Horace Chase

r robes of green, the air was like champagne; it would have been difficult to say which river danced more gayly along its course, the

brother, Thomas Mackintosh; that is, she had a room under his roof and a seat at his table. But she did not spend much time at home, rather to the relief of Mrs. Thomas Mackintosh, an easy-going Southern woman, with several young children, including an obstreperous pair of twins. Maud Muriel, dismissing the lan

ows less change in a hundred years than any other portion of the Union. The Old North, as it was called, was a wooden structure painted white, with outside blinds of green; in front of it extended a row of magnificent maple-trees. Miss Billy had a small sittin

f proportion to be willing to give many minutes (for I have even seen you taking out knots!) to a substance whose value really amounts to about the thousandth part of a cent! I have stopped on my way to the barn to tell you two things, Wilhelmina. One is that I do not like your 'Mountain Walk.'" Here she took a roll of d

of the pre-Adamite trees, which I hope to make,

tate of mind of the artist! If Ruskin's theory is true, very good persons who visit the poor and go to church, are, if they dabble in water-colors, or pen-and-ink sketches, the greatest of art

id Miss Billy, guiltily co

hing I had to tell you is that the result of my inquiries of a friend at the North who keeps in touch with the latest investigations of Liébeault and the Germans, is, that there may, after all, be something in the subject you mentioned to me, namely, the possibility of influencing a person, not present, by means of an

her mind upon the proposed castigation. But in spite of her efforts her thoughts wo

to be dressing and undressing yourself whenever you wish to know what time it is?" (For Miss Billy, who tried to follow the fashions to some extent, was putting her own watch back in her bodi

bject of the watch-pocket (an old one). "I have some books to take, so I may as well

use she knew, and probed in old closets and bookcases in search of novels for Mrs. Franklin. For years she had performed this office. Wh

Miss Billy started to cross also, but after three or four steps she turned and hurried back to the curb-stone. Then suddenly she started a second time, running first in one direction, then in another, and finally and unexpectedly in a third, so that the drivers of the wagons nearest to her, and even the very horses themselves, were filled with perplexity as to the course which she wished to pursue. Miss Billy, meanwhile, finding herself hemmed in, began to shriek wildly. The drivers in front stretched their necks round the corners of the canvas hoods erected, like gigantic Shaker bonnets, over their high-piled loads, in order to see wh

hed L'Hommedieu, Bill

for her companion. They found Dolly in the parlor, winding silk for her next pair of stockings. "Here are s

othing for to-day. The one she had yesterday was very dull; she said she was 'worrying'

t is sure to come," de

in A.D

ued Maud Muriel, putting up her finger impress

o this statement with

elf, and myself as parents-that cert

riel turned to go; and, unconsciously, B

" said Maud, sternly, as she

," said Ruth. "I want you to

repeated Doll

self, she says, so that there may be no more bagging," answered Ruth, laughing. "I know

r own costumes were always of one unbroken tint, the same from head to foot. To men's eyes, therefore, her attire had an air of great simplicity. Women perceived at once that this unvarying effect was not obtained without much thought, and Genevieve herself would have been the last to disclaim such attention. For she believed that it was each woman's duty to dress as becomingly as was possible, because it increased her attraction; and the greater her attraction, the greater her influence. If she had been asked, "influence for what?" she would have replied unhesitatingly, "influen

tage she said: "I may as well tell you-there will be no fitting. For Mr.

Miss Billy, who at heart w

pleased. But I am, ever so much." She took a morocco case from her pocket, and, opening it, disclosed a ring of very deli

iss Billy, with

erfect. And I should like to have twenty or thirty bracelets, all of odd patterns, to wear on my arms above the elbow. And I should like close rows of jewels to wear round my throat. And clasps of jewels for the belt; and s

bracelet!" excl

ty? H

o take him to the Colored Home. "As you have shown so much kindly interest in the Mis

aid Chase, when he entered. "For my horses have come and I ought

Genevieve, graciously. "But can't you stay for a

ers above in pyramidical gradations, so that the smallest were near the cornice. At that distance the subjects of the smaller pictures were more or less indistinguishable; but at least the arrangement of the frames wa

a single window overlooking the kitchen roof,

ough he thought the husband of Genevieve a fortunate man,

o answering smile). "And this is my garden. I can never tell you how glad I am that we have at last a fixed home of our own, Horrie. No more wandering about! Jay is able to spend a large part of his summers here, and, later, when he has made a little more money, he will come for the whole summer-four months. And I go to R

w he was in business for himself in a small way at Raleigh; it was upon his establishment there that Genevieve had started this summer home in Asheville. "Our prospects are much brighter," she went on, cheerfully; "for at present we have a future. No one has a future in the navy; no one can make money there. But now there is no reason why Jay sho

he railroad," she went on, as sh

it, you shall be admitted into the rin

here beforehand-

, haven't you, Gen! Better than any one

way; I have always regretted

that

ourse, is simply pity. This is my little dairy, Horri

house, had followed to the dairy; and the

Mr. Chase, at three o'clock in the mor

early," Genevi

ked an early breakfast as a child likes it. She found it difficult, therefore, to understand her mother-in-law's hour of nine,

we are once up, we remain up, available, fully awake, get-at-able, until midnight; we do not go off and seclude ourselves impregnably for two hours or so in the middle

uth, giving her the morocco case. "Thank you, Mr. Chase;

" said Cha

his is such

e to get it; it was my partner, in fact, Mr. Willoughby. I told

ly, browbeaten though she was by almost everybody, possess

e," Ruth declared, as she took the ring, slipp

me proud,

won't fly away; there'll be more clean turbans next week. Meanwhile, I have something very pressing. I have long wanted Miss Mackintosh to make a bust of Petie Trone, Esq. And she won't, because she thinks it is frivolous. But if you will go with me, Mr. Chase, and speak of it as a fine thing to do, she will be impressed, I

conclusion. They had left the dairy, and were standing in the garden, and her despair renewed itself as, in the brighter light, she n

'll have the little scamp in bronze, if you like. Don't worry about his age

n Miss Billy's. "You must go, too, Miss Billy, so that yo

o have been selected, one and all, for their strictly commonplace aspect; they had not even the distinction of ugliness. There were three old men with ordinary features, and no marked expression of any kind; there were six middle-aged wo

ed the "dogs and animals of all sorts" which he had seen in bronze and marble in the galleries abroad. No one laughed, as the form

y arms with sharp elbows and thin fingers, withered old arms with clawlike phalanges, lean arms of growing boys wi

d, with decision. "I prefer to model the usual, the aver

, cover him with average mud, and beat him so that he would cower and slin

of him. A life-sized statue," added Chase, laughing; "he must be about eleven inches long! Do him for me," he went on, bo

not. The condition called "clinched," which with most persons is occasion

inute," cried Ruth, hurrying

I tell you?" said the sculptress to

Maud Muriel. I really did

, of course, we shall be going home with each other all the

e should wait until she could find her dog, and bring him to the barn. "Be

pole. I am afraid I must leave you now, Miss Ruth;

e hor

in

m? Oh, I love horses

went towards the village; for Maud Muriel's barn was on the outskirts. In figure he was tall, thin, and muscular. He never appeared to be in haste; all his movements were leisure

or a moment. Then she w

morning visit to the post-office. On his retur

d Chase, quickly, as

ast are sure to be more or less disagreeable. Well, have you decided? Are you coming to my place?" For Etheridge had rooms in a private house, where he paid for a whole wing in o

icating the hotel near by with a backward turn of his thumb. "My horses a

holiday squadron only, a fleet of yachts. Some years before, he had resigned his commandership in the Northern club. But he was still a commodore, almost in spite of himself, for he had again b

d in the stable, if

nd that there was nothing in Asheville, and as I'm going to stay awhile longer (for the air

ks like

took a prize with a trotter; 'twas a very small race, to be sure; but a big thing to me. Not long after that, there was another prize offered for a well-matched pair, and

nted the Bubble Baking-po

nd broad ambitions, criticism from this obscure old man would have seemed comical. Anthony Etheridge was not so obscure a personage as Chase fancied. But he was not known in the world of business or of speculation, and he had very little money. This last fact Chase had immediately divined. For he recognized in Etheridge a man who would never have denied himsel

e inventor and I ran it together, in a sort of partnership, as long as he lived. 'Tw

like greatly to see your mare go," he said. "Here, boy, is

red the negro, who

ase? It will do her good to stre

caused them both to turn thei

you doing here in the stables?

addressed Chase. She had already learned that she could count

per. And here is the mare, Kentucky Belle. Your friend, the commodore, was urging

" said Ruth. "Oh, please do

un against her, Miss Ruth

, "and ask him for-for" (he could not remember the na

inoo, sah

to come

negro starte

). "No match, of course, for your mare, Chase. Still, it will make a little sport." His color had risen; his face was young with anticip

hase. "I won't be the least

er for lots of it," he answered. "Come along

t, there was less to be said against her presence. They led the way, therefore. Then came Chase's man with the mare, Etheridge keeping close to the beautiful beast, and watching her gait with critical eyes. All the hangers-on of the stable bro

one of you who can ride her properly." It turned out, however, tha

ase. (This was because he had been talking to R

the other men just once, to sh

e, please,"

Cartright, followed by the Asheville colt, ridden by a l

ence," said Ruth. "How astonished he looks

pened it by leaning from his saddle, and came across to join them. As he rode up, Etheridge was urging another round. "If I were not such a heavy weight, I'd ride the mare myself!" he declared, with enthusiasm. Cyrus Ja

e, on her side, could not comprehend such awkwardness. "I'll go a few paces with them, just to get them well of

ourse, in spite of the clergyman's efforts to pull him up. The mare, hearing the thundering sound of his advance behind her, began to go faster. Old Daniel passed the Asheville colt as though he were nothing at all; then, stretching out his gaunt head, he went in pursuit of the steed in front like a mad creature, the dust of the ring rising in clouds

ones; and down the lane which led from the main street had rushed all the whites within call, led by the postmaster himself, a veteran of the Mexican War. After the fourth round, Kentucky Belle de

od gracious!" murmured the missionary, as he quickly dismounted, pulled his hat straight,

d tightly) on his left, he made with his two companions a stately progress back to the hotel, followed by the mare led by Cartright, with Etheridge as body-guard; then by Cyrus Jaycox, wi

th, Ruth escaped and took refuge within, accompanied by the troubled clergyman; and a moment later Chase and Etheridge followed. Ruth had led the way to Miss Billy's sitt

ained Ruth. "A real horse-race round the old track out

ith me?" he suggested. "To celebrate Daniel's triumph, you know? I am coming here to stay, so I might as well begin. The dinner

ay," said Ruth. "And the commodo

Good-day," said the mi

hing," he said; "the man of the hour! We can't bring old

. Then, with an outburst of confidence: "It is impossible for me to remain where Miss Macki

tress with lovelorn compliments, Chase paid Maud Muriel such devoted attention that for the moment she forgot poor Hill, or rather she left him to himse

" A saucer containing gravy was then brought and placed by the side of each plate. Small hot buscuits were offered instead of bread, and eaten with the golden mountain butter. M