Whilomville Stories

, for then came visitors from the city-people of considerable confidence-alighting upon their count

hich nothing was worse than the white dust which arose behind every vehicle at blinding noon, and nothing w

t everybody in the United States who knew about art and its travail knew about him. He had picked out a wife, and naturally, looking at him, one wondered how he had done it. She was quick, beautiful, imperious, while

had one child. Perhaps it would be better to say that they had one CHILD. It was a girl. When she came to Whilomville with her parents, it was patent that she had an

ed. In two days she was a Begum. All day long her voice could be heard directing, drilling, and compelling those free-b

ntil one day wa

escott garden and said to her father, confidently, "P

e lived with the desires of his life. But neither wife nor child ever heeded or even understood the temperamental values, and so some part of him had grown hardened to their inroads. "Mo

Most children are penniless three hundred days in the year, and to another possessing five pennies they pay deference. To little Cora waving a bright green note these children paid heathenish homage. In some disorder they thronged after her to a small shop on Bridge Stree

twins, for example, were out-and-out prize-winners. With their long golden curls and their countenances of similar vacuity, they shone upon the front bench of all Sunda

anybody. Jimmie Trescott himself was, indeed, the only child who was at all versed in villany, but in these particular days he was

ream and cake came chocolate mice, butter-scotch, "everlastings," chocolate cigars, taffy-on-a-stick, taffy-on-a-slate-pencil, and many semi-transparent devices resembling lions, tigers, elephants, horses, cats, dog

iron grip. Her first inspiration was to satisfy her own fancies, but as soon as that was done she mingled prodigalit

cred Margate twins, blinking and grunting, wished to take seat upon the floor, and even the most durable Jimmie Trescott found occasi

ted capacity, but they found there was an en

two twenty-seven, Miss Cora," he sai

much I have left!" They gazed at the coins in her palm. They knew then th

p some way of spending more money," she said, frownin

cried. "I know what let's do." Now behold, she had discovered the red and

winds that his diet was mainly cabbage, they were satisfied with that meagre data. Of course Riefsnyder came to investigate him for the local Barbers' Union, but he found in him only sweetness and light, with

sign-board. If a man had a mental superior, he guided him seductively to this name, and watched with glee his wrecking. The clergy of the town even entered the lists. There was one among them who had taken a collegiate prize in Syriac, as well as in several less opaque languages, and the other clergymen-at one of their weekly meetings-sought to betray him into this ambush. He pronou

e others were carried off their feet by the fury of this assault. To get their hair cut! What joy! Little did they know if this were fun; t

hair cut," said li

ves, stood looking at them

far woman's voice arose; there could be heard the ceaseless hammers of shingling carpenters; all was summe

o first! No! You go first!" The question was precipitated by the twins and one of the Phelps children. They made simultaneous rush for the chair, and screamed and kicked, each pair preventing the

gan to cut his hair. The group of children came closer and closer. Even

, with dignity. "Anyhow, I

ttle head, there was a tumult over the chair. The Margate twins how

e Trescott, then Ella Earl (two long ash-colored plaits), then a Phelps girl, then another Phelps girl; and so on from head to head. The ceremony received unexpected check when the turn came to Dan Earl. This lad, usually docile to any rein, had suddenly grown mulishly obstina

HERSELF TOO

rgate curls, the heart treasure and glory of a

onged out into the street. They crowed and cackled with p

shorn little maiden began vaguely to weep. In the door of his shop William