Horace Chase

r in one of the large towns on the Hudson River. This paper had brought him in a good income, which he had spent in his liberal way, year after year. The Franklins were not extravagant; but th

the younger Jared, into the navy, the newspaper was sold. But it did not bring in so much as was expected, and the executors were forced in the end to sell the residence also; when the estate was finally cleared,

his was not much. But the queer, obstinate old woman did own two houses, one for the summer among the mountains of North Carolina, one for the winter in Florida. For she believed that she owed her remarkable health and longevity to a careful change of climat

ess and bereft, these houses seemed to beckon to her. They could not be sold while the war lasted, and even after that great struggle was over no purchasers appeared. In the meantime they were her own; they would be a roof, two roofs, over her head; and the milder climate would be exce

ina house on the bay," had been a standing advertisement in the St. Augustine Press year after year. But her hopes had been disappointed, and as the house still remained hers, she had only once been able to withstand the

p to these mountains in the summer. But old Miss L'Hommedieu had let everything run down; she had, in truth, no money for repairs. When the place, therefore, came into the hands of her niece, it was much dilapidated. And in her turn Mrs. Franklin had done very little in the way of renovation, beyond stopping the leaks of

collection of easy-chairs. "There are at least eight with the long seat which holds a man's body comfortably as far as the knees, as it ought to held; not ending skimpily half-way between the knee and the hip in the usual miserable fashion!" Mrs. Franklin had saved three of these chairs from the wreck of her northern hom

n repaid, and when the mother thought of them, she was troubled. But she did not think of them often; when she had succeeded (with difficulty) in paying the interest each year, she was able to dismiss the subject from her mind, and return to her old habit of taking life easily; for neither her father, the army officer, nor her husband, the liberal-handed editor, had ever taught her with any strictness the importance of a well-balanced account. Poor Dolly's health had always been uncertain. But when her childhood was over, her mother's tender help from minute to minute had kept her up in a determined attempt to follow the life led by other girls of her age. A mother's love can do much. But heredity, coming from the past, blind and deaf to all appeal, does more, and the brave effort failed. The elder Miss Franklin had now been for years an invalid, and an invalid fo

acefully reading a novel, when she was surprised by the entrance of Miss Breeze; she was surprised because Billy had paid her a visit in

t and jacket, won't

anklin, as she noted her guest's best dress, and

again; "I thought

t write Billy a love letter!" And she gave her sister a gl

ly to a chair near her table, and taking the planch

don't like it!" prot

ve it a question too hard to answer. Go to the dining-room and do some

rise, or to move about, by any idea of age. She was tall, with aquiline features, bright dark eyes, and thick silvery hair. As she was thin, her face showed the lines and fine wrinkle

plexing the medium; for although Mrs. Franklin knew perfectly well that her daughter invented all of planchette's replies, she remained nevertheless strongly opposed to even this pretended occultism. Dolly therefore pondered. But, as she did so, she was saying to herself that it was useless to ponder, and that she might

Ruth. "How absurd! Im

and called, "What d

likely thing I could think of," answered Mrs. Franklin's voice. "I went to the mirror

. Dolly herself was startled; she crumpled the

the outer door with his walking-stick. Dolly began to talk as soon as they came in, selecting a subject which had nothing to do with planchet

can see that field behind the Mackintosh house. Imagine my beholding Maud Muriel opening the gate this afternoon, crossing to the

reaking into a resounding la

tched her. Her face, as she puffed away, was exactly

. I have always thought that girl might be a genius if s

in. A moment later there came another ring, and the

Mrs. Franklin, smiling, as

stop it. I invited them all myself, late this afternoon; and it is a molasses-candy-pulling; Dolly

s," replied

" added Etherid

ad her sister to help her, and ever so many nice things are all ready; chicken salad, for instance; and-listen, His Grand-a long

Franklin

neral J

the

on cus

ishop

r-fec-

n by that?" said C

end that she thinks he is still at the White House. And Jared the Sixth means her son, you know. And they say she is fond of macaroon custards; that is,

tholic?" in

l Bishop of North Carolina," a

tist myself. Or at least my p

beside her; he seemed uneasy; he kept his hat in his hand. "I did not know that Mr. Chase was to be here, Miss Dolly, or I would not have come," he said to his companion, in an undertone. "I can't think what to make of myself-I'm becoming a regular cormorant! Strange to say, instead of being satisfied with all he has given to the Mission, I want more. I keep thinking of all the good he might do in these mou

f I notice you edging up too near him, I'll give a lou

theridge helped. Ruth did not accomplish much, for she stopped too often; but when she did work she drew out the fragrant strands to a greater length than any one else attempted, and she made wheels of it, and silhouettes of all the company, including Mr. Trone. Miss Billy had begun with much interest; then, seeing that Larue had done nothing beyond arranging the platters and plates in math

in, played a waltz. The uncarpeted floor was tempting, and after all the sticky hands had been washed, the dancing began-Ruth wi

t Dolly rest. "There was the mazurka; and the varsovienne-how pretty that was! La-la-la, la, la!" A

the edge of a table she whistled the tune, while the two dance

you know," said

pt on, undisturbed by his jests, bending her head a little to the right an

a. Surely you remember that, commodore,"

ent memory. It was considered old wh

n my life," answered

t from mother ages ago, just for fun. Are you rested, D

with one arm round the other's waist, and the remaining arm held curved above the head, danced down

y! Don't you think so? And dancing is so interesting in so many ways! Though, of course, th

aid Ruth. "Mother and the commodore; Miss Billy and Mr. Larue; Mr.

I don't dance,

" said Ruth,

remarked Chase, condol

s place, if you like," said Malachi

beside Dolly, watching her play, and regaling himself meanwhile with a sti

Ruth. "Please take

excuse of the Mission; it was a real dance. He already smoked; the next step certainly wou

y person we need, for we are trying to get up a quadrille

r hygienic reasons principal

w we will see if our generic geologist and sensational senator will refuse to dance with

alled him, Miss Maud?"

are only alliterative adjectives, Mr. Chase, rather ind

auty. If he had been speaking of her, he would have called her "prettyish"; but as he was only thinking, he allowed himself to note the charm of her eyes for the moment, the color in her cheeks and lips. For he was sure that it was only for the moment. "The coloring is evanesce

r hazel eyes were large, calm, and clear. She was a spinster of thirty-six-tall and thin, with large bones. And from her hair to her heels she was abnormally, extraordinarily straight. She danced with much vigor, scrutinizing Chase, and talk

e. And, Rinda, you may make ready here. We won't go to the

offee should be ready, began to sing. All the Franklins sang; Miss Billy had a sweet soprano, Maud Murie

ry merry Chris

hree, four,

strong, so w

ll so merril

s carolling like a bird. To Chase's mind it seemed odd that a woman so old as Mrs. Franklin, a woman with silver hair and grown-up children, should like to dance and sing. Dolly was certainly a very "live" invalid! And Ruth-well, Ruth was enchanting. Horace Chase's nature was always touche

first and s

day at fo

en replaced. The housewives whom he had hitherto known, so he said to himself, would have preferred to have their walls

s consumed amid much merriment. When the clock struck twelve, Maud Muriel rose. "I must be going," she said. "Wilhelmina, I came

re of accompanying y

see to Wilhelmina," answered Miss

other Achilles Larue would yet be her escort (though he never had been that, or anything else, in all

rue took leave of Mrs. Fr

e minutes' walk to the hotel, and if he had gone with me it would have counted as a call, an

anded Dolly, "why

e. Smoking is said to insure the night's rest, and so I thought it best to learn it, as my brother's children are singularly active at n

Then he gave Maud a jovial tap. "My dear young lady, don't go to the

feeling is, commodore. I secrete myself simply because people might not understand my motives

ebuff he had received from the stalwart virgin, passed her, and offered his arm to the gentler Miss Billy

ed you?" inquired the sculptress

t actually run. But he was round the corne

ll, you made a very merry party for your

for him," s

Dolly's, either," said Ruth; "he is mine alone. M

rue had noted it. "How striking she grows!" he thought. And, forgetting for

ishly: "Much appreciation? All, co