Judge Elbridge

to enter into conversation with the son. Howard was talkative; his mind might have been termed dyspeptic instead of digestive. The books, stories, sketches, scraps that he read, ill-stored, appeared

ed the subject, but the

ing himself to Howard, but to the table. "It was the literature of France that weakened h

re but three men worthy to be estimated as memorable in all the history of this life-Moses, Shakespeare and Homer. He belonged to

d, "that in his secret mind he

issued by you, sir, are not always

ant for the arrest of a fact

yes and slowly open them. "You think Hugo lovely," said the

im. But some of the girls said

redit upon the judgment of the girls who pronounced him horrid," said the Judge. "His

to practice it, not without heeding the hint, but with a defense of his custom. He had elected governors, and was not to be ruled into discomfort by a woman who had written a book on etiquette. He knew politeness as well as the next man or next woman, for that matter. Many a time had he seen Senator Bascomb, who owe

" said William, squaring in readiness to def

rature," How

. "There is no French literature. They

tical Warwick and Howard, the former snatching a cue from his brother, affirming that the influence of France had always been bad, the latter maintaining that France had civilized and cultivated the modern world. Florence pulled at Howard's coat sleeve; and the Judge, observing her, and irritated that

ught not to talk about things that i

ard, to oppose him,

can't do or say a thing to please him. I'm no child, and not a fool, I hope; then, why should I be treated as if I had no sense at all? What have I done that he should turn against me? He treats everyone else with consideration and resp

stand it. I am aware that my forbearance heretofore may have misled you with regard to the extent of my endurance, but I want to say that

u," Howar

Thank me

's all,' and I t

far as his strength will permit him. He's-he's set himself against us, and as he runs riot in the privilege of the spoiled heir, why, I guess we'll have to stand it-

he us. Who's the other?" Howard asked, immensely tickled,

e Billying. I always know what

and ended by giving you a

ailor to mark out the angles of a raw-boned man-that pipe's

brought it from Ge

they peddle them in baskets and sell them by the paper b

the risk of acceptance beca

straightening up, looked at Howard as if he wo

I," sai

do

-unless there is

treading on his trace chains. You remind

t-horse,

y gaze, and she whispered to Florence that even the pin-feathers of his dignity had begun to rise. "Better than a circus," he replied. "I don't see any similarity except that we have a clown." He winked at Mrs. Elbridge, as if he expected her to rejoice in what he believed to be a victory over the young man. Marriage may cripple a man's opportunities-in som

admitted. "They have a whole group of

d fellow, "do you mea

d one, Unc

ant, with Uncle William, not the opprobrious, but the commendable. During his boyhood, to be a clown was to be greater than a judge, gr

lown, Uncle Billy. Aspiration is,

you mean

o don't yearn. Who knows that genius is not desire-just desire, and nothing more. I know a man over at St. Jo that can eat more cherries t

"Rachel, do you think he's lost

o me that way. I won't put up with it, si

I'd better go," he broke in, getting up. "I'll

esk, began to rummage among some papers. "Trying to swim?" the Judge

ooking for

ou were tryi

r our hearty agreement at the breakfast table. But it's what I get for taking

that you didn't preach-didn't want

ed here, I can g

d. I am expectin

I can

n y

everybody on the place. You have pois

document before him. After a time, and stil

, sir," said Howard.

t it was

to beg your pardon for what I said at b

sary to beg my

h one hand resting upon the table.

deci

is in me and I can reach it I will pull it out. I could

. "To your lack of virtue yo

han any I have ever read. Be frank w

to teach yo

t is to come of it all when you treat me t

you leave m

nst me when you are alone, it seems; and you p

d him off. "Go