,n4 ,e4 section1       
well stocked with horned pouts1 eels1   
and shiners4 ,products1      beef1 pork1
 butter1 cheese4 ,manufactures1         
shoe-pegs1      clothes-pins1 and       
tin-ware4 ,pop4 #acgc4  ,the reader may 

think there is nothing very remarkable  
implied in this description4 ,if1       
however1 he had read the town-history1  
by the ,rev4 ,jabez ,grubb1 he would    
have learned1 that1 like the celebrated 
,little ,pedlington1 it was             
distinguished by many very remarkable   
advantages4 ,thus3--       ,the         
situation of ,pigwacket is eminently    
beautiful1 looking      down the lovely 
valley of ,mink ,river1 a tributary of  
the      ,musquash4 ,the air is         
salubrious1 and many of the inhabitants 
have attained great age1 several having 
passed the allotted      period of      
'three-score years and ten' before      
succumbing to any      of the various   
'ills that flesh is heir to4' ,widow    
,comfort      ,leevins died in #ahcf1 t4
 ,,lxxxvii4 years4 ,venus1 an ,african1 
died in #ahda1 supposed to be ,c4 years 
old4 ,the people are      distinguished 
for intelligence1 as has been frequently
 remarked      by eminent               
lyceum-lecturers1 who have invariably   

spoken in the      highest terms of a   
,pigwacket audience4 ,there is a public 
library1 containing nearly a hundred    
volumes1 free to all      subscribers4  
,the preached word is well attended1    
there is a      flourishing temperance  
society1 and the schools are excellent4 
,it is a residence admirably adapted to 
refined families who      relish the    
beauties of ,nature and the charms of   
society4 ,the      ,honorable ,john     
,smith1 formerly a member of the ,state 
,senate1      was a native of this town4
  ,that is the way they all talk4 ,after
 all1 it is probably pretty much like   
other inland ,new ,england towns in     
point of salubrity1--that is1 gives     
people their choice of dysentery or     
fever every autumn1 with a season-ticket
 for consumption1 good all the year     
round4 ,and so of the other pretences4  
,pigwacket audience1 forsooth6 ,was     
there ever an audience anywhere1 though 
there wasn't a pair of eyes in it       
brighter than pickled oysters1 that     

didn't think it was distinguished for   
intelligence8--,the preachd word6 ,that 
means the ,rev4 ,jabez ,grubb's sermons4
 ,temperance society6 ,excellent        
schools6 ,ah1 that is just what we were 
talking about4  ,the truth was1 that    
,district ,no4 #a1 ,pigwacket ,centre1  
had had a good deal of trouble of late  
with its schoolmasters4 ,the committee  
had done their best1 but there were a   
number of well-grown and pretty rough   
young fellows who had got the upperhand 
of the masters1 and meant to keep it4   
,two dynasties had fallen before the    
uprising of this fierce democracy4 ,this
 was a thing that used to be not very   
uncommon2 but in so intelligent a       
community as that of ,pigwacket ,centre1
 in an era of public libraries and      
lyceum-lectures1 it was portentous and  
alarming4  ,the rebellion began under   
the ferule of ,master ,weeks1 a slender 
youth from a country college1 under-fed1
 thin-blooded1 sloping-shouldered1      
knock-kneed1 straight-haired1           

weak-bearded1 pale-eyed1 wide-pupilled1 
half-colored2 a common type enough in   
in-door races1 not rich enough to pick  
and choose in their alliances4 ,nature  
kills off a good many of this sort in   
the first teething-time1 a few in later 
childhood1 a good many again in early   
adolescence2 but every now and then one 
runs the gauntlet of her various        
diseases1 or rather forms of one        
disease1 and grows up1 as ,master ,weeks
 had done4  ,it was a very foolish thing
 for him to try to inflict personal     
punishment on such a lusty young fellow 
as ,abner ,briggs1 ,junior1 one of the  
hardest customers in the way of a       
rough-and-tumble fight that there were  
anywhere round4 ,no doubt he had been   
insolent1 but it would have been better 
to overlook it4 ,it pains me to report  
the events which took place when the    
master made his rash attempt to maintain
 his authority4 ,abner ,briggs1 ,junior1
 was a great1 hulking fellow1 who had   
been bred to butchering1 but urged by   

his parents to attend school1 in order  
to learn the elegant accomplishments of 
reading and writing1 in which he was    
sadly deficient4 ,he was in the habit of
 talking and laughing pretty loud in    
school-hours1 of throwing wads of paper 
reduced to a pulp by a natural and easy 
process1 of occasional insolence and    
general negligence4 ,one of the soft1   
but unpleasant missiles just alluded to1
 flew by the master's head one morning1 
and flattened itself against the wall1  
where it adhered in the form of a convex
 mass in alto rilievo4 ,the master      
looked round and saw the young butcher's
 arm in an attitude which pointed to it 
unequivocally as the source from which  
the projectile had taken its flight4    
,master ,weeks turned pale4 ,he must    
lick ,abner ,briggs1 ,junior1 or        
abdicate4 ,so he determined to lick     
,abner ,briggs1 ,junior4  ,come here1   
,sir6 he said2 you have insulted me and 
outraged the decency of the schoolroom  
often enough6 ,hold out your hand6  ,the

 young fellow grinned and held it out4  
,the master struck at it with his black 
ruler1 with a will in the blow and a    
snapping of the eyes1 as much as to say 
that he meant to make him smart this    
time4 ,the young fellow pulled his hand 
back as the ruler came down1 and the    
master hit himself a vicious blow with  
it on the right knee4 ,there are things 
no man can stand4 ,the master caught the
 refractory youth by the collar and     
began shaking him1 or rather shaking    
himself against him4  ,le' go o' that   
are coat1 naow1 said the fellow1 or     
,i'll make ye6 ',t 'll take tew on ye t'
 handle me1 ,i tell ye1 'n' then ye cant
 dew it6--and the young pupil returned  
the master's attention by catching hold 
of his collar4  ,when it comes to that1 
the best man1 not exactly in the moral  
sense1 but rather in the material1 and  
more especially the muscular point of   
view1 is very apt to have the best of   
it1 irrespectively of the merits of the 
case4 ,so it happened now4 ,the         

unfortunate schoolmaster found himself  
taking the measure of the sanded floor1 
amid the general uproar of the school4  
,from that moment his ferule was broken1
 and the school-committee very soon had 
a vacancy to fill4  ,master ,pigeon1 the
 successor of ,master ,weeks1 was of    
better stature1 but loosely put         
together1 and slender-limbed4 ,a        
dreadfully nervous kind of man he was1  
walked on tiptoe1 started at sudden     
noises1 was distressed when he heard a  
whisper1 had a quick1 suspicious look1  
and was always saying1 ,hush6 and       
putting his hands to his ears4 ,the boys
 were not long in finding out this      
nervous weakness1 of course4 ,in less   
than a week a regular system of torments
 was inaugurated1 full of the most      
diabolical malice and ingenuity4 ,the   
exercises of the conspirators varied    
from day to day1 but consisted mainly of
 foot-scraping1 solos on the            
slate-pencil1 7making it screech on the 
slate17 falling of heavy books1 attacks 

of coughing1 banging of desk-lids1      
boot-creaking1 with sounds as of drawing
 a cork from time to time1 followed by  
suppressed chuckles4  ,master ,pigeon   
grew worse and worse under these        
inflictions4 ,the rascally boys always  
had an excuse for any one trick they    
were caught at4 ,couldn' help coughin'1 
,sir4 ,slipped out o' m' han'1 ,sir4    
,didn' go to1 ,sir4 ,didn' dew 't o'    
purpose1 ,sir4 ,and so on1--always the  
best of reasons for the most outrageous 
of behavior4 ,the master weighed himself
 at the grocer's on a platform-balance1 
some ten days after he began keeping the
 school4 ,at the end of a week he       
weighed himself again4 ,he had lost two 
pounds4 ,at the end of another week he  
had lost five4 ,he made a little        
calculation1 based on these data1 from  
which he learned that in a certain      
number of months1 going on at this rate1
 he should come to weigh precisely      
nothing at all2 and as this was a sum in
 subtraction he did not care to work out

 in practice1 ,master ,pigeon took to   
himself wings and left the              
school-committee in possession of a     
letter of resignation and a vacant place
 to fill once more4  ,this was the      
school to which ,mr4 ,bernard ,langdon  
found himself appointed as master4 ,he  
accepted the place conditionally1 with  
the understanding that he should leave  
it at the end of a month1 if he were    
tired of it4  ,the advent of ,master    
,langdon to ,pigwacket ,centre created a
 much more lively sensation than had    
attended that of either of his          
predecessors4 ,looks go a good ways all 
the world over1 and though there were   
several good-looking people in the      
place1 and ,major ,bush was what the    
natives of the town called a hahnsome   
mahn1 that is1 big1 fat1 and red1 yet   
the sight of a really elegant young     
fellow1 with the natural air which grows
 up with carefully-bred young persons1  
was a novelty4 ,the ,brahmin blood which
 came from his grandfather as well as   

from his mother1 a direct descendant of 
the old ,flynt family1 well known by the
 famous tutor1 ,henry ,flynt1 7see ,cat4
 ,harv4 ,anno #afic17 had been enlivened
 and enriched by that of the            
,wentworths1 which had had a good deal  
of ripe old ,madeira and other generous 
elements mingled with it1 so that it ran
 to gout sometimes in the old folks1 and
 to high spirit1 warm complexion1 and   
curly hair in some of the younger ones4 
,the soft curling hair ,mr4 ,bernard had
 inherited1--something1 perhaps1 of the 
high spirit2 but that we shall have a   
chance of finding out by-and-by4 ,but   
the long sermons and the frugal board of
 his ,brahmin ancestry1 with his own    
habits of study1 had told upon his      
color1 which was subdued to something   
more of delicacy than one would care to 
see in a young fellow with rough work   
before him4 ,this1 however1 made him    
look more interesting1 or1 as the young 
ladies at ,major ,bush's said1          
interstin'4  ,when ,mr4 ,bernard showed 

himself at meeting1 on the first ,sunday
 after his arrival1 it may be supposed  
that a good many eyes were turned upon  
the young schoolmaster4 ,there was      
something heroic in his coming forward  
so readily to take a place which called 
for a strong hand1 and a prompt1 steady 
will to guide it4 ,in fact1 his position
 was that of a military chieftain on the
 eve of a battle4 ,everybody knew       
everything in ,pigwacket ,centre2 and it
 was an understood thing that the young 
rebels meant to put down the new master1
 if they could4 ,it was natural that the
 two prettiest girls in the village1    
called in the local dialect1 as nearly  
as our limited alphabet will represent  
it1 ,alminy ,cutterr1 and ,arvilly      
,braowne1 should feel and express an    
interest in the good-looking stranger1  
and that1 when their flattering comments
 were repeated in the hearing of their  
indigenous admirers1 among whom were    
some of the older boys of the school1 it
 should not add to the amiable          

dispositions of the turbulent youth4    
,monday came1 and the new schoolmaster  
was in his chair at the upper end of the
 schoolhouse1 on the raised platform4   
,the rustics looked at his handsome     
face1 thoughtful1 peaceful1 pleasant1   
cheerful1 but sharply cut round the lips
 and proudly lighted about the eyes4    
,the ringleader of the mischief-makers1 
the young butcher who has before figured
 in this narrative1 looked at him       
stealthily1 whenever he got a chance to 
study him unobserved2 for the truth was1
 he felt uncomfortable1 whenever he     
found the large1 dark eyes fixed on his 
own little1 sharp1 deep-set1 gray ones4 
,but he found means to study him pretty 
well1--first his face1 then his neck and
 shoulders1 the set of his arms1 the    
narrowing at the loins1 the make of his 
legs1 and the way he moved4 ,in short1  
he examined him as he would have        
examined a steer1 to see what he could  
do and how he would cut up4 ,if he could
 only have gone to him and felt of his  

muscles1 he would have been entirely    
satisfied4 ,he was not a very wise      
youth1 but he did know well enough1     
that1 though big arms and legs are very 
good things1 there is something besides 
size that goes to make a man2 and he had
 heard stories of a fighting-man1 called
 ,the ,spider1 from his attenuated      
proportions1 who was yet a terrible     
hitter in the ring1 and had whipped many
 a big-limbed fellow in and out of the  
roped arena4  ,nothing could be smoother
 than the way in which everything went  
on for the first day or two4 ,the new   
master was so kind and courteous1 he    
seemed to take everything in such a     
natural1 easy way1 that there was no    
chance to pick a quarrel with him4 ,he  
in the mean time thought it best to     
watch the boys and young men for a day  
or two with as little show of authority 
as possible4 ,it was easy enough to see 
that he would have occasion for it      
before long4  ,the schoolhouse was a    
grim1 old1 red1 one-story building1     

perched on a bare rock at the top of a  
hill1--partly because this was a        
conspicuous site for the temple of      
learning1 and partly because land is    
cheap where there is no chance even for 
rye or buckwheat1 and the very sheep    
find nothing to nibble4 ,about the      
little porch were carved initials and   
dates1 at various heights1 from the     
stature of nine to that of eighteen4    
,inside were old unpainted              
desks1--unpainted1 but browned with the 
umber of human contact1--and hacked by  
innumerable jackknives4 ,it was long    
since the walls had been whitewashed1 as
 might be conjectured by the various    
traces left upon them1 wherever idle    
hands or sleepy heads could reach them4 
,a curious appearance was noticeable on 
various higher parts of the wall1       
namely1 a wart-like eruption1 as one    
would be tempted to call it1 being in   
reality a crop of the soft missiles     
before mentioned1 which1 adhering in    
considerable numbers1 and hardening     

after the usual fashion of papier mach1 
formed at last permanent ornaments of   
the edifice4  ,the young master's quick 
eye soon noticed that a particular part 
of the wall was most favored with these 
ornamental appendages4 ,their position  
pointed sufficiently clearly to the part
 of the room they came from4 ,in fact1  
there was a nest of young mutineers just
 there1 which must be broken up by a    
coup d'tat4 ,this was easily effected by
 redistributing the seats and arranging 
the scholars according to classes1 so   
that a mischievous fellow1 charged full 
of the rebellious imponderable1 should  
find himself between two non-conductors1
 in the shape of small boys of studious 
habits4 ,it was managed quietly enough1 
in such a plausible sort of way that its
 motive was not thought of4 ,but its    
effects were soon felt2 and then began a
 system of correspondence by signs1 and 
the throwing of little scrawls done up  
in pellets1 and announced by preliminary
 a'h'ms6 to call the attention of the   

distant youth addressed4 ,some of these 
were incendiary documents1 devoting the 
schoolmaster to the lower divinities1 as
 a ---- stuck-up dandy1 as a ----       
purse-proud aristocrat1 as a ---- sight 
too big for his1 etc41 and holding him  
up in a variety of equally forcible     
phrases to the indignation of the       
youthful community of ,school ,district 
,no4 #a1 ,pigwacket ,centre4  ,presently
 the draughtsman of the school set a    
caricature in circulation1 labelled1 to 
prevent mistakes1 with the              
schoolmaster's name4 ,an immense        
bell-crowned hat1 and a long1 pointed1  
swallow-tailed coat showed that the     
artist had in his mind the conventional 
dandy1 as shown in prints of thirty or  
forty years ago1 rather than any actual 
human aspect of the time4 ,but it was   
passed round among the boys and made its
 laugh1 helping of course to undermine  
the master's authority1 as ,punch or the
 ,charivari takes the dignity out of an 
obnoxious minister4 ,one morning1 on    

going to the schoolroom1 ,master        
,langdon found an enlarged copy of this 
sketch1 with its label1 pinned on the   
door4 ,he took it down1 smiled a little1
 put it into his pocket1 and entered the
 schoolroom4 ,an insidious silence      
prevailed1 which looked as if some plot 
were brewing4 ,the boys were ripe for   
mischief1 but afraid4 ,they had really  
no fault to find with the master1 except
 that he was dressed like a gentleman1  
which a certain class of fellows always 
consider a personal insult to           
themselves4 ,but the older ones were    
evidently plotting1 and more than once  
the warning a'h'm6 was heard1 and a     
dirty little scrap of paper rolled into 
a wad shot from one seat to another4    
,one of these happened to strike the    
stove-funnel1 and lodged on the master's
 desk4 ,he was cool enough not to seem  
to notice it4 ,he secured it1 however1  
and found an opportunity to look at it1 
without being observed by the boys4 ,it 
required no immediate notice4  ,he who  

should have enjoyed the privilege of    
looking upon ,mr4 ,bernard ,langdon the 
next morning1 when his toilet was about 
half finished1 would have had a very    
pleasant gratuitous exhibition4 ,first  
he buckled the strap of his trousers    
pretty tightly4 ,then he took up a pair 
of heavy dumb-bells1 and swung them for 
a few minutes2 then two great ,indian   
clubs1 with which he enacted all sorts  
of impossible-looking feats4 ,his limbs 
were not very large1 nor his shoulders  
remarkably broad2 but if you knew as    
much of the muscles as all persons who  
look at statues and pictures with a     
critical eye ought to have learned1--if 
you knew the trapezius1 lying           
diamond-shaped over the back and        
shoulders like a monk's cowl1--or the   
deltoid1 which caps the shoulders like  
an epaulette1--or the triceps1 which    
furnishes the calf of the upper arm1--or
 the hard-knotted biceps1--any of the   
great sculptural landmarks1 in          
fact1--you would have said there was a  

pretty show of them1 beneath the white  
satiny skin of ,mr4 ,bernard ,langdon4  
,and if you had seen him1 when he had   
laid down the ,indian clubs1 catch hold 
of a leather strap that hung from the   
beam of the old-fashioned ceiling1 and  
lift and lower himself over and over    
again by his left hand alone1 you might 
have thought it a very simple and easy  
thing to do1 until you tried to do it   
yourself4--,mr4 ,bernard looked at      
himself with the eye of an expert4      
,pretty well6 he said2--not so much     
fallen off as ,i expected4 ,then he set 
up his bolster in a very knowing sort of
 way1 and delivered two or three blows  
straight as rulers and swift as winks4  
,that will do1 he said4 ,then1 as if    
determined to make a certainty of his   
condition1 he took a dynamometer from   
one of the drawers in his old veneered  
bureau4 ,first he squeezed it with his  
two hands4 ,then he placed it on the    
floor and lifted1 steadily1 strongly4   
,the springs creaked and cracked2 the   

index swept with a great stride far up  
into the high figures of the scale2 it  
was a good lift4 ,he was satisfied4 ,he 
sat down on the edge of his bed and     
looked at his cleanly-shaped arms4 ,if  
,i strike one of those boobies1 ,i am   
afraid ,i shall spoil him1 he said4 ,yet
 this young man1 when weighed with his  
class at the college1 could barely turn 
one hundred and forty-two pounds in the 
scale1--not a heavy weight1 surely2 but 
some of the middle weights1 as the      
present ,english champion1 for instance1
 seem to be of a far finer quality of   
muscle than the bulkier fellows4  ,the  
master took his breakfast with a good   
appetite that morning1 but was perhaps  
rather more quiet than usual4 ,after    
breakfast he went up-stairs and put on a
 light loose frock1 instead of his usual
 dress-coat1 which was a close-fitting  
and rather stylish one4 ,on his way to  
school he met ,alminy ,cutterr1 who     
happened to be walking in the other     
direction4 ,good morning1 ,miss         

,cutterr1 he said2 for she and another  
young lady had been introduced to him1  
on a former occasion1 in the usual      
phrase of polite society in presenting  
ladies to gentlemen1--,mr4 ,langdon1 let
 me make y' acquainted with ,miss       
,cutterr2--let me make y' acquainted    
with ,miss ,braowne4 ,so he said1 ,good 
morning2 to which she replied1 ,good    
mornin'1 ,mr4 ,langdon4 ,haow's your    
halth8 ,the answer to this question     
ought naturally to have been the end of 
the talk2 but ,alminy ,cutterr lingered 
and looked as if she had something more 
on her mind4  ,a young fellow does not  
require a great experience to read a    
simple country-girl's face as if it were
 a signboard4 ,alminy was a good soul1  
with red cheeks and bright eyes1        
kind-hearted as she could be1 and it was
 out of the question for her to hide her
 thoughts or feelings like a fine lady4 
,her bright eyes were moist and her red 
cheeks paler than their wont1 as she    
said1 with her lips quivering1--,oh1    

,mr4 ,langdon1 them boys'll be the death
 of ye1 if ye don't take car6  ,why1    
what's the matter1 my dear8 said ,mr4   
,bernard4--,don't think there was       
anything very odd in that my dear1 at   
the second interview with a village     
belle2--some of those woman-tamers call 
a girl ,my dear1 after five minutes'    
acquaintance1 and it sounds all right as
 they say it4 ,but you had better not   
try it at a venture4  ,it sounded all   
right to ,alminy1 as ,mr4 ,bernard said 
it4--,i'll tell ye what's the mahtterr1 
she said1 in a frightened voice4        
,ahbner's go'n' to car' his dog1 'n'    
he'll set him on ye 'z sure 'z y' 'r'   
alive4 ',t's the same cretur that haf   
eat up ,eben ,squires's little ,jo1 a   
year come nex' ,fastday4  ,now this last
 statement was undoubtedly overcolored2 
as little ,jo ,squires was running about
 the village1--with an ugly scar on his 
arm1 it is true1 where the beast had    
caught him with his teeth1 on the       
occasion of the child's taking liberties

 with him1 as he had been accustomed to 
do with a good-tempered ,newfoundland   
dog1 who seemed to like being pulled and
 hauled round by children4 ,after this  
the creature was commonly muzzled1 and1 
as he was fed on raw meat chiefly1 was  
always ready for a fight1--which he was 
occasionally indulged in1 when anything 
stout enough to match him could be found
 in any of the neighboring villages4    
,tiger1 or1 more briefly1 ,tige1 the    
property of ,abner ,briggs1 ,junior1    
belonged to a species not distinctly    
named in scientific books1 but well     
known to our country-folks under the    
name ,yallah dog4 ,they do not use this 
expression as they would say black dog  
or white dog1 but with almost as        
definite a meaning as when they speak of
 a terrier or a spaniel4 ,a yallah dog  
is a large canine brute1 of a dingy     
old-flannel color1 of no particular     
breed except his own1 who hangs round a 
tavern or a butcher's shop1 or trots    
alongside of a team1 looking as if he   

were disgusted with the world1 and the  
world with him4 ,our inland population1 
while they tolerate him1 speak of him   
with contempt4 ,old ----1 of ,meredith  
,bridge1 used to twit the sun for not   
shining on cloudy days1 swearing1 that1 
if he hung up his yallah dog1 he would  
make a better show of daylight4 ,a      
country fellow1 abusing a horse of his  
neighbor's1 vowed1 that1 if he had such 
a hoss1 he'd swap him for a 'yallah     
dog1'--and then shoot the dog4  ,tige   
was an ill-conditioned brute by nature1 
and art had not improved him by cropping
 his ears and tail and investing him    
with a spiked collar4 ,he bore on his   
person1 also1 various not ornamental    
scars1 marks of old battles2 for ,tige  
had fight in him1 as was said before1   
and as might be guessed by a certain    
bluntness about the muzzle1 with a      
projection of the lower jaw1 which      
looked as if there might be a bull-dog  
stripe among the numerous bar-sinisters 
of his lineage4  ,it was hardly fair1   

however1 to leave ,alminy ,cutterr      
waiting while this piece of natural     
history was telling4--,as she spoke of  
little ,jo1 who had been haf eat up by  
,tige1 she could not contain her        
sympathies1 and began to cry4  ,why1 my 
dear little soul1 said ,mr4 ,bernard1   
what are you worried about8 ,i used to  
play with a bear when ,i was a boy2 and 
the bear used to hug me1 and ,i used to 
kiss him1----so6  ,it was too bad of    
,mr4 ,bernard1 only the second time he  
had seen ,alminy2 but her kind feelings 
had touched him1 and that seemed the    
most natural way of expressing his      
gratitude4 ,alminy looked round to see  
if anybody was near2 she saw nobody1 so 
of course it would do no good to holler4
 ,she saw nobody2 but a stout young     
fellow1 leading a yellow dog1 muzzled1  
saw her through a crack in a pickd      
fence1 not a great way off the road4    
,many a year he had been hangin' 'raoun'
 ,alminy1 and never did he see any      
encouraging look1 or hear any ,behave1  

naow6 or ,come1 naow1 a'n't ye 'shamed8 
or other forbidding phrase of           
acquiescence1 such as village belles    
understand as well as ever did the nymph
 who fled to the willows in the eclogue 
we all remember4  ,no wonder he was     
furious1 when he saw the schoolmaster1  
who had never seen the girl until within
 a week1 touching with his lips those   
rosy cheeks which he had never dared to 
approach4 ,but that was all2 it was a   
sudden impulse2 and the master turned   
away from the young girl1 laughing1 and 
telling her not to fret herself about   
him1--he would take care of himself4    
,so ,master ,langdon walked on toward   
his schoolhouse1 not displeased1        
perhaps1 with his little adventure1 nor 
immensely elated by it2 for he was one  
of the natural class of the             
sex-subduers1 and had had many a smile  
without asking1 which had been denied to
 the feeble youth who try to win favor  
by pleading their passion in rhyme1 and 
even to the more formidable approaches  

of young officers in volunteer          
companies1 considered by many to be     
quite irresistible to the fair who have 
once beheld them from their windows in  
the epaulettes and plumes and sashes of 
the ,pigwacket ,invincibles1 or the     
,hackmatack ,rangers4  ,master ,langdon 
took his seat and began the exercises of
 his school4 ,the smaller boys recited  
their lessons well enough1 but some of  
the larger ones were negligent and      
surly4 ,he noticed one or two of them   
looking toward the door1 as if expecting
 somebody or something in that          
direction4 ,at half past nine o'clock1  
,abner ,briggs1 ,junior1 who had not yet
 shown himself1 made his appearance4 ,he
 was followed by his yallah dog1 without
 his muzzle1 who squatted down very     
grimly near the door1 and gave a wolfish
 look round the room1 as if he were     
considering which was the plumpest boy  
to begin with4 ,the young butcher1      
meanwhile1 went to his seat1 looking    
somewhat flushed1 except round the lips1

 which were hardly as red as common1 and
 set pretty sharply4  ,put out that dog1
 ,abner ,briggs6--,the master spoke as  
the captain speaks to the helmsman1 when
 there are rocks foaming at the lips1   
right under his lee4  ,abner ,briggs    
answered as the helmsman answers1 when  
he knows he has a mutinous crew round   
him that mean to run the ship on the    
reef1 and is one of the mutineers       
himself4 ,put him aout y'rself1 'f ye   
a'n't afeard on him6  ,the master       
stepped into the aisle4 ,the great cur  
showed his teeth1--and the devilish     
instincts of his old wolf-ancestry      
looked out of his eyes1 and flashed from
 his sharp tusks1 and yawned in his wide
 mouth and deep red gullet4  ,the       
movements of animals are so much quicker
 than those of human beings commonly    
are1 that they avoid blows as easily as 
one of us steps out of the way of an    
ox-cart4 ,it must be a very stupid dog  
that lets himself be run over by a fast 
driver in his gig2 he can jump out of   

the wheel's way after the tire has      
already touched him4 ,so1 while one is  
lifting a stick to strike or drawing    
back his foot to kick1 the beast makes  
his spring1 and the blow or the kick    
comes too late4  ,it was not so this    
time4 ,the master was a fencer1 and     
something of a boxer2 he had played at  
single-stick1 and was used to watching  
an adversary's eye and coming down on   
him without any of those premonitory    
symptoms by which unpractised persons   
show long beforehand what mischief they 
meditate4  ,out with you6 he said1      
fiercely1--and explained what he meant  
by a sudden flash of his foot that      
clashed the yellow dog's white teeth    
together like the springing of a        
bear-trap4 ,the cur knew he had found   
his master at the first word and glance1
 as low animals on four legs1 or a      
smaller number1 always do2 and the blow 
took him so by surprise1 that it curled 
him up in an instant1 and he went       
bundling out of the open                

schoolhouse-door with a most pitiable   
yelp1 and his stump of a tail shut down 
as close as his owner ever shut the     
short1 stubbed blade of his jacknife4   
,it was time for the other cur to find  
who his master was4  ,follow your dog1  
,abner ,briggs6 said ,master ,langdon4  
,the stout butcher-youth looked round1  
but the rebels were all cowed and sat   
still4  ,i'll go when ,i'm ready1 he    
said1--'n' ,i guess ,i won't go afore   
,i'm ready4  ,you're ready now1 said    
,master ,langdon1 turning up his cuffs  
so that the little boys noticed the     
yellow gleam of a pair of gold          
sleeve-buttons1 once worn by ,colonel   
,percy ,wentworth1 famous in the ,old   
,french ,war4  ,abner ,briggs1 ,junior1 
did not apparently think he was ready1  
at any rate2 for he rose up in his      
place1 and stood with clenched fists1   
defiant1 as the master strode towards   
him4 ,the master knew the fellow was    
really frightened1 for all his looks1   
and that he must have no time to rally4 

,so he caught him suddenly by the       
collar1 and1 with one great pull1 had   
him out over his desk and on the open   
floor4 ,he gave him a sharp fling       
backwards and stood looking at him4     
,the rough-and-tumble fighters all      
clinch1 as everybody knows2 and ,abner  
,briggs1 ,junior1 was one of that kind4 
,he remembered how he had floored       
,master ,weeks1 and he had just spunk   
enough left in him to try to repeat his 
former successful experiment on the new 
master4 ,he sprang at him1 open-handed1 
to clutch him4 ,so the master had to    
strike1--once1 but very hard1 and just  
in the place to tell4 ,no doubt1 the    
authority that doth hedge a schoolmaster
 added to the effect of the blow2 but   
the blow was itself a neat one1 and did 
not require to be repeated4  ,now go    
home1 said the master1 and don't let me 
see you or your dog here again4 ,and he 
turned his cuffs down again over the    
gold sleeve-buttons4  ,this finished the
 great ,pigwacket ,centre ,school       

rebellion4 ,what could be done with a   
master who was so pleasant as long as   
the boys behaved decently1 and such a   
terrible fellow when he got riled1 as   
they called it8 ,in a week's time1      
everything was reduced to order1 and the
 school-committee were delighted4 ,the  
master1 however1 had received a         
proposition so much more agreeable and  
advantageous1 that he informed the      
committee he should leave at the end of 
his month1 having in his eye a sensible 
and energetic young college-graduate who
 would be willing and fully competent to
 take his place4  ,so1 at the expiration
 of the appointed time1 ,bernard        
,langdon1 late master of the ,school    
,district ,no4 #a1 ,pigwacket ,centre1  
took his departure from that place for  
another locality1 whither we shall      
follow him1 carrying with him the       
regrets of the committee1 of most of the
 scholars1 and of several young ladies2 
also two locks of hair1 sent unbeknown  
to payrents1 one dark and one warmish   

auburn1 inscribed with the respective   
initials of ,alminy ,cutterr and        
,arvilly ,braowne4   ,,chapter ,,iv4    
,,the ,,moth ,,flies ,,into ,,the       
,,candle4  ,the invitation which ,mr4   
,bernard ,langdon had accepted came from
 the ,board of ,trustees of the         
,apollinean ,female ,institute1 a school
 for the education of young ladies1     
situated in the flourishing town of     
,rockland4 ,this was an establishment on
 a considerable scale1 in which a       
hundred scholars or thereabouts were    
taught the ordinary ,english branches1  
several of the modern languages1        
something of ,latin1 if desired1 with a 
little natural philosophy1 metaphysics1 
and rhetoric1 to finish off with in the 
last year1 and music at any time when   
they would pay for it4 ,at the close of 
their career in the ,institute1 they    
were submitted to a grand public        
examination1 and received diplomas tied 
in blue ribbons1 which proclaimed them  
with a great flourish of capitals to be 

graduates of the ,apollinean ,female    
,institute4  ,rockland was a town of no 
inconsiderable pretensions4 ,it was     
ennobled by lying at the foot of a      
mountain1--called by the working-folks  
of the place the maounting1--which      
sufficiently showed that it was the     
principal high land of the district in  
which it was situated4 ,it lay to the   
south of this1 and basked in the        
sunshine as ,italy stretches herself    
before the ,alps4 ,to pass from the town
 of ,tamarack on the north of the       
mountain to ,rockland on the south was  
like crossing from ,coire to ,chiavenna4
  ,there is nothing gives glory and     
grandeur and romance and mystery to a   
place like the impending presence of a  
high mountain4 ,our beautiful           
,northampton with its fair meadows and  
noble stream is lovely enough1 but owes 
its surpassing attraction to those twin 
summits which brood over it like living 
presences1 looking down into its streets
 as if they were its tutelary           

divinities1 dressing and undressing     
their green shrines1 robing themselves  
in jubilant sunshine or in sorrowing    
clouds1 and doing penance in the snowy  
shroud of winter1 as if they had living 
hearts under their rocky ribs and       
changed their mood like the children of 
the soil at their feet1 who grow up     
under their almost parental smiles and  
frowns4 ,happy is the child whose first 
dreams of heaven are blended with the   
evening glories of ,mount ,holyoke1 when
 the sun is firing its treetops1 and    
gilding the white walls that mark its   
one human dwelling6 ,if the other and   
the wilder of the twain has a scowl of  
terror in its overhanging brows1 yet is 
it a pleasing fear to look upon its     
savage solitudes through the barred     
nursery-windows in the heart of the     
sweet1 companionable village4--,and how 
the mountains love their children6 ,the 
sea is of a facile virtue1 and will run 
to kiss the first comer in any port he  
visits2 but the chaste mountains sit    

apart1 and show their faces only in the 
midst of their own families4  ,the      
,mountain that kept watch to the north  
of ,rockland lay waste and almost       
inviolate through much of its domain4   
,the catamount still glared from the    
branches of its old hemlocks on the     
lesser beasts that strayed beneath him4 
,it was not long since a wolf had       
wandered down1 famished in the winter's 
dearth1 and left a few bones and some   
tufts of wool of what had been a lamb in
 the morning4 ,nay1 there were          
broad-footed tracks in the snow only two
 years previously1 which could not be   
mistaken2--the black bear alone could   
have set that plantigrade seal1 and     
little children must come home early    
from school and play1 for he is an      
indiscriminate feeder when he is hungry1
 and a little child would not come amiss
 when other game was wanting4  ,but     
these occasional visitors may have been 
mere wanderers1 which1 straying along in
 the woods by day1 and perhaps stalking 

through the streets of still villages by
 night1 had worked their way along down 
from the ragged mountain-spurs of higher
 latitudes4 ,the one feature of ,the    
,mountain that shed the brownest horror 
on its woods was the existence of the   
terrible region known as ,rattlesnake   
,ledge1 and still tenanted by those     
damnable reptiles1 which distil a       
fiercer venom under our cold northern   
sky than the cobra himself in the land  
of tropical spices and poisons4  ,from  
the earliest settlement of the place1   
this fact had been1 next to the         
,indians1 the reigning nightmare of the 
inhabitants4 ,it was easy enough1 after 
a time1 to drive away the savages2 for a
 screeching ,indian ,divell1 as our     
fathers called him1 could not crawl into
 the crack of a rock to escape from his 
pursuers4 ,but the venomous population  
of ,rattlesnake ,ledge had a ,gibraltar 
for their fortress that might have      
defied the siege-train dragged to the   
walls of ,sebastopol4 ,in its deep      

embrasures and its impregnable casemates
 they reared their families1 they met in
 love or wrath1 they twined together in 
family knots1 they hissed defiance in   
hostile clans1 they fed1 slept1         
hybernated1 and in due time died in     
peace4 ,many a foray had the            
town's-people made1 and many a stuffed  
skin was shown as a trophy1--nay1 there 
were families where the children's first
 toy was made from the warning appendage
 that once vibrated to the wrath of one 
of these cruel serpents4 ,sometimes one 
of them1 coaxed out by a warm sun1 would
 writhe himself down the hillside into  
the roads1 up the walks that led to     
houses1--worse than this1 into the long 
grass1 where the bare-footed mowers     
would soon pass with their swinging     
scythes1--more rarely into houses1--and 
on one memorable occasion1 early in the 
last century1 into the meeting-house1   
where he took a position on the         
pulpit-stairs1--as is narrated in the   
,account of ,some ,remarkable           

,providences1 etc41 where it is         
suggested that a strong tendency of the 
,rev4 ,didymus ,bean1 the ,minister at  
that time1 towards the ,arminian ,heresy
 may have had something to do with it1  
and that the ,serpent supposed to have  
been killed on the ,pulpit-,stairs was a
 false show of the ,dmon's ,contrivance1
 he having come in to listen to a       
,discourse which was a sweet ,savour in 
his ,nostrils1 and1 of course1 not being
 capable of being killed ,himself4      
,others said1 however1 that1 though     
there was good ,reason to think it was a
 ,dmon1 yet he did come with ,intent to 
bite the ,heel of that faithful         
,servant1--etc4  ,one ,gilson is said to
 have died of the bite of a rattlesnake 
in this town early in the present       
century4 ,after this there was a great  
snake-hunt1 in which very many of these 
venomous beasts were killed1--one in    
particular1 said to have been as big    
round as a stout man's arm1 and to have 
had no less than forty joints to his    

rattle1--indicating1 according to some1 
that he had lived forty years1 but1 if  
we might put any faith in the ,indian   
tradition1 that he had killed forty     
human beings1--an idle fancy1 clearly4  
,this hunt1 however1 had no permanent   
effect in keeping down the serpent      
population4 ,viviparous creatures are a 
kind of specie-paying lot1 but oviparous
 ones only give their notes1 as it were1
 for a future brood1--an egg being1 so  
to speak1 a promise to pay a young one  
by-and-by1 if nothing happen4 ,now the  
domestic habits of the rattlesnake are  
not studied very closely1 for obvious   
reasons2 but it is1 no doubt1 to all    
intents and purposes oviparous4         
,consequently it has large families1 and
 is not easy to kill out4  ,in the year 
#ahd-1 a melancholy proof was afforded  
to the inhabitants of ,rockland1 that   
the brood which infested ,the ,mountain 
was not extirpated4 ,a very interesting 
young married woman1 detained at home at
 the time by the state of her health1   

was bitten in the entry of her own house
 by a rattlesnake which had found its   
way down from ,the ,mountain4 ,owing to 
the almost instant employment of        
powerful remedies1 the bite did not     
prove immediately fatal2 but she died   
within a few months of the time when she
 was bitten4  ,all this seemed to throw 
a lurid kind of shadow over ,the        
,mountain4 ,yet1 as many years passed   
without any accident1 people grew       
comparatively careless1 and it might    
rather be said to add a fearful kind of 
interest to the romantic hillside1 that 
the banded reptiles1 which had been the 
terror of the red men for nobody knows  
how many thousand years1 were there     
still1 with the same poison-bags and    
spring-teeth at the white men's service1
 if they meddled with them4  ,the other 
natural features of ,rockland were such 
as many of our pleasant country-towns   
can boast of4 ,a brook came tumbling    
down the mountain-side and skirted the  
most thickly settled portion of the     

village4 ,in the parts of its course    
where it ran through the woods1 the     
water looked almost as brown as coffee  
flowing from its urn1--to say like smoky
 quartz would perhaps give a better     
idea1--but in the open plain it sparkled
 over the pebbles white as a queen's    
diamonds4 ,there were                   
huckleberry-pastures on the lower flanks
 of ,the ,mountain1 with plenty of the  
sweet-scented bayberry mingled with the 
other bushes4 ,in other fields grew     
great store of high-bush blackberries4  
,along the road-side were               
barberry-bushes1 hung all over with     
bright red coral pendants in autumn and 
far into the winter4 ,then there were   
swamps set thick with dingy-leaved      
alders1 where the three-leaved arum and 
the skunk's-cabbage grew broad and      
succulent1--shelving down into black    
boggy pools here and there1 at the edge 
of which the green frog1 stupidest of   
his tribe1 sat waiting to be victimized 
by boy or snapping-turtle long after the

 shy and agile leopard-frog had taken   
the six-foot spring that plumped him    
into the middle of the pool4 ,and on the
 neighboring banks the maiden-hair      
spread its flat disk of embroidered     
fronds on the wire-like stem that       
glistened brown and polished as the     
darkest tortoise-shell1 and pale        
violets1 cheated by the cold skies of   
their hues and perfume1 sunned          
themselves like white-cheeked invalids4 
,over these rose the old                
forest-trees1--the maple1 scarred with  
the wounds that had drained away its    
sweet life-blood1--the beech1 its smooth
 gray bark mottled so as to look like   
the body of one of those great snakes of
 old that used to frighten              
armies1--always the mark of lovers'     
knives1 as in the days of ,musidora and 
her swain1--the yellow birch1 rough as  
the breast of ,silenus in old           
marbles1--the wild cherry1 its little   
bitter fruit lying unheeded at its      
foot1--and1 soaring over all1 the huge1 

coarse-barked1 splintery-limbed1        
dark-mantled hemlock1 in the depths of  
whose arial solitudes the crow brooded  
on her nest unscared1 and the gray      
squirrel lived unharmed till his        
incisors grew to look like ram's-horns4 
,rockland would have been but half a    
town without its pond2 ,quinnepeg ,pond 
was the name of it1 but the young ladies
 of the ,apollinean ,institute were very
 anxious that it should be called       
,crystalline ,lake4 ,it was here that   
the young folks used to sail in summer  
and skate in winter2 here1 too1 those   
queer1 old1 rum-scented1                
good-for-nothing1 lazy1 story-telling1  
half-vagabonds1 that sawed a little wood
 or dug a few potatoes now and then     
under the pretence of working for their 
living1 used to go and fish through the 
ice for pickerel every winter4 ,and here
 those three young people were drowned1 
a few summers ago1 by the upsetting of a
 sail-boat in a sudden flaw of wind4    
,there is not one of these smiling ponds

 that has not devoured more youths and  
maidens than any of those monsters the  
ancients used to tell such lies about4  
,but it was a pretty pond1 and never    
looked more innocent--so the native bard
 of ,rockland said in his elegy--than on
 the morning when they found ,sarah     
,jane and ,ellen ,maria floating among  
the lily-pads4  ,the ,apollinean        
,institute1 or ,institoot1 as it was    
more commonly called1 was1 in the       
language of its ,prospectus1 a          
first-class ,educational ,establishment4
 ,it employed a considerable corps of   
instructors to rough out and finish the 
hundred young lady scholars it sheltered
 beneath its roof4 ,first1 ,mr4 and     
,mrs4 ,peckham1 the ,principal and the  
,matron of the school4 ,silas ,peckham  
was a thorough ,yankee1 born on a windy 
part of the coast1 and reared chiefly on
 salt-fish4 ,everybody knows the type of
 ,yankee produced by this climate and   
diet3 thin1 as if he had been split and 
dried2 with an ashen kind of complexion1

 like the tint of the food he is made   
of2 and about as sharp1 tough1          
juiceless1 and biting to deal with as   
the other is to the taste4 ,silas       
,peckham kept a young ladies' school    
exactly as he would have kept a hundred 
head of cattle1--for the simple1        
unadorned purpose of making just as much
 money in just as few years as could be 
safely done4 ,of course the great       
problem was1 to feed these hundred      
hungry misses at the cheapest           
practicable rate1 precisely as it would 
be with the cattle4 ,so that ,mr4       
,peckham gave very little personal      
attention to the department of          
instruction1 but was always busy with   
contracts for flour and potatoes1 beef  
and pork1 and other nutritive staples1  
the amount of which required for such an
 establishment was enough to frighten a 
quartermaster4 ,mrs4 ,peckham was from  
the ,west1 raised on ,indian corn and   
pork1 which give a fuller outline and a 
more humid temperament1 but may perhaps 

be thought to render people a little    
coarse-fibred4 ,her speciality was to   
look after the feathering1 cackling1    
roosting1 rising1 and general behavior  
of these hundred chicks4 ,an honest1    
ignorant woman1 she could not have      
passed an examination in the youngest   
class4 ,so this distinguished           
institution was under the charge of a   
commissary and a housekeeper1 and its   
real business was feeding girls to      
grain1 roots1 and meats1 under cover1   
and making money by it4  ,connected with
 this1 however1 was the incidental fact1
 which the public took for the principal
 one1 namely1 the business of           
instruction4 ,mr4 ,peckham knew well    
enough that it was just as well to have 
good instructors as bad ones1 so far as 
cost was concerned1 and a great deal    
better for the reputation of his        
feeding-establishment4 ,so he tried to  
get the best he could without paying too
 much1 and1 having got them1 to screw   
all the work out of them that could     

possibly be extracted4  ,there was a    
master for the ,english branches1 with a
 young lady assistant4 ,there was       
another young lady who taught ,french1  
of the ahvahng and pahndahng style1     
which does not exactly smack of the     
asphalte of the ,boulevard trottoirs4   
,there was also a ,german teacher of    
music1 who sometimes helped in ,french  
of the ahfaung and bauntaung style1--so 
that1 between the two1 the young ladies 
could hardly have been mistaken for     
,parisians1 by a ,committee of the      
,french ,academy4 ,the ,german teacher  
also taught a ,latin class after his    
fashion1--benna1 a ben1 gahboot1 a head1
 and so forth4  ,the master for the     
,english branches had lately left the   
school for private reasons1 which need  
not be here mentioned1--but he had gone1
 at any rate1 and it was his place which
 had been offered to ,mr4 ,bernard      
,langdon4 ,the offer came just in       
season1--as1 for various causes1 he was 
willing to leave the place where he had 

begun his new experience4  ,it was on a 
fine morning1 that ,mr4 ,bernard1       
ushered in by ,mr4 ,peckham1 made his   
appearance in the great schoolroom of   
the ,apollinean ,institute4 ,a general  
rustle ran all round the seats when the 
handsome young man was introduced4 ,the 
principal carried him to the desk of the
 young lady ,english assistant1 ,miss   
,darley by name1 and introduced him to  
her4  ,there was not a great deal of    
study done that day4 ,the young lady    
assistant had to point out to the new   
master the whole routine in which the   
classes were engaged when their late    
teacher left1 and which had gone on as  
well as it could since4 ,then ,master   
,langdon had a great many questions to  
ask1 some relating to his new duties1   
and some1 perhaps1 implying a degree of 
curiosity not very unnatural under the  
circumstances4 ,the truth is1 the       
general effect of the schoolroom1 with  
its scores of young girls1 all their    
eyes naturally centring on him with     

fixed or furtive glances1 was enough to 
bewilder and confuse a young man like   
,master ,langdon1 though he was not     
destitute of self-possession1 as we have
 already seen4  ,you cannot get together
 a hundred girls1 taking them as they   
come1 from the comfortable and affluent 
classes1 probably anywhere1 certainly   
not in ,new ,england1 without seeing a  
good deal of beauty4 ,in fact1 we very  
commonly mean by beauty the way young   
girls look when there is nothing to     
hinder their looking as ,nature meant   
them to4 ,and the great schoolroom of   
the ,apollinean ,institute did really   
make so pretty a show on the morning    
when ,master ,langdon entered it1 that  
he might be pardoned for asking ,miss   
,darley more questions about his        
scholars than about their lessons4      
,there were girls of all ages3 little   
creatures1 some pallid and              
delicate-looking1 the offspring of      
invalid parents1--much given to books1  
not much to mischief1 commonly spoken of

 as particularly good children1 and     
contrasted with another sort1 girls of  
more vigorous organization1 who were    
disposed to laughing and play1 and      
required a strong hand to manage        
them2--then young growing misses of     
every shade of ,saxon complexion1 and   
here and there one of more ,southern    
hue3 blondes1 some of them so           
translucent-looking1 that it seemed as  
if you could see the souls in their     
bodies1 like bubbles in glass1 if souls 
were objects of sight2 brunettes1 some  
with rose-red colors1 and some with that
 swarthy hue which often carries with it
 a heavily-shaded lip1 and which with   
pure outlines and outspoken reliefs     
gives us some of our handsomest         
women1--the women whom ornaments of pure
 gold adorn more than any other parures2
 and again1 but only here and there1 one
 with dark hair and gray or blue eyes1 a
 ,celtic type1 perhaps1 but found in our
 native stock occasionally2 rarest of   
all1 a light-haired girl with dark eyes1

 hazel1 brown1 or of the color of that  
mountain-brook spoken of in this        
chapter1 where it ran through shadowy   
woodlands4 ,with these were to be seen  
at intervals some of maturer years1     
full-blown flowers among the opening    
buds1 with that conscious look upon     
their faces which so many women wear    
during the period when they never meet a
 single man without having his          
monosyllable ready for him1--tied as    
they are1 poor things6 on the rock of   
expectation1 each of them an ,andromeda 
waiting for her ,perseus4  ,who is that 
girl in ringlets1--the fourth in the    
third row on the right8 said ,master    
,langdon4  ,charlotte ,ann ,wood1 said  
,miss ,darley2--writes very pretty      
poems4  ,oh6--,and the pink one1 three  
seats from her8 ,looks bright2 anything 
in her8  ,emma                          
,dean1--day-scholar1--,squire ,dean's   
daughter1--nice girl1--second medal last
 year4  ,the master asked these two     
questions in a careless kind of way1 and

 did not seem to pay any too much       
attention to the answers4  ,and who and 
what is that1 he said1--sitting a little
 apart there1--that strange1            
wild-looking girl8  ,this time he put   
the real question he wanted             
answered2--the other two were asked at  
random1 as masks for the third4  ,the   
lady-teacher's face changed2--one would 
have said she was frightened or         
troubled4 ,she looked at the girl       
doubtfully1 as if she might hear the    
master's question and its answer4 ,but  
the girl did not look up2--she was      
winding a gold chain about her wrist1   
and then uncoiling it1 as if in a kind  
of reverie4  ,miss ,darley drew close to
 the master and placed her hand so as to
 hide her lips4 ,don't look at her as if
 we were talking about her1 she         
whispered softly2--that is ,elsie       
,venner4     ,,mexico4   ,a certain     
immortal fool1 who had1 like most       
admitted fools1 great wisdom1 once said1
 that the number of truces between the  

,christians and ,saracens in ,palestine 
made an old man of him2 for he had known
 three of them1 so that he must be at   
least one hundred and fifty years old4  
,the saying occurs in a romance1 to be  
sure1 but one which is not half so      
romantic as the best-accredited decade  
of ,titus ,livius1 and is quite as      
authentic as most of what ,sir          
,archibald ,alison says1 when he writes 
on the ,united ,states4  ,what          
,palestine and the ,crusades were to the
 witty son of ,witless1 ,mexico and her 
politics are to moderns1 not even       
excepting the predestined devourers of  
the ,aztec land1 who ought to know      
something of the country they purpose   
bringing within the full light of       
civilization through the aid of         
slaughter and slavery4 ,there are some  
myriads of ,americans of the ,north yet 
living1 and who entertain not the       
remotest idea of dying1 who remember    
,mexico as a ,spanish dependency quite  
as submissive to ,viceroy ,iturrigaray  

as ,cuba is now to ,captain-,general    
,serrano2 and who have seen her both an 
,empire and a ,republic1 and the theatre
 of more revolutions than ,england has  
known since the days of the ,octarchy4  
,the mere thought of the changes that   
have occurred there bewilders the mind2 
and the inhabitants of orderly          
countries1 whether that order be the    
consequence of despotism or of          
constitutionalism1 wonder that society  
should continue to exist in a country   
where government appears to be unknown4 
,less than fifty years cover the time   
between the appearance of ,hidalgo and  
that of ,miramon2 and between the dates 
of the leaderships of the two men1      
,mexico has had an army of generals1 of 
whom little is now known beyond their   
names4 ,hidalgo1 ,morelos1 ,mina1       
,bravo1 ,iturbide1 ,guerrero1           
,bustamente1 ,victoria1 ,pedraza1 ,gomez
 ,farias1 ,paredes1 and ,herrera1--such 
are the names that were once familiar to
 our countrymen in connection with      

,mexican affairs4 ,we have now a new    
race of ,mexican chiefs1--,alvarez1     
,comonfort1 ,zuloaga1 ,uraga1 ,juarez1  
,vidaurri1 ,haro y ,tamariz1 ,degollado1
 and ,miramon4 ,some of these last-named
 chiefs might1 perhaps1 be classed with 
those first named1 from years and       
services2 but whatever of political     
importance they have belongs to the     
present time2 and the most important man
 of them all1 ,miramon1 is said to be   
very young1 and was not born until many 
years after the last vestiges of the    
vice-regal rule had been removed4 ,santa
 ,aa1 but for his shifting round so     
often1--now an absolute ruler1 and then 
an absolute runaway1 yet ever contriving
 to get the better of his antagonists1  
whether they happen to be clever        
,mexicans or dull ,americans1--might be 
called the isthmus that connects the    
first generation of leaders with that   
which now misleads his country4 ,santa  
,aa's public life synchronizes with the 
independence of ,mexico of foreign rule1

 and his career can hardly be pronounced
 at an end4 ,it would be of the nature  
of a newspaper coincidence1 were he to  
know his last of earth at the very time 
when1 by all indications1 ,mexico stands
 in greater danger of losing her        
national life than she has known since  
the day when ,barradas was sent to play 
the part of ,corts1 but proved himself  
not quite equal to that of ,narvaez4    
,santa ,aa owed much of his power to his
 victory over the ,spaniards in #ahcj1  
though pestilence did half the work to  
his hand2 and perhaps no better evidence
 of the hatred of the ,mexicans for     
,spanish rule can be adduced1 than the  
hold which he has maintained over their 
minds1 in consequence of the part he    
took in overthrowing that rule1 and in  
rendering its return impossible4        
,provoked by the anarchy which has so   
long existed in ,mexico1 ,american      
writers1 and writers of other countries1
 have sometimes contrasted the condition
 of that nation with the order that     

prevailed there during the ,spanish     
ascendency1 and it is not uncommon to   
hear ,americans say that the worst thing
 that ever happened to the ,mexicans was
 the overthrow of that ascendency4 ,they
 forget that the causes of ,mexican     
anarchy were of ,spanish creation1 and  
that it must have exhibited itself1 all 
the same1 if ,mexico had not achieved   
her independence4 ,the shock caused by  
the seizure of the ,spanish throne by   
,napoleon ,i4 led to that war against   
the ,spaniards in ,mexico which         
prematurely broke out in #ahaj1 and     
which was of the nature of a ,jacquerie1
 but which would have been completely   
successful1 had ,hidalgo been equal to  
his position4 ,it had been intended that
 the blow should be struck against the  
,gachupines1--,european ,spaniards1 or  
persons of pure ,spanish blood1--who    
were partisans of ,spain1 whether ,spain
 were ruled by ,bourbons or ,bonapartes2
 and it was to have been delivered by   
the ,creoles1 who remained faithful to  

the ,house of ,bourbon4 ,circumstances  
caused the ,indian races to commence the
 war1 and this was fatal to the original
 project1 as it led to the union of both
 ,spaniards and ,creoles against the    
followers of ,hidalgo4 ,the army with   
which ,calleja overthrew the forces of  
,hidalgo was an army of ,creoles4 ,it   
was composed of the very men who would  
have been foremost in putting down the  
,spaniards1 if the ,indians had remained
 quiet4 ,from that time dates the       
disorder of ,mexico1 which has ever     
since continued1 though at intervals the
 country has known short periods of     
comparative repose4  ,in #ahaa ,morelos 
was the most conspicuous of the         
insurgent chiefs1 and the next year he  
was successful in several engagements2  
and it was not until the end of #ahae   
that he fell into the hands of his      
enemies1 by whom he was shot1 sharing   
the fate of ,hidalgo4 ,during the four  
years that he led the people1 efforts   
were made to settle the controversy on  

an equitable basis that would have left 
the ,king of ,spain master of ,mexico2  
but the pride of the ,spaniards would   
not allow them to listen to justice4    
,they acted in ,mexico as their         
ancestors had acted in the ,netherlands4
 ,it is the chief characteristic of the 
,spaniard1 that1 in dealing with        
foreigners1 he always assumes a         
,roman-like superiority1 without        
possessing the ,roman's sense and       
shrewdness4 ,the treatment of the       
,capuans by the ,romans1 as told by     
,livy in his narrative of the           
,hannibalian ,war1 might be read as a   
history of the manner in which the      
,spaniards ever treat rebels2 and never 
did they behave more cruelly than they  
behaved toward the ,mexicans in the last
 days of the viceroys4 ,this fact is to 
be borne in mind1 when we think of the  
sanguinary character of ,mexican        
contests2 for that character originated 
in the action of the ,spaniards during  
their struggles with the ,patriots4 ,the

 latter were not faultless1 but they    
often exhibited a generosity and a      
self-denial that promised much for the  
future of their country1 which promise  
would have been realized but for the    
ferocious tone of the warfare of the old
 governing race4 ,the ,spaniards were   
ultimately beaten1 but they left behind 
them an evil that marred the victory of 
the ,patriots1 and which has done much  
to prevent it from proving useful to    
those who obtained it at great cost to  
themselves and their country4  ,the     
defeat and death of ,morelos proved     
fatal1 for the time1 to regular         
opposition on the part of the ,patriots1
 and it was not until the arrival of    
,mina in ,mexico that they renewed the  
war in force4 ,this was in ,april1      
#ahag2 and ,mina was defeated and put to
 death in seven months after he landed4 
,at the beginning of #ahah1 the viceroy 
,apodaca announced to the home          
government1 that he would be answerable 
for the safety of ,mexico without a     

single additional soldier being sent out
 to reinforce the armies that were in   
the field4 ,had he been a wise man1 the 
event might have justified this boast2  
but as he was neither wise nor honest1  
and as he sought to restore the old     
state of things in all its impurity1 his
 confidence was fatal to the ,spanish   
cause4 ,the ,spanish ,constitution of   
#ahab had been proclaimed in ,mexico in 
the autumn of that year1 and its        
existence kept the ,liberal cause alive4
 ,so long as the ,patriots had any power
 in the field1 ,apodaca1 though an enemy
 of the ,constitution1 dared not seek   
its destruction2 but after the overthrow
 of ,mina1 when he believed the ,patriot
 party was crushed out1 he plotted      
against the ,constitution1 and resolved 
to restore the system that had existed  
down to #ahab4 ,not a vestige of        
,liberalism was to remain4 ,he selected 
for his chief tool the once famous      
,agustin de ,iturbide1 who turned out an
 edged tool1 so sharp1 indeed1 that he  

not only cut the viceroy's fingers1 but 
severed forever the connection between  
,mexico and ,spain4 ,iturbide had       
eminently distinguished himself in the  
royal army1 and to him it was owing that
 ,morelos had been defeated4 ,he was    
brave1 ambitious1 and able1 and he      
possessed a handsome person and elegant 
manners4 ,he was appointed to head an   
army in ,western ,mexico1 on condition  
that he should pronounce in favor of the
 restoration of absolute royal          
authority4 ,he accepted the command2 but
 on the #bdth of ,february1 #ahba1 he   
astonished his employer by proclaiming1 
not the plan upon which they had agreed1
 but what is known as the ,plan of      
,iguala1 from the town where the        
proclamation was made4 ,this plan       
provided that ,mexico should be         
independent of ,spain1 and for the      
erection of the country into a          
constitutional monarchy1 the throne of  
which should be filled by ,ferdinand    
,,vii41 or by one of his brothers1--or  

by some person chosen from among        
reigning families1 should the ,spanish  
,bourbons decline the invitation4 ,the  
monarch was to be called ,emperor1 a    
title made fashionable and cheap by     
,bonaparte's example4 ,perfect equality 
was established1 and all distinction of 
castes was abolished4 ,saving that the  
,catholic religion was declared the     
national religion1 the twenty-four      
articles of this ,plan were of a liberal
 character1 and leave an impression on  
the mind highly favorable to their      
author4 ,viewing it in the light of     
thirty-nine years1 and seeing that      
republicanism has not succeeded in      
,mexico1 even a democrat may regret that
 the ,plan of ,iguala did not become the
 constitution of that country4  ,the    
simple abolition of ,spanish rule would 
have satisfied the mass of the          
inhabitants1 who cared little for       
political institutions1 but who knew the
 evils they suffered from the tyranny of
 a class that did not number above      

one-eightieth part of the population4   
,for the time1 the ,plan was successful3
 the clergy1 the military1 the people1  
and the old partisans of independence   
all supported it2 and ,o',donoju1 who   
had arrived as successor to ,apodaca1   
recognized ,mexican independence4 ,the  
victors entered the capital ,september  
#bg1 #ahba1 and established a           
provisional ,junta1 which created a     
regency1 with ,iturbide for ,president4 
,on the #bdth of ,february1 #ahbb1 a    
,congress assembled1 which contained    
three parties1 the representatives of   
those which existed in the country3--#a4
 ,the ,bourbonists1 who desired that the
 ,plan of ,iguala should be adhered to  
in all its details2 #b4 ,the            
,iturbideans1 who wished for a monarchy1
 with their chief as ,emperor2 and1 #c4 
,the ,republicans1 who were hostile to  
monarchical institutions as well as to  
,spanish rule4 ,it is possible that the 
first party might have triumphed1 had   
,spain been under the dominion of       

sagacious men2 for the clergy must have 
preferred it1 not only because it was   
that polity under which they were sure  
to have most consideration1 but because 
the whole power of ,rome might have been
 brought to bear in its behalf1 and that
 the clergy never would have seriously  
thought of resisting2--and the influence
 of the clergy was great over the mass  
of the people4 ,but the ,spanish        
government would not ratify the treaty  
made by ,o',donoju1 or abandon its claim
 on ,mexico4 ,this left but two factions
 in the ,congress1 and their quarrel had
 a sudden termination1 for the moment1  
in the elevation of ,iturbide to the    
imperial throne1 ,may #ahth1 #ahbb4     
,this was the work of a handful of the  
lowest rabble of the capital1 the select
 few of a vagabondage compared with whom
 the inhabitants of the ,five ,points   
may be counted grave constitutional     
politicians4 ,the legislature went      
through the farce of approval1 and the  
people acquiesced1--as they would have  

done1 had he been proclaimed ,cham4 ,had
 ,iturbide understood his trade1 he     
might have reigned long1 perhaps have   
established a dynasty2 but he did what  
nearly every ,mexican chief since his   
time has done1 and what1 to be just1    
nearly every revolutionary government   
has sought to do3 he endeavored to      
establish a tyranny4 ,he dissolved the  
,congress1 substituting a ,junta for it1
 composed of his own adherents4 ,the    
consequence was revolt in various parts 
of the empire4 ,santa ,aa1 then         
,governor of ,vera ,cruz1 pronounced    
against the ,emperor2 and ,echavari1 who
 was sent to punish him1 played the same
 part toward ,iturbide that ,iturbide   
had played toward ,apodaca3 he joined   
the enemies of the imperial government4 
,as ,iturbide had triumphed over the    
viceroy by the aid of men of all parties
 but that of the old ,spaniards1 so was 
he overthrown by a coalition of an      
equally various character4 ,he gave up  
the crown1 after having worn it not     

quite ten months1 and was allowed to    
depart1 with the promise of an annual   
pension of twenty-five thousand dollars4
 ,seeking to recover the crown in #ahbd1
 he was seized and shot1--a fate of     
which he could not complain1 as he was a
 man of bloody hand1 and1 as a royalist 
leader1 had caused prisoners to be      
butchered by the hundred4  ,the         
,republicans were now triumphant1 but   
their conduct showed that they were not 
much better qualified to rule than were 
the ,imperialists4 ,they made a ,federal
 ,constitution1--that which is commonly 
known as the ,constitution of           
#ahbd1--which was principally modelled  
on that of the ,united ,states4 ,this   
imitation would have been ridiculous1 if
 it had not been mischievous4 ,between  
the circumstances of ,america and those 
of ,mexico there was no resemblance     
whatever1 and hence the polity which is 
good for the one could be good for      
nothing to the other4 ,one fact alone   
ought to have convinced the ,mexican    

,constitutionalists of the absurdity of 
their doings4 ,their ,constitution      
recognized the ,catholic religion as the
 religion of the state1 and absolutely  
forbade the profession of any other form
 of faith6 ,in what part of our         
,constitution they found authority for  
such a provision as this1 no man can    
say4 ,it has been mentioned1            
reproachfully1 that our ,constitution   
does not even recognize ,god2 yet on a  
,constitution modelled upon ours        
,mexican statesmen could graft an       
,established ,church1 with a monopoly of
 religion6 ,just where imitation would  
have been more creditable to them than  
originality1 they became original4 ,it  
has been said1 in their defence1 that   
the ,church was so powerful that they   
could not choose but admit its claim4   
,this would be a good defence1 had they 
sought to make a ,constitution in       
accordance with views admitting the     
validity of an ,ecclesiastical          
,establishment4 ,the charge against them

 is not1 that they sanctioned an        
,establishment1 but that they sought to 
couple with it a liberal republican     
,constitution1 and thus to reconcile    
contradictions1--an end not to be       
attained anywhere1 and least of all in a
 country like ,mexico4  ,the factions   
that arose in ,mexico after the         
establishment of the ,republic were the 
,federalists and the ,centralists1 being
 substantially the same as those which  
yet exist there4 ,the ,federalists have 
been the true liberals throughout the   
disturbances and troubles of a          
generation1 and1 though not faultless1  
are better entitled to the name of      
patriots than are the men by whom they  
have been opposed4 ,they have been the  
foes of the priesthood1 and have often  
sought to lessen its power and destroy  
its influence4 ,if they could have had  
their will any time during the last     
thirty-five years1 the priests would    
have been reduced to a condition of     
apostolic simplicity1 and the ,church's 

vast property been put to uses such as  
the ,apostles would have approved4      
,guadalupe ,victoria would probably have
 been as little averse to the           
confiscation of ecclesiastical property 
as was ,thomas ,cromwell himself4 ,the  
fear that a firm and stable federal     
government would interfere with the     
privileges of the ,church1 and would not
 cease such interference until the      
change had been made perfect1 which     
implied the ,church's political         
destruction1 is one of the chief reasons
 why no such government has ever had an 
existence in ,mexico4 ,the ,church has  
favored every party and faction that has
 been opposed to order and liberty4     
,royalism1 centralism1 despotism1 and   
even foreign conquest has it preferred  
to any state of things in which there   
should be found that due union of       
liberty and law without which no country
 can expect to have constitutional      
freedom4 ,had it ever been possible to  
establish a strong central government in

 ,mexico1 it is very probable the       
,church would have been one of its      
firmest pillars4 ,the character and     
organization of that institution1 its   
desire to maintain possession of its    
property1 and its aversion to liberty of
 every kind1 would all have united to   
make such a government worthy of the    
,church's support1 provided it had      
supported the ,church in its turn4 ,the 
ecclesiastical influence is everywhere  
observable in the history of ,mexico1   
from the beginning of the struggle for  
independence4 ,the clergy were          
supporters of independence1 not because 
they wished for liberty to the country1 
but that they might monopolize the vast 
power of their order4 ,they hated the   
,spaniards as bitterly as they were     
hated by any other portion of the       
inhabitants of ,mexico4 ,but they never 
meant that republicanism should obtain  
the ascendency in the country4 ,a       
powerful monarchy1 an empire1 was what  
they aimed at2 and the government which 

,iturbide established was one that would
 have received their aid1 could it have 
brought any power to the political firm 
the clergy desired to see in existence4 
,it may be assumed that the clergy would
 have preferred a ,spanish prince as    
emperor1 for they were too sagacious not
 to know that the best part of royalty  
is that which is under ground4 ,kings   
must be born to their trade to succeed  
in it2 and a brand-new emperor1 like    
,iturbide1 unless highly favored by     
circumstances1 or singularly endowed    
with intellectual qualifications1 could 
be of little service to the clerical    
party4 ,he fell1 as we have seen2 but   
the clerical party remained1 and1 having
 continued to flourish1 is at this time1
 it is probable1 stronger than it was in
 #ahbb4 ,it is owing to this party that 
the idea has never been altogether      
abandoned that ,mexico should resume    
monarchical institutions2 and every     
attempt that has been made to favor what
 in this country is known as            

consolidation has either been initiated 
by it or has received its assistance4   
,that we do not misrepresent the        
so-called clerical party1 in attributing
 to it a desire to see a king in        
,mexico1 is clear from the candid       
admission of one of its members1 who has
 written at length1 and with much       
ability1 in defence of its opinions and 
actions4 ,had it been given to that     
party which is taxed with being         
absolutist1 he says1 to see such a      
government in ,mexico as the government 
of ,brazil1 7not to take examples out of
 the ,american continent17 their earnest
 desires would have been accomplished4  
,it is therefore wrongfully that that   
party is the object of the curses       
lavished upon it4 ,this is plain        
speaking1 indeed1--the ,brazilian       
government being one of the strongest   
monarchies in the world1 and deriving   
its strength from the fact that it seeks
 the good of its subjects4 ,the blindest
 republican who ever dreamed it was in  

the power of institutions to cause or   
cure the ills of humanity must admit1   
that1 if ,bourbon rule in ,mexico could 
have produced results similar to those  
which have proceeded from ,braganza rule
 in ,brazil1 it would have been the best
 fortune that the former country could  
have known1 had ,don ,carlos or ,don    
,francisco de ,paula been allowed to    
wear the imperial crown which was set up
 in #ahbb4 ,with less ability than      
,iturbide1 either of those princes would
 have made a better monarch than that   
adventurer4 ,it is not so much intellect
 as influence that makes a sovereign    
useful1 the man being of far less       
consequence than the institution4 ,even 
the case of ,napoleon ,i4 affords no    
exception to this rule2 for his dynasty 
and his empire fell with him1 because   
they lacked the stability which comes   
from prescription alone4 ,had           
,marlborough and ,eugene penetrated to  
,paris1 as did ,wellington and ,blcher a
 century later1 they never would have   

thought of subverting the ,bourbon line2
 but the ,bonaparte line was cut off as 
of course when its chief was defeated4  
,the first king may have been a         
fortunate soldier only1 but it requires 
several generations of royalty to give  
power to a reigning house1 as in old    
times it required several descents to   
give to a man the flavor of genuine     
nobility4 ,if it be objected to this1   
that it is an admission of the power    
which is claimed for flunkeyism1 we can 
only meet the charge by saying that     
there is much of the flunkey in man1 and
 that whoso shall endeavor to construct 
a government without recognizing a truth
 which is universal1 though not great1  
will find that his structure can better 
be compared to the ,syrian flower than  
to the ,syrian cedar4 ,the age of ,model
 ,republics has passed away even from   
dreams4  ,we have called the party in   
,mexico which represents a certain fixed
 principle the clerical party2 but we   
have done so more for the sake of       

convenience1 and from deference to      
ordinary usage1 than because the words  
accurately describe the ,mexican        
reactionists4 ,conservative party would1
 perhaps1 be the better name2 and the   
word conservative would not be any more 
out of place in such a connection1 or   
more perverted from its just meaning1   
than it is in ,england and the ,united  
,states4 ,the clergy form1 as it were1  
the core of this party1 and give to it a
 shape and consistency it could not have
 without their alliance4 ,yet1 if we can
 believe the ,mexican already quoted1   
and who is apparently well acquainted   
with the subject on which he has sought 
to enlighten the ,english mind1 the     
party that is opposed to the ,liberals  
is quite as much in favor of freedom as 
are the latter1 and is utterly hostile  
to either religious or political        
despotism4 ,after objecting to the      
course of those ,mexicans who found a   
political pattern in the ,united        
,states1 and showing the evils that have

 followed from their awkward imitation1 
he says1--,no wonder1 then1 that some   
men1 actuated by the love of their      
country1 convinced of the danger to     
,mexican nationality from such a state  
of things1 seeing clearly through all   
these ,american intrigues1 and          
determined to oppose them by all the    
means in their power1 should have formed
 long ago1 and as soon as the first     
symptoms of anarchy and the cause of    
them became apparent1 the centre of a   
party1 which1 having necessarily to     
combat the so-called ',liberal party1'  
or1 in other words1 the ,american army1 
is accused of being a retrograde1       
absolutist1 clerical party1 bent on     
nothing but the restablishment of the   
,inquisition and the 'worst of the worst
 times4' ,nothing1 however1 is less     
true4 ,that party contains in its bosom 
the most enlightened and the most       
respectable part of the community1 men  
who have not as yet to learn the        
advantages and benefits of civil and    

religious liberty1 and who would be     
happy indeed to see liberty established 
in their country2 but liberty under the 
law1 rational and wise liberty1 liberty 
compatible with order and tranquillity1 
liberty1 in a word1 for good            
purposes1--not that savage1 licentious1 
and tyrannical liberty1 the object of   
which is anarchy1 so well answering the 
private ends of its partisans1 and1     
above all1 the iniquitous views of an   
ambitious neighbor4444 ,for the present1
 no doubt1 their object is limited to   
obtain the triumph over their enemies1  
who are the enemies of ,mexico1 and to  
put down anarchy1 as the first and most 
pressing want of the country1 no matter 
under what form of government or by what
 means4 ,in pursuance of such an object1
 the clergy naturally side with them2   
and hence1 for those who are ignorant of
 the bottom of things in ,mexican       
affairs1 the denomination given to this 
party of ',clerical party' supported by 
military despotism2 whereas the         

',anarchical party' is favored with the 
name of ',liberal ,constitutional       
party4' ,it is1 however1 easy to see    
that those two parties would be more    
exactly designated1 the one as the      
,mexican ,party1 the other as the       
,american ,party4  ,if this delineation 
of the ,conservative party be a fair    
one1--as probably it is1 after making   
allowance for partisan coloring1--it is 
easy to see1 that1 while the clergy are 
with it1 they are not of it2 and also1  
that it would be involved in a quarrel  
with the priesthood in a week after it  
should have succeeded in its contest    
with the ,liberals4 ,where1 then1 would 
be the restoration of order1 of which   
this ,mexican writer has so much to say8
 ,the clergy of ,mexico are too powerful
 to become the tools of any political   
organization4 ,they use politicians and 
parties1--are not used by them4 ,the    
,conservative party1 therefore1 is not  
the coming party1 either for the clergy 
or for ,mexico4 ,it answers the clergy's

 purpose of making it a shield against  
the ,liberals1 whose palms itch to be at
 the property of the ,church2 but it    
never could become their sword2 and it  
is a sword1 and a sharp and pointed one1
 firmly held1 that the clergy desire1   
and must have1 if their end is to be    
achieved4 ,the defensive is not and     
cannot be their policy4 ,they must rule 
or perish4 ,hence the victory of the    
,conservatives would be the signal for  
the opening of a new warfare1 and the   
clergy would seek to found their power  
solidly on the bodies of the men whom   
they had used to destroy the ,liberals4 
,they have pursued one course for       
thirty-eight years1 and will not be     
moved from it by any appeals that shall 
be made to them in the name of order and
 of law1 appeals to which they have been
 utterly insensible when made by        
,liberals4 ,indeed1 they will not be    
able to see any difference between the  
two parties1 but will hate the          
,conservatives with most bitterness1    

because standing more immediately in    
their way4 ,a combat would be           
inevitable1 with the chance that the    
,american ,eagle would descend upon the 
combatants and swoop them away4  ,if    
anarchy were a reason for the formation 
of a league in ,mexico1 composed of all 
the conservative men of the country1 it 
ought to have been formed long ago4     
,anarchy was organized there with the   
,republic1 and was made much more       
permanent than ,carnot made victory4    
,unequivocal evidences of its existence 
became visible before the ,constitution 
was in a condition to be violated2 and  
when that instrument was accepted1 it   
appeared to have been set up in order   
that politicians and parties might have 
something definite to disregard4 ,the   
first ,president was ,guadalupe         
,victoria1 an honest ,republican1 whose 
name has become somewhat dimmed by time4
 ,with him was associated ,nicolas      
,bravo1 as ,vice-,president4 ,it was    
while ,victoria was ,president that the 

masonic parties appeared1 known as the  
,scotch masons and the ,york masons1 or 
,escoceses and ,yorkinos1 which were    
nothing but clubs of the ,centralists   
and the ,federalists4 ,the ,president   
was of the ,yorkinos or ,federalists1   
and the ,vice-,president was of the     
other lodge4 ,bravo and his party were  
for such changes as should substitute a 
constitutional monarchy1 with a ,spanish
 prince at its head1 for the            
,constitution of #ahbd4 ,bravo          
pronounced openly against ,victoria1--a 
proceeding of which the reader can form 
some idea by supposing ,mr4             
,breckinridge heading a rabble force to 
expel ,mr4 ,buchanan from ,washington1  
for the purpose of calling in some      
member of the ,english royal family to  
sit on an ,american throne4 ,through the
 aid of ,guerrero1 a man of ability and 
integrity1 and very popular1 the        
,liberals triumphed in the field2 but   
,congress elected his competitor1       
,pedraza1 ,president1 though the people 

were mostly for ,guerrero4 ,this was a  
most unfortunate circumstance1 and to   
its occurrence much of the evil that    
,mexico has known for thirty years may  
be directly traced4 ,instead of         
submitting to the strictly legal choice 
of ,president1 made by the members of   
,congress1 the ,federalists set the open
 example of revolting against the action
 of men who had performed their duties  
according to the requirements of the    
,constitution4 ,guerrero was violently  
made ,president4 ,that the other party  
contemplated the destruction of the     
,constitution is very probable2 but the 
worst that they1 its enemies1 could have
 done against it would have been a      
trifle in comparison with the           
demoralizing consequences of the        
violation of that instrument by its     
friends4 ,yet the ,presidency of        
,guerrero will ever have honorable      
mention in history1 for one most        
excellent reason3 ,slavery was abolished
 by him on the anniversary of ,mexican  

independence1 #ahbi1 he deeming it      
proper to signalize that anniversary by 
an act of national justice and          
beneficence4 ,will the time ever come   
when the ,fourth of ,july shall have the
 same double claim to the reverence of  
mankind8  ,guerrero perished by the     
sword1 as he had risen by it4 ,the      
,vice-,president1 ,bustamente1 revolted1
 and was aided by ,santa ,aa4 ,his      
popularity was too great to allow him to
 be spared1 and when he was captured1   
,guerrero was shot1 in #ahca4 ,of the   
many infamous acts of which ,santa ,aa  
has been guilty1 the murder of ,guerrero
 is the worst4 ,possibly it would have  
ruined him1 but for his services against
 the ,spaniards1 at about the same time4
 ,he was now the chief man in ,mexico1  
and became ,president in #ahcc4 ,the    
next year he dissolved ,congress1 and   
established a military government4 ,the 
,constitution of #ahbd was formally     
abolished in #ahce1 and a ,central      
,constitution was proclaimed the next   

year1 by which the ,states were         
converted into ,departments4 ,santa ,aa 
kept as much aloof from these           
proceedings as he could1 and sought to  
add to his popularity by attacking      
,texas1 where he reaped a plentiful crop
 of cypress4  ,the triumph of the       
,centralists was the turning-point in   
the fortunes of ,mexico1 as it furnished
 a plausible pretext for ,american      
interference in her affairs1 the end of 
which is rapidly approaching4 ,the      
,texan revolt had no other justification
 than that which it derived from the    
overthrow of the ,federal ,constitution2
 but that was ample1 and1 had it not    
been for the introduction of slavery    
into ,texas1 the judgment of the        
civilized world would have been entirely
 in favor of the ,texans4 ,in #ahdd1    
when our ,presidential election was made
 to turn upon the question of the       
annexation of ,texas to the ,united     
,states1 the grand argument of the      
annexationists was drawn from the       

circumstance that the ,mexicans had     
abrogated the ,federal ,constitution1   
thereby releasing the ,texans from their
 obligations to ,mexico4 ,this was an   
argument to which ,americans1 and       
especially democrats1 those sworn foes  
of consolidation1 were prone to lend a  
favorable ear2 and it is certain that it
 had much weight in promoting the       
election of ,mr4 ,polk4 ,had the ,texan 
revolt been one of ambition merely1 and 
not justifiable on political grounds    
apart from the ,slavery question1 the   
decision might have been different1 if1 
indeed1 the question had ever been      
introduced into the politics of this    
country4 ,the sagacious men who managed 
the affairs of the ,democratic party    
knew their business too well to attempt 
the extension of slave-holding territory
 in the gross and palpable form that is 
common in these shameless days4 ,but    
,texas1 as an injured party that had    
valiantly sustained its constitutional  
rights1 was a very different thing from 

a province that had revolted against    
,mexico because forbidden by ,mexican   
authority to allow the existence of     
slavery within its borders4 ,there was  
much deception in the business1 but     
there was sufficient truth and justice  
in the argument used to deceive honest  
men who do not trouble themselves to    
look beyond the surface of things4 ,for 
more than twenty years our political    
controversies have all been colored by  
the triumph of the ,mexican ,centralists
 in #ahce-f2 and but for that triumph1  
it is altogether likely that our        
territory would not have been increased1
 and that the ,slavery question1 instead
 of absorbing the ,american mind1 would 
have held but a subordinate place in our
 party debates4 ,it may1 perhaps1 be    
deemed worthy of especial mention1 that 
the action of the ,centralists of       
,mexico1 destined to affect us so       
sensibly1 was initiated at the same time
 that the modern phase of the ,slavery  
question was opened in the ,united      

,states4 ,the same year that saw the    
,federal ,constitution of ,mexico       
abolished saw our government laboring to
 destroy freedom of the press and the   
sanctity of the mails1 by throwing its  
influence in favor of the bill to       
prevent the circulation of incendiary   
publications1 that is1 publications     
drawn from the writings of ,washington  
and ,jefferson2 and the same year that  
witnessed the final effort of ,santa ,aa
 to subdue ,texas to ,centralization    
beheld ,general ,cushing declaring that 
slavery should not be introduced into   
the ,north1 thus agitating the country1 
and winning for himself that ,abolition 
support without which his political     
career must have been cut short in the  
morning of its existence4 ,such are the 
coincidences of history6  ,from the time
 of the victory of the ,centralists     
until the commencement of the war with  
the ,united ,states1 ,mexico was the    
scene of perpetual disturbances4 ,mexia1
 a rash1 but honest man1 made an attempt

 to free his country in #ahch1 but      
failed1 being defeated and executed by  
,santa ,aa1 who came from the retirement
 to which his ,texan failure had        
consigned him1 as champion of the       
government4 ,after some years of        
apparent anarchy1 ,santa ,aa became     
,dictator1 and in #ahdc a new           
,constitution1 more centralizing in its 
nature than its immediate predecessor1  
was framed under his direction4 ,at the 
beginning of #ahde he fell1 and became  
an exile4 ,his successor was ,general   
,herrera1 who was desirous to avoid war 
with the ,united ,states1 on which      
account he was violently opposed by     
,paredes1 with success1 the latter      
usurping the ,presidency4 ,aided by our 
government1 ,santa ,aa returned to      
,mexico1 and infused new vigor into his 
countrymen4 ,on his return1 he avowed   
himself a ,federalist1 and recommended a
 recurrence to the ,constitution of     
#ahbd1 which was proclaimed4 ,paredes   
had fallen before a revolution1 and was 

allowed to proceed to ,europe4 ,he was a
 monarchist1 and at that time the       
friends of monarchy in ,mexico had some 
hopes of success4 ,it is believed that  
the governments of ,england and ,france 
were desirous of establishing a ,mexican
 monarchy1 and their intervention in the
 affairs of ,mexico was feared by our   
government4 ,two things1 however1       
prevented their action1 if ever they    
seriously contemplated armed            
intervention4 ,the first was the rapid  
success of our armies1 coupled as it was
 with the exhibition of a military      
spirit and capacity for which ,european 
nations had not been prepared by        
anything in our previous history2 and   
the second was the potato-rot1 which    
brought ,great ,britain to the verge of 
famine1 and broke up the ,tory party4   
,the ill feeling1 too1 that was created 
between the ,english and ,french        
governments by the ,montpensier         
marriage1 and the discontent of the     
,french people1 which led to the        

,revolution of #ahdh1 were not without  
their effect on affairs4 ,had our       
government resolved to seize all        
,mexico1 it could have done so without  
encountering ,european resistance in    
#ahdh1 when there was not a stable      
,continental government of the first    
class west of the ,niemen1 and when     
,england was too much occupied with home
 matters1 and with the revolutions that 
were happening all around her1 to pay   
any regard to the course of events in   
the ,occident4 ,but the ,polk           
administration was not equal to the work
 that was before it2 and though members 
of the ,democratic party did think of   
acting1 and men of property in ,mexico  
were anxious for annexation1 nothing was
 done4 ,the ,american forces left       
,mexico1 and the old routine of weakness
 and disorder was there resumed4        
,perhaps it would be better to say it   
was continued2 for the war had witnessed
 no intermission of the senseless       
proceedings of the ,mexican politicians4

 ,their contests were waged as bitterly 
as they had been while the country      
enjoyed external peace4  ,several       
persons held the ,presidential chair    
after the resignation of ,herrera4      
,organic changes were made4 ,the clergy 
exhibited the same selfishness that had 
characterized their action for          
five-and-twenty years4 ,an              
,extraordinary ,constituent ,congress   
confirmed the readoption of the         
,constitution of #ahbd1 making such     
slight changes as were deemed necessary4
 ,santa ,aa again became ,president4    
,some of the ,states formed associations
 for defence1 acting independently of   
the general government4 ,after the loss 
of the capital1 ,santa ,aa resigned the 
,presidency1 and ,pea y ,pea succeeded  
him1 followed by ,anaya2 but the first  
soon returned to office4 ,peace was     
made1 and ,santa ,aa again went into    
exile4 ,herrera was chosen ,president1  
and for more than two years devoted     
himself to the work of reformation1 with

 considerable success1 though outbreaks 
and rebellions occurred in many         
quarters4 ,president ,arista also showed
 himself to be a firm and patriotic     
chief4 ,but in #aheb a reaction took    
place1 under favor of which ,santa ,aa  
returned home and became ,president for 
the fifth time1 and ,arista was         
banished4 ,the government of ,santa ,aa 
was absolute in its character1 and much 
resembled that which ,napoleon ,,iii4   
has established in ,france1--with this  
difference1 that it wanted that strength
 which is the chief merit of the ,french
 imperial system4 ,it encountered       
opposition of the usual form1 from time 
to time1 until it was broken down1 in   
,august1 #ahee1 when the ,president left
 both office and the country1 and has   
since resided abroad4 ,the new          
revolution favored ,federalism4 ,alvarez
 was chosen ,president1 but he was too  
liberal for the ,church party1 being so 
unreasonable as to require that the     
property of the ,church should be taxed4

 ,plots and conspiracies were formed    
against him1 and it being discovered    
that the climate of the capital did not 
agree with him1 he resigned1 and was    
succeeded by ,general ,comonfort4 ,half 
a dozen leaders pronounced against      
,comonfort1 one of them announcing his  
purpose to establish an ,empire4        
,government made head against these     
attacks1 and seized property belonging  
to the ,church4 ,some eminent ,church   
officers were banished1 for the part    
they had taken in exciting              
insurrections4 ,at the close of #aheg1  
,comonfort made himself ,dictator2 but  
the very men who urged him to the step  
became his enemies1 and he was deprived 
of power4 ,zuloaga1 who was one of his  
advisers and subsequent enemies1        
succeeded him1 being chosen ,president  
by a ,council of ,notables4 ,comonfort's
 measures for the confiscation of       
,church property were repealed4 ,the    
,constitution of #aheg placed the       
,presidential power in the hands of the 

,chief ,justice1 on the resignation of  
the ,president1 whence the prominence of
 ,juarez lately1 he being ,chief        
,justice when ,comonfort resigned4      
,assembling troops1 he encountered      
,zuloaga1 but was defeated4 ,the ,juarez
 government then left the country1 but  
shortly after returned4 ,insurrections  
broke out in different places1 and      
confusion reigned on all sides4 ,general
 ,robles deposed ,zuloaga1 and made an  
honest effort to unite the ,liberals and
 ,conservatives2 but the ,junta which he
 assembled elected ,miramon ,president1 
a new man1 who had distinguished himself
 as a leader of the ,conservative       
forces4 ,miramon reinstated ,zuloaga1   
but accepted the ,presidency on the     
latter's abdication1 and has since been 
the principal personage in ,mexico1 and1
 though he has experienced occasional   
reverses1 has far more power than       
,juarez4 ,at the close of the year      
#ahei1 the greater part of ,mexico was  
either disposed to submit to the        

,miramon government1 or cared little for
 either ,miramon or ,juarez4  ,it is    
impossible to believe that the ,juarez  
government is possessed of much         
strength2 and the gentleman who lately  
represented the ,united ,states in      
,mexico 7,mr4 ,forsyth7 is of opinion   
that it is powerless4 ,nevertheless1 our
 government acknowledges that of        
,juarez1 and has made itself a party to 
the contests in ,mexico4 ,in his last   
,annual ,message1 ,president ,buchanan  
devotes much space to ,mexican affairs1 
drawing a deplorable picture thereof1   
and recommending armed intervention by  
the ,united ,states in behalf of the    
,liberal party4 ,i recommend to         
,congress1 says the ,president1 to pass 
a law authorizing the ,president1 under 
such conditions as they may deem        
expedient1 to employ a sufficient       
military force to enter ,mexico for the 
purpose of obtaining indemnity for the  
past and security for the future4 ,this 
force1 should ,congress respond         

favorably to the ,presidential          
recommendation1 is to act in concert    
with the ,juarez government1 and to     
restore it to power4 ,in return for such
 aid1 that government is to indemnify   
the ,americans1 and to provide that no  
more ,americans shall be wronged by     
,mexican governments4 ,does the         
,president believe this theory of       
,mexican settlement will be accepted by 
the world8 ,if yes1 then is he a man of 
marvellous faith1 considering the       
uncommonly excellent opportunities he   
has had to learn what the political     
settlements of ,mexico really mean4 ,if 
no1 then he has a meaning beneath his   
words1 and that meaning is the conquest 
of ,mexico4 ,we do not charge duplicity 
upon ,president ,buchanan1 but it is    
vexatious and humiliating to be         
compelled to choose between such charge 
and the belief of a degree of simplicity
 in him that would be astonishing in a  
yearling politician1 and which is       
astounding in a man who has held high   

office for well-nigh forty years4 ,let  
us suppose that ,congress should kindly 
listen to ,president ,buchanan's        
recommendation1--that a strong fleet and
 a great army should be sent to the aid 
of the ,juarez government1 and should   
establish it in the capital of ,mexico1 
and then leave the country and the      
coasts of our sister ,republic1--what   
would follow8 ,why1 exactly what we have
 seen follow the ,peace of #ahdh4 ,the  
,juarez government could not be stronger
 or more honest than was that of        
,herrera1 or more anxious to effect the 
rehabilitation of ,mexico2 yet          
,herrera's government had to encounter  
rebellions1 and outrages were common    
during its existence1 and afterward1    
when men of similar views held sway1 or 
what passes for sway in our sister      
,republic4 ,so would it be again1 should
 we effect a restoration of the         
,liberals4 ,in a week after our last    
regiment should have returned home1     
there would be rebellions for our allies

 to suppress4 ,if they should succeed in
 maintaining their power1 it would be as
 the consequence of a violation of their
 agreement with us2 and where1 then1    
would be the indemnity for which we are 
to fight8 ,if they should be overthrown1
 as probably would be their fate1 where 
would be the security for which we are  
to pay so highly in blood and gold8 ,it 
is useless to quote the treaty which the
 ,juarez government has just made with  
our government1 as evidence of its      
liberality and good faith4 ,that treaty 
is of no more value than would be one   
between the ,united ,states and the     
ex-king of ,delhi4 ,nothing is more     
notorious than the liberality of parties
 that are not in power4 ,there is no    
stipulation to which they will not      
assent1 and violate1 if their interest  
should be supposed to lie in the        
direction of perjury4 ,have we1 in the  
hour of our success1 been invariably    
true to the promises made in the hour of
 our necessities8 ,a study of the treaty

 we made with ,france in #aggh1 by the  
light of after years1 would be useful to
 men who think that a treaty made is an 
accomplished fact4 ,the people of the   
,united ,states have to choose between  
the conquest of ,mexico and             
non-intervention in ,mexican affairs4   
,there may be something to be said in   
favor of conquest1 though the           
,president's arguments in that          
direction--for such they are1 disguised 
though they be--remind us strongly of   
those which were put forth in           
justification of the partition of       
,poland2 but the policy of intervention 
does not bear criticism for one moment4 
,either it is conquest veiled1 or it is 
a blunder1 the chance to commit which is
 to be purchased at an enormous price2  
and blunders are to be had for nothing1 
and without the expenditure of life and 
money4  ,we had purposed speaking of the
 condition of ,mexico1 the character of 
her population1 and the probable effect 
of her absorption by the ,united        

,states2 but the length to which our    
article has been drawn in the statement 
of preliminary facts--a statement made  
necessary by the general disregard of   
,mexican matters by most                
,americans--warns us to forbear4 ,we may
 return to the subject1 should the      
action of ,congress on the ,president's 
recommendation lead to the placing of   
the ,mexican question on the list of    
those questions that must be decided by 
the event of the national election of   
the current year4     ,,reviews ,,and   
,,literary ,,notices4   ,the ,florence  
,stories4 ,by ,,jacob ,,abbott4         
,florence and ,john4 ,new ,york3        
,sheldon  ,co4 #afmo4 pp4 #beb4  ,ernest
 ,bracebridge1 or ,schoolboy ,days4 ,by 
,w4 ,h4 ,g4 ,,kingston4 ,boston3        
,ticknor  ,fields4 #afmo4 pp4 #cdd4     
,how should a book for children be      
written8  ,three rules will suffice4 ,it
 should be written clearly and simply2  
for young minds will spend little time  
in difficult investigation4 ,it should  

have a good moral4 ,it should be        
interesting2 or it will generally be    
left unread1 and thus any other         
excellence that it may possess will be  
useless4 ,some writers seem to have a   
fourth rule1--that it should be         
instructive2 but1 really1 it is no great
 matter1 if a child should have some    
books without wisdom4 ,moreover1 this   
maxim is eminently perilous in its      
practical application1 and1 indeed1 is  
seldom followed but at the expense of   
the other three4  ,to these three rules 
all writers of children's books profess 
to conform2 yet a good book for children
 is a rarity2 for1 simple as the rules  
are1 they are very little understood4   
,while all admit that the style should  
be simple and familiar1 some appear to  
think that anything simple to them will 
be equally simple to their              
child-readers1 and write as nearly as   
possible in the style of ,the ,rambler4 
,such a book is ,the ,percy ,family1    
whose author is guilty of an additional 

impropriety in putting his ponderous    
sentences into the mouth of a child not 
ten years old4 ,another and more        
numerous class1 evidently piquing       
themselves not a little upon avoiding   
this error1 fall into another by        
fancying it necessary to write down to  
their young readers4 ,they explain      
everything with a tiresome minuteness of
 detail1 although any observer of       
children ought to know that a child's   
mind does not want everything explained4
 ,they think that simplicity demands    
this lengthy discussion of every trivial
 matter4 ,there is such a thing as a    
conceited simplicity1 and there is a    
technical simplicity1 that in its       
barrenness and insipidity is worthy only
 of a simpleton4 ,in ,jacob ,abbott's   
,juveniles especially1 by means of this 
minuteness1 a very scanty stock of ideas
 is made to go a great way4 ,does       
simplicity require such trash as this8  
,the place was known by the name of the 
,octagon4 ,the reason why      it was   

called by this name was1 that the       
principal sitting-room      in the house
 was built in the form of an octagon1   
that is1      instead of having four    
sides1 as a room usually has1 this room 
had eight sides4 ,an octagon is a figure
 of eight sides4       ,a figure of four
 sides is called a square4 ,a figure of 
five      sides is called a pentagon1 of
 six sides a hexagon1 of eight          
sides an octagon4 ,there might be a     
figure of seven sides1 but      it would
 not be very easily made1 and it would  
not be very      pretty when it was     
made1 and so it is seldom used or spoken
 of4      ,but octagons and hexagons are
 very common1 for they are easily       
made1 and they are very regular and     
symmetrical in form4  ,the object of all
 this is1 doubtless1 to impart valuable 
information4 ,but while such slipshod   
writing is singularly uninteresting1 it 
may also be censured as inaccurate4 ,mr4
 ,abbott seems to think all polygons    
necessarily regular4 ,any child can make

 a heptagon at once1 notwithstanding    
,mr4 ,abbott calls it so difficult4 ,a  
regular heptagon1 indeed1 is another    
matter4 ,then what does he mean by      
saying octagons and hexagons are very   
regular8 ,a regular octagon is regular1 
though an octagon in general is no more 
regular than any other figure4 ,but ,mr4
 ,abbott continues3--       ,if you wish
 to see exactly what the form of an     
octagon is1 you      can make one in    
this way4 ,first cut out a piece of     
paper in the      form of a square4     
,this square will1 of course1 have four 
sides      and four corners4 ,now1 if   
you cut off the four corners1 you       
will have four new sides1 for at every  
place where you cut off      a corner   
you will have a new side4 ,these four   
new sides1      together with the parts 
of the old sides that are left1 will    
make eight sides1 and so you will have  
an octagon4       ,if you wish your     
octagon to be regular1 you must be      
careful      how much you cut off at    

each corner4 ,if you cut off too little1
      the new sides which you make will 
not be so long as what      remains of  
the old ones4 ,if you cut off too much1 
they will be      longer4 ,you had      
better cut off a little at first from   
each      corner1 all around1 and then  
compare the new sides with what      is 
left of the old ones4 ,you can then cut 
off a little more1      and so on1 until
 you make your octagon nearly regular4  
,there are other much more exact modes  
of making octagons than      this1 but  
,i cannot stop to describe them here4   
,must we have no more pennyworths of    
sense to such a monstrous quantity of   
verbiage than ,mr4 ,abbott gives us     
here8 ,we would defy any man to parody  
that4 ,he could teach the penny-a-liners
 a trick of the trade worth knowing4    
,the great ,chrononhotonthologos1       
crying1      ,go call a coach1 and let a
 coach be called1     ,and let the man  
that calleth be the caller1     ,and    
when he calleth1 let him nothing call   

,but ',coach6 coach6 coach6 ,oh1 for a  
coach1 ye gods6'  is comparatively a    
very ,spartan for brevity4 ,this may be 
a cheap way of writing books2 but the   
books are a dear bargain to the buyer4  
,a book is not necessarily ill adapted  
to a child because its ideas and        
expressions are over his head4 ,some    
books1 that were not written for        
children and would shock all ,mr4       
,abbott's most dearly cherished ideas1  
are still excellent reading for them4   
,walter ,scott's poems and novels will  
please an intelligent child4 ,cooper's  
,leatherstocking tales will not be read 
by the lad of fourteen more eagerly than
 by his little sister who cannot        
understand half of them4 ,a child fond  
of reading can have no more delightful  
book than the ,farie ,queene1 unless it 
be the ,arabian ,nights1 which was not  
written as a juvenile4 ,there are pages 
by the score in ,robinson ,crusoe that a
 child cannot understand1--and it is all
 the better reading for him on that     

account4 ,a child has a comfort in      
unintelligible words that few men can   
understand4 ,homer's ,iliad is good     
reading1 though only a small part may be
 comprehended4 7,we are not1 however1 so
 much in favor of mystery as to         
recommend the original ,greek47 ,do our 
children of the year #ahfj ever read a  
book called ,the ,pilgrim's ,progress8  
,hawthorne's ,wonder-,book is good for  
children1 though better for adults4     
,then look at our second rule4 ,what1   
after all1 constitutes a good moral8 ,we
 say that no book has a good moral which
 teaches a child that goodness and      
effeminacy1 laziness and virtue1 are    
convertible terms2 no book is good that 
is goody1 no book is moral that         
moralizes4 ,the intention may be good1  
but the teaching is not4 ,have as much  
as you will of poetical justice1 but    
beware of making your books mere        
vehicles for conveying maxims of        
propriety4 ,you cannot so deceive a     
child4 ,you may talk at him1 while      

pretending to tell him a story1 but he  
will soon be shy of you4 ,he has learned
 by bitter experience too much of the   
falseness of this world1 and has been   
too often beguiled by sugared pills1 to 
be slow in detecting the sugared pills  
of your literature1--especially1 ,o     
,jacob ,abbott6 when the pills have so  
little1 so very little1 sugar4  ,our    
notion of a good moral is a strong1     
breezy1 open-air moral1 one that teaches
 courage1 and therefore truth4 ,these   
are the most important things for a     
child to know1 and a book which teaches 
these alone is moral enough4 ,and these 
can be taught without offending the mind
 of the young reader1 however keenly    
suspicious4 ,but if you wish to teach   
gentleness and kindness as well1 let    
them be shown in your story by some     
noisy boy who can climb trees1 or some  
active1 merry1 hoydenish girl who can   
run like ,atalanta2 and don't imply a   
falsehood by attributing them always to 
the quiet children4  ,mr4 ,abbott's     

books have spoiled our children's books1
 and have done their best to spoil our  
children1 too4 ,there is no fresh1 manly
 life in his stories2 anything of the   
kind is sourly frowned down4 ,rollo1    
while strolling along1 picturesquely1   
perhaps1 but stupidly1 sees ,a ,noisy   
,boy1 and is warned by his insufferable 
father to keep out of that boy's way4   
,that ,noisy ,boy infallibly turns out  
vicious4 ,is that sound doctrine8 ,will 
that teach a child to admire courage and
 activity8 ,if he is ever able to       
appreciate the swing and vigor of       
,macaulay's ,lays1 it will not be       
because you trained him on such lyrics  
as      ,in the winter1 when 'tis mild1 
,we may run1 but not be wild2     ,but  
in summer1 we must walk1     ,and       
improve our time by talk 767  but       
because that ,noisy ,boy found him      
out1--and1 quarrelling with him1 7your  
boy1 marvellous to relate6 having       
provoked the quarrel by some mean trick1
 in spite of his seraphic training17    

gave him a black eye1--and afterwards1  
turning out to be the best-hearted      
,noisy ,boy in the world1 taught him to 
climb trees and hunt for birds'         
nests1--and stopped him when he was     
going to kill the little birds1 7for    
your pattern boy--poor child6 how could 
he help it8--was as cruel as he was     
timid17--and imparted to him the sublime
 mysteries of base-ball and tag and     
hockey1--and taught him to swim and row1
 and to fight bigger boys and leave     
smaller boys in peace1 instructions     
which he was at first inclined to       
reverse1--and put him in the way to be  
an honest1 fearless man1 when he was in 
danger of becoming a white-faced and    
white-livered spooney4 ,and that ,noisy 
,boy himself1 perversely declining to   
verify ,mr4 ,abbott's decorous          
prophecies1 has not turned out badly1   
after all1 but has ,reverend before his 
name and reverence in his heart1 and has
 his theology sound because his lungs   
are so4 ,no doubt1 ,tom ,jones often    

turns out badly1 but ,master ,blifil    
always does1--a fact which ,mr4 ,abbott 
would do well to note and perpend4      
,what6 ,because ,rollo is virtuous1     
shall there be no more mud-cakes and    
ale8 ,marry1 but there shall6 ,don't    
keep a boy out of his share of free     
movement and free air1 and don't keep a 
girl out4 ,poor little child6 she will  
be dieted soon enough on stewed prunes4 
,children need air and water1--milk and 
water won't do4 ,they are longing for   
our common mother earth1 in the dear1   
familiar form of dirt2 and it is no     
matter how much dirt they get on them1  
if they only have water enough to wash  
it off4 ,the more they are allowed to   
eat literal dirt now1 the less          
metaphorical dirt will they eat a few   
years hence4 ,the great ,free-,soil     
principle is good for their hearts1 if  
not for their clothes2 and which is it  
more important to have clean8 ,just make
 up your mind to let the clothes go2 and
 if you can't afford to have your       

children soil and tear their laced      
pantalets and plumed hats and open-work 
stockings1 why1 take off all those      
devices of the enemy1 and substitute    
stout cloth and stout boots4 ,what have 
they to do with open-work stockings8    
,doff them for shame1     ,and hang a   
calf-skin on those recreant limbs4      
,believe now1 instead of learning by sad
 experience1 that tin trumpets and torn 
clothes do not necessarily signify      
depravity1 and that quiet children are  
not always free from deceit1 cruelty1   
and meanness4 ,the quiet1 ideal child1  
of whom ,mr4 ,abbott thinks so highly1  
generally proves1 in real life1 neither 
more nor less than a prig4 ,he is more  
likely to die than live2 and if he      
lives1 you may wish he had died4  ,these
 models not only check a child's spirit1
 but tend to make him dishonest4 ,ask a 
child now what he thinks1 and1 ten to   
one1 he mentally refers to some eminent 
exemplar of all the virtues for         
instructions1 and1 instead of telling   

you what he does think1 quotes          
listlessly what he ought to think4 ,so  
that his mincing affectation is not     
merely ungraceful1 but is a sign of an  
inward taint1 which may prove fatal to  
the whole character4 ,it is very easy to
 make a child disingenuous2 if he be at 
all timid1 the work is already half done
 to one's hand4 ,of course1 all children
 are not bad who are brought up on such 
books1--one circumstance or another may 
counteract their hurtful tendency1--but 
the tendency is no less evident1 nor is 
it a vindication of any system to prove 
that some are good in its despite4      
,again1 the popularity of these tame1   
spiritless books is no conclusive       
evidence of their merit4 ,the poor      
children are given nothing else to read1
 and1 of course1 they take what they can
 get as better than nothing4 ,an eager  
child1 fond of reading1 will read the   
shipping intelligence in a newspaper1 if
 there be nothing else at hand4 ,does   
that show that he is properly supplied  

with reading matter8 ,they will read    
these books2 but they would read better 
books with more pleasure and more       
profit4  ,for our third rule1 let our   
children's stories have no lack of      
incident and adventure4 ,that will      
redeem any number of faults4 ,thus1     
,marryatt's stories1 and ,mayne ,reid's1
 although in many respects open to      
censure and ridicule1 are very popular1 
and deserve to be4 ,the books first put 
into a child's hands are right enough1  
for they are vivid4 ,whether the letter 
,a be associated in our infant minds    
with the impressive moral of ,in ,adam's
 fall ,we sinned all1 or gave us a      
foretaste of the ,apollo in ,a was an   
,archer1 and shot at a ,frog1--in either
 case1 the story is a plainly told      
incident1 7carefully observing the      
unities17 which the child's fancy can   
embellish for itself1 and the whole has 
an additional charm from the gorgeous   
coloring of an accompanying picture4    
,the vividness is good1 and is the only 

thing that is good4 ,why1 then1 should  
this one merit be omitted1 as our       
children grow a little older8 ,a        
lifeless moral will not school a child  
into propriety4 ,if a twig be           
unreasonably bent1 it is very likely to 
struggle in quite a different direction1
 especially if in so doing it struggle  
towards the light4 ,there is much truth 
in a blundering version of the old      
,scriptural maxim1 ,chain up a child1   
and away he will go4 ,if you want to do 
any good by your books1 make them       
interesting4  ,and with reference to all
 three rules1 remember that they are to 
be interpreted by the light of common   
sense1 and you will hardly need the     
following remarks3--  ,it is alike      
uncomfortable and useless to a child to 
be perpetually waylaid by a moral4 ,a   
child reading ,the ,pilgrim's ,progress 
will omit the occasional explanations of
 the allegory or resolutely ignore their
 meaning4 ,if you want to keep a poor   
child on such dry food1 don't mistake   

your own reason for doing so4 ,it may be
 eminently proper1 but it is very       
uncomfortable to him4 ,if you want      
children to enjoy themselves1 let them  
run about freely1 and don't put them    
into a ring1 in picturesque attitudes1  
and then throw bouquets of flowers at   
them4 ,but1 if you will do so1 confess  
it is not for their gratification1 but  
for your own4  ,if you choose to try the
 dangerous experiment of writing        
instructive stories1 beware of defeating
 your own object4 ,you write a story    
rather than a treatise1 because         
information is often more effective when
 indirectly conveyed4 ,clearly1 then1 if
 you convey your information too        
directly1 you lose all this advantage4  
,perfection is as intolerable in these  
as in any other stories4 ,we all want1  
especially children1 some amiable       
weaknesses to sympathize with4 ,thus1 in
 ,ernest ,bracebridge1 an ,english story
 of school-life1 the hero is a          
dreadfully unpleasant boy who is always 

successful and always right1 and we are 
soon heartily weary of him4 ,besides1 he
 is a horrible boy for mastery of all   
the arts and sciences1 and delivers     
brief and epigrammatic discourses1 being
 about twelve years old4 ,however1 the  
book is full of adventure and out-door  
games1 and so far is good4  ,after all1 
a child does not need many books4 ,if1  
however1 we are to have them1 we may as 
well have good ones4 ,there is no reason
 why dulness should be diverted from its
 legitimate channels into the writing of
 children's books4 ,let us disabuse     
ourselves of the idea that these are the
 easiest books to write4 ,let us        
remember that the alphabet is harder to 
teach than the ,greek ,drama1 and no    
longer think that the proper man to     
write children's books is the man who is
 able to write nothing else4   ,the     
,simplicity of ,christ's ,teachings1 set
 forth in ,sermons4 ,by ,,charles ,t4   
,,brooks1 ,pastor of the ,unitarian     
,church1 ,newport1 ,r4 ,i4 ,boston3     

,crosby1 ,nichols1  ,co4 #ahei4 #afmo4  
pp4 #cdb4  ,the name of the author of   
this volume has long been known as that 
of an accomplished man of letters4      
,successive volumes of poetic versions1 
chiefly from the ,german1 had1 by their 
various merit1 gained for him a high    
rank among our translators1 when four   
years ago1 in #ahef1 by a translation of
 ,faust1 he set himself at the head of  
living authors in this department of    
literature4 ,it is little to say of his 
work1 that it is the best of the        
numerous ,english renderings of         
,goethe's tragedy4 ,it is not           
extravagant to assert that a better     
translation is scarcely possible4 ,it is
 a work which combines extraordinary    
fidelity to the form of the original    
with true appreciation of its spirit4   
,it is at once literal and free1 and    
displays in its execution the qualities 
both of exact scholarship and of poetic 
feeling and capacity4  ,this work1 and  
the others of a similar kind which      

preceded it1 were the result of the     
intervals of leisure occurring in the   
course of their author's professional   
life as a clergyman4 ,while the wider   
world has known him only through these  
volumes1 a smaller circle has long known
 and loved him as the faithful and able 
preacher and pastor1--as one to whom the
 most beautiful description ever written
 of the character of a good parson might
 be truly applied2 for      ,a good man 
he was of religioun1     ,that was a    
poure ,persone of a toun3     ,but riche
 he was of holy thought and werk2       
,he was also a lerned man1 a clerk1     
,that ,cristes gospel trewely wolde     
preche1     ,his parishens devoutly     
wolde he teche4             99       99 
99       99       99      ,and ,cristes 
lore and his apostles' twelve     ,he   
taught1 but first he folwed it himselve4
  ,and it is in this character that he  
now comes before us in the volume which 
is well entitled ,the ,simplicity of    
,christ's ,teachings4  ,it is a         

misfortune that the qualities which     
distinguish most published sermons are  
not such as to recommend them on the    
score of literary merit4 ,the volumes of
 religious discourses which are worthy  
to hold a place in literature1 when     
judged by the usual critical standard1  
are very few4 ,a very large proportion  
of those which are continually appearing
 from the press deserve no remembrance1 
and fortunately have no permanence4     
,they are addressed to a special class  
of readers1--a class generally neither  
of highly cultivated taste1 nor of acute
 critical perception4 ,their writers are
 rarely men of sufficient talent to win 
for themselves recognition out of their 
own narrow set4 ,what in the slang of   
the day are called sensation sermons are
 no exception to the common rule4 ,their
 momentary effect1 depending upon       
exaggeration and extravagance1 is no    
indication of worth4 ,we should no more 
think of criticizing them in a literary 
journal1 than of criticizing the novels 

of ,mr4 ,cobb or ,mr4 ,reynolds4 ,some  
of the causes of the poverty of thought 
and of the negligence of style of       
average sermons are obvious4 ,the very  
interest and importance of the subjects 
with which the preacher has to deal     
oftentimes serve to deaden rather than  
to excite the mind of one who takes them
 up in the formal round of duty4 ,the   
pretensions of the clergy of many sects1
 pretensions as readily acknowledged as 
made1 save them from the necessity of   
intellectual exertion4 ,the frequent    
recurrence of the necessity of writing1 
whether they have anything to say or    
not1 leads them into substituting words 
for thoughts1 platitudes for truths4    
,the natural weariness of long-continued
 solitary professional labor brings     
mental lassitude and feebleness4 ,the   
absence of the fear of close and        
watchful criticism prevents them from   
bestowing suitable pains upon their     
composition4 ,these and other causes    
combine to make the mass of the writing 

which is delivered from the pulpit      
poorer than any other which passes      
current in the world1--perhaps1 indeed1 
not poorer in an absolute sense1 but    
poorer when compared with the nature of 
the subjects that it treats4 ,it is by  
no means1 however1 to be inferred1 that1
 because a sermon is totally without    
merit as a work of literature1 it is    
incapable of producing some good in     
those who listen to it4 ,on the         
contrary1 such is the frame of mind of  
many who regularly attend church1 that  
they are not unlikely to derive good    
from a performance which1 if weak1 may  
yet be sincere1 and which deals with the
 highest truths1 even if it deal with   
them in an imperfect and unsatisfactory 
manner4 ,and1 indeed1 as ,george        
,herbert says1 good may be got from the 
worst preaching2 for1                   
if all want sense1     ,god takes the   
text1 and preacheth patience4           
,unquestionably1 however1 there is too  
much preaching in these days2 too many  

sermons are written1 and the spirit of  
,christianity is less effective than if 
the words concerning it were less       
numerous4  ,it is a rare satisfaction1  
therefore1 to find such a volume of     
sermons as that of ,mr4 ,brooks1 which1 
though not possessing the highest merit 
in point of style1 are the discourses of
 a thoughtful and cultivated man1 with a
 peculiar spiritual refinement1 and with
 a devout intellect1 made clear by its  
combination with purity of heart and    
simplicity of faith4 ,the religious     
questions which are chiefly stirring the
 minds of men are taken up in them and  
discussed with what may be called an    
earnest moderation1 with elevation of   
feeling and insight of spirit4          
,goethe's ,correspondence with a ,child4
 ,boston3 ,ticknor  ,fields4 #ahei4     
,the immediate cause of the             
republication of these letters is the   
recent death of ,bettina1 the child with
 whom ,goethe corresponded4 ,though this
 fact1 and the beauty of the volume1 may

 quicken the sale of the work1 and draw 
out fresh encomiums on its excellence1  
it has long since passed the critical   
crisis and taken its place as one of the
 most remarkable series of letters which
 the public have ever been invited to   
peruse4 ,something of the marvellous    
vanishes from them1 however1 when we    
find that the title1 ,correspondence    
with a ,child1 is a misnomer2 ,bettina  
having been1 in truth1 twenty-two years 
of age when she first visited ,goethe4  
,yet while this important circumstance  
abates much of the wonder with which we 
once read her thoughts and confessions1 
they really become all the more valuable
 as studies in human nature when we     
learn that they are the exhalations of a
 heart in full flower1 and one upon     
which the dews of morning should not    
linger4 ,the poet had reached the age of
 sixty when this tide of tender         
sentiment1 original ideas1 and          
enthusiastic admiration began to flow in
 upon him4 ,their first interview1 as   

,bettina describes it1 with singular    
freedom1 in one of the letters to       
,goethe's mother1 will be found a useful
 key1 though perhaps not a complete one1
 by which to interpret the glowing      
passion which gushed from her pen4 ,that
 the poet was pleased with the homage of
 this sweet1 graceful1 and affectionate 
girl1 and drew her on to the revealing  
of her whole nature1 is readily         
perceived4 ,but when we inquire1 ,to    
what end8 we should remember1 that1 like
 ,parrhasius1 ,goethe was before all    
things an artist2 and furthermore1 the  
correspondence of time will show that   
from this crowning knowledge the        
,elective ,affinities sprang4 ,it may be
 that her admiration was for his genius 
alone2 if so1 she chose love's language 
for its wealth of expression4 ,were it  
so received1 it could not but be        
regarded as a peerless offering1 for she
 was certainly a kindred spirit4 ,there 
are many rare thoughts and profound     
confessions in these letters1 which     

would have commanded the praise of      
,goethe1 had they been written by a     
rival2 and coming1 as they did1 from a  
devotee who declared that she drew her  
inspiration from him alone1 they must   
have filled his soul with incense1 of   
which that burned by the priest in the  
temple of the gods is only an emblem4   
,to be brief and compendious on this    
book1 it appears to be a heart unveiled4
 ,german critics throw some doubts on   
the literal veracity of the book2 but it
 belongs at any rate to the better class
 of the ben trovati1 and among its      
leaves1 the dreamer1 the lover1 and the 
poet will find that ambrosial fruit on  
which fancy loves to feed1 but whose    
blossoms are so generally blasted by the
 common air that only the few favored   
ones have had their longings for it     
appeased4 ,in imagination1 at least1    
,bettina partook of this banquet1 and   
had the genius to wreak on words the    
emotions which swept through her heart4 
,sir ,rohan's ,ghost4 ,a ,romance4      

,boston3 ,j4 ,e4 ,tilton  ,company4     
#ahfj4 pp4 #ceb4  ,it is very plain that
 we have got a new poet1--a tremendous  
responsibility both for him who will    
have to learn how to carry the brimming 
vase of ,art from the ,pierian spring   
without squandering a drop1 and for us  
critics who are to reconcile ourselves  
to what is new in him1 and to hold him  
strictly to that apprenticeship to the  
old which is the condition of mastery at
 last4  ,criticism in ,america has      
reached something like the state of the 
old ,continental currency4 ,there is no 
honest relation between the promises we 
make and the specie basis of meaning    
they profess to represent4 ,the most    
extraordinary book of the age is        
published every week2 genius springs up 
like mullein1 wherever the soil is thin 
enough2 the yearly catch of weird       
imagination1 thrilling pathos1 splendid 
description1 and sublime imagery does   
not fall short of an ordinary           
mackerel-crop2 and profound originality 

is so plenty that one not in the secret 
would be apt to take it for commonplace4
 ,now ,tithonus1 whom1 as the oldest    
inhabitant1 we have engaged to oversee  
the criticism of the ,atlantic1 has a   
prodigiously long memory1--almost as    
long as one of ,dickens's descriptive   
passages1--he remembers perfectly well  
all the promising young fellows from    
,orpheus down1 and has made a notch on  
the stalk of a devil's-apron for every  
one who ever came to anything that was  
of more consequence to the world than to
 himself4 ,his tally has not yet mounted
 to a baker's dozen4 ,accordingly1 when 
a young enthusiast rushes to tell       
,tithonus that a surprising genius has  
turned up1 that venerable and cautious  
being either puts his hand behind his   
ear and absconds into an extemporary    
deafness1 or says dryly1 ,american kind1
 ,i suppose8 ,this coolness of our wary 
senior is infectious1 and we confess    
ourselves so far disenchanted by it1    
that1 when we go into a library1 the    

lettering on the backs of nine-tenths of
 the volumes contrives to shape itself  
into a laconic ,hic jacet4  ,it is of   
prime necessity to bring back the       
currency of criticism to the old        
hard-money basis4 ,we have been         
gradually losing all sense of the true  
relation between words and things1--the 
surest symptom of intellectual decline4 
,and this looseness of criticism reacts 
in the most damaging way upon literature
 by continually debasing the standard1  
and by confounding all distinction      
between fame and notoriety4 ,ought it to
 be gratifying to the author of ,popular
 ,sovereignty1 a ,poem in ,twelve       
,cantos1 to be called the most          
remarkable man of the age1 when he knows
 that he shares that preminence with    
,mr4 ,tupper1 nay1 with half the names  
in the ,directory8 ,indiscriminate      
eulogy is the subtlest form of          
depreciation1 for it makes all praise   
suspicious4  ,we look upon artistic     
genius as the rarest and most wayward   

apparition among mankind4 ,it cannot be 
predicated upon any of ,mr4 ,buckle's   
averages4 ,given the census1 you may1   
perhaps1 say so many murders1 so many   
suicides1 so many misdirected letters   
7and men of letters71 but not so many   
geniuses4 ,in this one thing old ,mother
 ,nature will be whimsical and womanish4
 ,this is a gift that ,john ,bull1 or   
,johnny ,crapaud1 or ,brother ,jonathan 
does not find in his stocking every     
,christmas4 ,crude imagination is common
 enough1--every hypochondriac has a more
 than ,shakspearian allowance of it2    
fancy is cheap1 or nobody would dream2  
eloquence sits ten deep on every        
platform4 ,but genius in ,art is that   
supreme organizing and idealizing       
faculty which1 by combining1 arranging1 
modulating1 by suppressing the abnormal 
and perpetuating the essential1 apes    
creation1--which from the shapeless     
terror or tipsy fancy of the benighted  
ploughman can conjure the sisters of    
,fores heath and the court of           

,titania1--which can make language      
thunder or coo at will1--which1 in      
short1 is the ruler of those qualities  
any one of which in excess is sure to   
overmaster the ordinary mind1 and which 
can crystallize helpless vagary into the
 clearly outlined and imperishable forms
 of ,art4  ,it is not1 therefore1 from  
any grudging incapacity to appreciate   
new authors1 but from a strong feeling  
that we are to guard the graves of the  
dead from encroachment1 and their fames 
from vulgarization1 that the ,atlantic  
has been and will be sparing in its use 
of the word genius4 ,one may safely     
predicate power1 nicety of thought and  
language1 a clear eye for scenery and   
character1 and grace of poetic          
conception of a book1 without being     
willing to say that it gives proof of   
genius4 ,for genius is the shaping      
faculty1 the power of using material in 
the best way1 and may not work itself   
clear of the besetting temptation of    
personal gifts and of circumstances in a

 first or even second work4 ,it is      
something capable of education and      
accomplishment1 and the patience with   
which it submits itself to this needful 
schooling and self-abnegation is one of 
the surest tests of its actual          
possession4 ,could even ,shakspeare's   
poems and earlier plays come before us  
for judgment1 we could only say of them1
 as of ,keats's ,endymion1 that they    
showed affluence1 but made no sure      
prophecy of that artistic               
self-possession without which plenty is 
but confusion and incumbrance4  ,so much
 by way of preface1 lest we might seem  
cold to the very remarkable merits of   
,sir ,rohan's ,ghost1 if we treated it  
as a book worth finding fault with1     
instead of condemning it to the         
indifferent limbo of general eulogy4 ,it
 is our deliberate judgment that no     
first volume by any author has ever been
 published in ,america showing more     
undoubtful symptoms of genuine poetic   
power than this4 ,there are passages in 

it where imagination and language       
combine in the most artistic            
completeness1 and the first quatrain of 
the song which ,sir ,rohan fancies he   
hears1--      ----,in a summer twilight1
       ,while yet the dew was hoar1     
,i went plucking purple pansies         
,till my love should come to shore1--   
seems to us absolutely perfect in its   
simplicity and suggestiveness4 ,it has  
that wayward and seemingly accidental   
just-right-ness that is so delightful in
 old ballads4 ,the hesitating cadence of
 the third line is impregnated with the 
very mood of the singer1 and lingers    
like the action it pictures4 ,all those 
passages in the book1 too1 where the    
symptoms of ,sir ,rohan's possession by 
his diseased memory are handled1 where  
we see all outward nature but as wax to 
the plastic will of imagination1 are to 
the utmost well-conceived and carried   
out4 ,it was part of the necessity of   
the case that the book should be        
conjectural and metaphysical1 for it is 

plain that the author is young and has  
little experience of the actual4        
,accordingly1 with a true instinct1 she 
7for the newspapers ascribe the         
authorship of the book to ,miss         
,prescott7 calls her story a ,romance1  
thus absolving it from any cumbersome   
allegiance to fact1 and lays the scene  
of it in ,england1 where she can have   
old castles1 old traditions1 old        
families1 old servants1 and all the     
other olds so essential to the young    
writer1 ready to her hand4  ,we like the
 book better for being in the main      
subjective 7to use the convenient word  
,mr4 ,ruskin is so angry with72 for a   
young writer can only follow the ,german
 plan of conjuring things up from the   
depths of his inward consciousness4 ,the
 moment our author quits this sure      
ground1 her touch becomes uncertain and 
her colors inharmonious4                
,character-painting is unessential to a 
romance1 belonging as it does properly  
to the novel of actual life1 in which   

the romantic element is equally out of  
place4 ,fielding1 accordingly1 the      
greatest artist in character since      
,shakspeare1 hardly admits sentiment1   
and never romance1 into his             
master-pieces4 ,hawthorne1 again1       
another great master1 feeling           
instinctively the poverty and want of   
sharp contrast in the externals of our  
,new ,england life1 always shades off   
the edges of the actual1 till1 at some  
indefinable line1 they meet and mingle  
with the supersensual and imaginative4  
,the author of ,sir ,rohan attempts     
character in ,redruth the butler1 and in
 the villain and heroine of her story4  
,we are inclined to think the villain   
the best hit of the three1 because he is
 downright scoundrel without a redeeming
 point1 as the ,nemesis of the story    
required him to be1 and because he is so
 far a purely ideal character4 ,but     
there is no such thing possible as an   
ideal butler1 at least in the sense our 
author assumes in the cellar-scene4 ,the

 better poet1 the worse butler2 and so  
we are made impatient by his more than  
,redi-isms about wine1 full of fancy as 
they are in themselves1 because they are
 an impertinence4 ,for the same reason1 
we forgive the heroine her rhapsodies   
about the figures of the                
,arthur-romances1 but cannot pardon her 
descents into real life and her         
incursions on what should be the        
sanctuary of the breakfast-table4 ,the  
author attributes to her a dash of gypsy
 blood2 and if her style of humorous    
conversation be a fair type of that of  
the race in general1 we no longer wonder
 that they are homeless exiles from     
human society4 ,when will men learn the 
true nature of a pun1--that it is a play
 upon ideas1 and not upon sounds1--and  
that a perfect one is as rare as a      
perfect poem8  ,in the prose ,edda1 the 
dwarfs tell a monstrous fib1 when they  
pretend that ,kvasir1 the inventor of   
poetry1 has been suffocated by his own  
wisdom4 ,nevertheless1 the little       

fellows showed thereby that they were   
not short of intelligence2 for it is    
almost always in their own overflow that
 young poets are drowned4 ,this         
superabundance seems to us the chief    
defect in ,sir ,rohan's ,ghost4 ,the    
superabundance is all very fine1 of the 
costliest kind2 but was ,clarence any   
the better for being done to death in   
,malmsey instead of water8  ,this fault 
we look on as a fault of promise4 ,there
 is always a chance that luxuriance may 
be pruned1 but none short of a miracle  
that a broomstick may be made to        
blossom4 ,there is1 however1 one        
absolute1 and not relative fault in the 
book1 which we find it harder to        
forgive1 since it is one of instinct    
rather than of ,art4 ,the author seems  
to us prone to confound the terrible1   
7the only true subject of ,art7 with the
 horrible4 ,the one rouses moral terror 
or aversion1 the other only physical    
disgust4 ,this is one of the worst      
effects of the modern ,french school    

upon literature1 the inevitable result  
of its degrading the sensuous into the  
sensual4  ,we have found all the fault  
we could with this volume1 because we   
sincerely think that the author of it is
 destined for great things1 and that she
 owes it to the rare gift she has been  
endowed with to do nothing              
inconsiderately1 and by honest          
self-culture to raise natural qualities 
to conscious and beneficent powers4     
,,recent ,,american ,,publications      
,,received ,,by ,,the ,,editors ,,of    
,,the ,,atlantic ,,monthly4   ,essays of
 ,elia4 ,by ,charles ,lamb4 ,a ,new     
,edition4 ,boston4 ,william ,veazie4    
#hvo4 pp4 #dff4 #a4be4  ,archaia2 or1   
,studies of the ,cosmogony and ,natural 
,history of the ,hebrew ,scriptures4 ,by
 ,j4 ,w4 ,dawson1 ,,ll4 ,d41 ,f4 ,g4    
,s41 ,principal of ,mc,gill ,college1   
,author of ,acadian ,geology1 etc4      
,montreal4 ,b4 ,dawson  ,son4 #abmo4 pp4
 #djf4  ,manual of ,public ,libraries1  
,institutions1 and ,societies in the    

,united ,states and ,british ,provinces 
of ,north ,america4 ,by ,william ,j4    
,rhees1 ,chief ,clerk of the            
,smithsonian ,institution4              
,philadelphia4 ,j4 ,b4 ,lippincott  ,co4
 #hvo4 pp4 xxviii41 #fhg4 #c4jj4  ,the  
,oakland ,stories4 ,by ,george ,r4      
,taylor1 of ,virginia4 ,volume ,i4      
,kenny4 ,new ,york4 ,sheldon  ,co4      
#afmo4 pp4 #agf4 #ej cts4  ,the         
,florence ,stories4 ,by ,jacob ,abbott4 
,florence and ,john4 ,new ,york4        
,sheldon  ,co4 #afmo4 pp4 #beb4 #fj     
cents4  ,poems read at the ,opening of  
the ,fraternity ,lectures1 #aheh-i4 ,by 
,f4 ,b4 ,sanborn and ,rufus ,leighton1  
,jr4 ,boston4 ,printed for the          
,fraternity4 #afmo4 pp4 #ei4 #be cts4   
,the ,law of the ,territories4          
,philadelphia4 ,printed by ,c4 ,sherman 
and ,son4 #afmo4 pp4 #abg4 #ej cts4     
,the ,wife's ,trials and ,triumphs4 ,by 
the ,author of ,grace ,hamilton's       
,school-,days1 etc4 ,new ,york4 ,sheldon
  ,co4 #afmo4 pp4 #cdg4 #a4jj4  ,the    

,old ,battle-,ground4 ,by ,j4 ,t4       
,trowbridge1 ,author of ,father         
,brighthopes1 etc4 ,new ,york4 ,sheldon 
,co4 #bdmo4 pp4 #bgf4 #ej cts4          
,abridgment of the ,debates of          
,congress1 from #aghi to #ahef4 ,from   
,gales and ,seaton's ,annals of         
,congress2 from their ,register of      
,debates2 and from the ,official        
,reported ,debates1 by ,john ,c4 ,rives4
 ,by the ,author of the ,thirty ,years' 
,view4 ,volume ,,xii4 ,new ,york4       
,appleton  ,co4 #hvo4 pp4 #hjg4 #b4ej4  
,woman's ,right to ,labor2 or1 ,low     
,wages and ,hard ,work3 in ,three       
,lectures1 delivered in ,boston1        
,november1 #ahei4 ,by ,caroline ,h4     
,dall4 ,boston4 ,walker1 ,wise1  ,co4   
#afmo4 pp4 xvi41 #ahd4 #ej cts4  ,the   
,diary of a ,samaritan4 ,by a ,member of
 the ,howard ,association of ,new       
,orleans4 ,new ,york4 ,harper           
,brothers4 #abmo4 pp4 #cbd4 #a4jj4  ,a  
,popular ,history of the ,united ,states
 of ,america3 from the ,discovery of the

 ,american ,continent to the ,present   
,time4 ,by ,mary ,howitt4 ,illustrated  
with ,numerous ,engravings4 ,in ,two    
,volumes4 ,new ,york4 ,harper           
,brothers4 #abmo4 pp4 xii41 #djf2 xii41 
#chh4 #b4jj4  ,poems4 ,by ,henry        
,timrod4 ,boston4 ,ticknor  ,fields4    
#afmo4 pp4 iv41 #acj4 #ej cts4  ,new    
,miscellanies4 ,by ,charles ,kingsley4  
,boston4 ,ticknor  ,fields4 #abmo4 pp4  
vi41 #cge4 #a4jj4  ,the ,two ,christmas 
,celebrations1 ,a4 ,d4 #a and #ahee4 ,a 
,christmas ,story for #ahef4 ,by        
,theodore ,parker1 ,minister of the     
#bhth ,congregational ,society of       
,boston4 ,boston4 ,rufus ,leighton1 ,jr4
 ,small #hvo4 pp4 #df4 #ej cts4  ,frank 
,wildman's ,adventures on ,land and     
,water4 ,by ,frederick ,gerstaecker4    
,translated and revised by ,lascelles   
,wraxall4 ,with ,eight ,illustrations1  
printed in ,oil ,colors4 ,boston4       
,crosby1 ,nichols1  ,co4 #afmo4 pp4     
viii41 #cab4 #a4jj4  ,the ,boy ,tar2 or1
 ,a ,voyage in the ,dark4 ,by ,captain  

,mayne ,reid4 ,with ,twelve             
,illustrations1 by ,charles ,keene4     
,boston4 ,ticknor  ,fields4 #afmo4 pp4  
iv41 #cef4 #ge cts4  ,the ,crusades and 
the ,crusaders4 ,by ,john ,g4 ,edgar1   
,author of ,boyhood of ,great ,men1 etc4
 ,with ,eight ,illustrations1 by ,julian
 ,portch4 ,boston4 ,ticknor  ,fields4   
#afmo4 pp4 x41 #chj4 #ge cts4  ,the     
,white ,hills3 their ,legends1          
,landscape1 and ,poetry4 ,by ,thomas    
,starr ,king4 ,with ,sixty              
,illustrations1 engraved by ,andrew1    
from ,drawings by ,wheelock4 ,boston4   
,crosby1 ,nichols1  ,co4 #hvo4 pp4      
xviii41 #djc4 #e4jj4  ,a ,look at ,home2
 or1 ,life in the ,poor-,house of ,new  
,england4 ,by ,s4 ,h4 ,elliot1 ,author  
of ,rolling ,ridge4 ,new ,york4 ,h4     
,dexter  ,co4 #abmo4 pp4 #dij4 #a4jj4   
,how ,could ,he ,help ,it8 or1 ,the     
,heart ,triumphant4 ,by ,a4 ,s4 ,roe1   
,author of ,i've been ,thinking1 etc4   
,new ,york4 ,derby  ,jackson4 #abmo4 pp4
 #ddc4 #a4be4  ,evenings at the         

,microscope2 or1 ,researches among the  
,minuter ,organs and ,forms of ,animal  
,life4 ,by ,philip ,henry ,gosse1 ,f4   
,r4 ,s4 ,with ,illustrations4 ,new      
,york4 ,appleton  ,co4 #abmo4 pp4 xii41 
#dhj4 #a4ej4  ,hester1 the ,bride of the
 ,islands4 ,a ,poem4 ,by ,silvester ,b4 
,beckett4 ,portland4 ,bailey  ,noyes4   
#abmo4 pp4 #ccf4 #a4jj4  ,great ,facts3 
,a ,popular ,history and ,description of
 the most ,remarkable ,inventions during
 the ,present ,century4 ,by ,frederick  
,c4 ,bakewell1 ,author of ,philosophical
 ,conversations1 etc4 ,illustrated with 
,numerous ,engravings4 ,new ,york1      
,appleton  ,co4 #abmo4 pp4 xii41 #cjg4  
#a4jj4  ,prince ,charlie1 the ,young    
,chevalier4 ,by ,merideth ,johnes1      
,author of ,the ,boy's ,book of ,modern 
,travel1 etc4 ,with ,eight              
,illustrations1 by ,n4 ,s4 ,morgan4 ,new
 ,york4 ,appleton  ,co4 #afmo4 pp4 #cca4
 #ge cts4  ,edith ,vaughan's ,victory2  
or1 ,how to ,conquer4 ,by ,helen ,wall  
,pierson1 ,author of ,sophie ,krantz4   

,new ,york4 ,appleton  ,co4 #afmo4 pp4  
#bhi4 #fc cts4  ,a ,history of the      
,cemetery of ,mount ,auburn4 ,by ,jacob 
,bigelow1 ,president of the             
,corporation4 ,boston4 ,munroe  ,co4    
#afmo4 pp4 xvi41 #bfc4 #a4jj4  ,here and
 ,there2 or1 ,heaven and ,earth         
,contrasted4 ,new ,york4 ,appleton  ,co4
 #ahmo4 pp4 #da4 #be cts4  ,a ,report of
 the ,celebration at ,norwich1 ,ct41 on 
the #bjjth ,anniversary of the          
,settlement of the ,town1 ,sept4 #gth   
and #hth1 #ahei4 ,with an ,appendix1    
containing ,historical ,documents of    
,local ,interest4 ,norwich4 ,john ,w4   
,stedman4 #hvo4 pp4 #cjd4 #a4ej4        
,re-,statements of ,christian ,doctrine1
 in ,twenty-,five ,sermons4 ,by ,henry  
,w4 ,bellows1 ,minister of ,all-,souls' 
,church1 ,new ,york4 ,new ,york4        
,appleton  ,co4 #abmo4 pp4 viii41 #dcd4 
#a4be4  ,the ,great ,harmonia3 being a  
,progressive ,revelation of the ,eternal
 ,principles which inspire ,mind and    
govern ,matter4 ,by ,andrew ,jackson    

,davis4 ,vol4 ,v4 ,in ,three ,parts4    
,new ,york4 ,a4 ,j4 ,davis  ,co4 #abmo4 
pp4 #dch4 #a4jj4  ,history of the       
,republic of the ,united ,states of     
,america1 as traced in the ,writings of 
,alexander ,hamilton and his            
,contemporaries4 ,by ,john ,c4          
,hamilton4 ,vol4 ,v4 ,new ,york4        
,appleton  ,co4 #hvo4 pp4 xii41 #fjc4   
#b4ej4  ,life of ,lafayette4 ,written   
for ,children4 ,by ,e4 ,cecil4 ,with    
,six ,illustrations4 ,boston4 ,crosby1  
,nichols1  ,co4 #afmo4 pp4 vi41 #bah4   
#ge cts4  ,self-,help2 with             
,illustrations of ,character and        
,conduct4 ,by ,samuel ,smiles1 ,author  
of ,the ,life of ,george ,stephenson4   
,boston4 ,ticknor  ,fields4 #afmo4 pp4  
xiv41 #djh4 #ge cts4  ,bible ,stories in
 ,bible ,language4 ,new ,york4 ,appleton
  ,co4 ,square #afmo4 pp4 #aig4 #a4be4  
,martha's ,hooks and ,eyes4 ,new ,york4 
,appleton  ,co4 #ahmo4 pp4 #abi4 #cg    
cts4  ,christian ,believing and ,living4
 ,sermons4 ,by ,f4 ,d4 ,huntington1     

,d4,d41 ,preacher to the ,university1   
and ,plummer ,professor of ,christian   
,morals in ,harvard ,college4 ,boston4  
,crosby1 ,nichols1  ,co4 #abmo4 pp4     
viii41 #ebh4 #a4be4  ,ernest            
,bracebridge2 or1 ,schoolboy ,days4 ,by 
,w4 ,h4 ,g4 ,kingston4 ,boston4 ,ticknor
  ,fields4 #afmo4 pp4 iv41 #cdd4 #ge    
cts4  ,baby ,nightcaps4 ,by the ,author 
of ,nightcaps4 ,new ,york4 ,appleton    
,co4 #ahmo4 pp4 #adj4 #ej cts4  ,the    
,new ,nightcaps told to ,charley4 ,new  
,york4 ,appleton  ,co4 #ahmo4 pp4 #bjg4 
#ej cts4  ,rainbow's ,journey4 ,by      
,jacob ,abbott4 ,new ,york4 ,harper     
,brothers4 #afmo4 pp4 #bja4 #ej cts4    
,harry's ,summer in ,ashcroft4 ,with    
,illustrations4 ,new ,york4 ,harper     
,brothers4 #ahmo4 pp4 #bjd4 #ej cts4    
,seven ,years4 ,by ,julia ,kavanagh1    
,author of ,adele1 ,nathalie1 etc4      
,boston4 ,ticknor  ,fields4 #hvo4 pp4   
#ahj4 #cj cts4  ,the ,sea-,lions2 or1   
,the ,lost ,sealers4 ,by ,j4 ,fenimore  
,cooper4 ,illustrated from ,drawings by 

,f4 ,o4 ,c4 ,darley4 ,new ,york4 ,w4 ,a4
 ,townsend  ,co4 #abmo4 pp4 #dij4 #a4ej4
  ,the ,professor at the                
,breakfast-,table2 with the ,story of   
,iris4 ,by ,oliver ,wendell ,holmes4    
,boston4 ,ticknor  ,fields4 #abmo4 pp4  
#daj4 #a4jj4  ,misrepresentation4 ,a    
,novel4 ,by ,anna ,h4 ,drury1 ,author of
 ,friends and ,fortune1 etc4 ,new ,york4
 ,harper  ,brothers4 #hvo4 paper4 pp4   
#baj4 #ej cts4  ,history of ,peter the  
,great1 ,emperor of ,russia4 ,by ,jacob 
,abbott4 ,with ,engravings4 ,new ,york4 
,harper  ,brothers4 #afmo4 pp4 #cfh4 #fj
 cts4