The Old Blood

ailroad journey from the Southwest to New England; perhaps he would have taken the view of "our Philip's" mother that Phil

when the Berkshire slopes were dripping and glistening and smiling and the air, washed by showers and

over rocky shallows, the train ran out into a broad valley-the home valley. Not a road that he had not tramped over; n

oped old station agent in his moment of bustling importance. By the calendar of Bill's chin it was Tuesday; for Bill shaved only on Sunday and Wednesday afternoons. A man of observation an

t they're sort of lost-minded and dumb these days. And Hanks has put in a new soda founta

g can chang

y years from now. H-m-m!" after looking Phil over. "Bound to happen to young fellers out of c

ne of your epigrams,

e, not to mention a sententious way of saying things, which I've a

informed!"

everybody says. Soon as you've seen your folks and eat your veal, you and me must have

d of the vista of deep shade, in the bright light of the little square, the statue of a strenuous gentleman in bronze who, sword in hand, was charging British redcoats. For Long

ng deeper than that in a wave of personal gratitude to a famous sculptor, also a son of Longfield, known in other lands where the ancestor was unknown, who had taken the commission out of civi

salad to genius, he had told the family and societies and committees and all such that either he would have his way or they could employ a mortuary chiseller and a tailor, who would gratify their conceptions of martial dignity by clothing a gallant gent

, but of bringing touring automobiles to a standstill while their occupants appreciated, either by virtue of their own taste or by the desire to be in fashion with the taste of their superiors, what many considered to

n the elms. Tourists thought that other villages had equally as noble elms as Longfield-equally patched and scarred. Longfield knew better. Its elms were without

ers planted trees on such broad main streets as that of Longfield, with stretches of green border of old turf now curving around the massive trunks that supported their stately plumes-a street which Phil saw in its age, its serenity and its spring freshness with the appreciation of one come from the Southwest, plus the call of old association which absence strengt

essing the scene which was set for that hour in the routine of the Reverend Doctor and Mrs. Sanford, of Longfield. Their chairs in the accustomed places on the porch, the fat

ping with his anticipation and with the dependability of habit in Longfield, which was not the least of its charms. She was well on her way to meet him before his father had taken off his spectacles and placed the marker in his book. After Philip had embraced them they were silent, tak

ith a fluttering of mothering impulse, as he directed their steps by the

uch an undertaking and we're so pleased." She might have said proud, but that was a vain word. Self-wa

d he glanced around at his father in th

son!" put in the

right up against it. It was rough s

ed the father, who could

n. "It must have been rough, indeed." She would have

me to the rough stuff Philip was no piker! I've been studying up

?" Phil said. "I didn't tell you th

at her son's hands as if wonde

hem since," obse

point of unsatisfied maternal curiosity which his letters had never answered-"you never told us why it was

for long. Middle age found him the head of a great manufacturing business in New Jersey. Hieing homeward, New England fashion, he had built himself a big country place back in the hills, which he referred to as "my little farm." Pe

ter's side?"

't want to begin at th

he bottom of a cattle

ishment a place so humble but if I took it I might be the ruin of his business. You see, mother, I was cleaning out those

ink he was really hurt about it. I suppose you know that he is going to give all hi

ear him,

ng the kitchen doorway and covering the ample form of Jane, grinning and beneficent, who, as she herself said, was no skittish you

n him a thousand times. Unchanged the garden with its bounteous colour, its perfume, and green and budding and flowering promise of plenty in that little world walled in by larches from the nei

said Phil. "My roots are in t

nation that he had not yet brought himself to wear store teeth except at fune

d Jane. "Do you still like s

-m-y

as little. Lord, but you did have an appetite down to your soles

, Ja

other can make better str

is valley; your biscuits would melt in the mouth of a polar e

nce pleasing and convincing her that he was really getting a college ed

, sir!" sh

mothe

awberry shortcake than any hired girl that ever lived. Always stand up for your own flesh and blood, I

d followed Dr. Sanford into the study. Among the rows of books which made the wall invisible from floor to

to England?" he ask

ce and Germany; a

eh? The Teutonic influence is spreading in all our universities. We are in the age of materia

Arthur Sanford, The Vicarage, Truckleford, Hant

EAR C

ned from the West, where his success has been such that he can afford the trip to Europe which I might not give him myself as I wished afte

with him for a visit, which would bring you here in t

season with you it is possible for you to enjoy this American institution at home. I shal

Mrs. Sanford, in which my

erely

LIN SA

of proportion. If there be any fault to his manners, they come from his fa

e progenitor of the family came over with William the Conqueror, whose transports seem to have been as

aid Dr. Sanford, "younger and more interesting

e hazy than ever about genealogy since he had been in

andfathers was French and the other English, which is where the Sanford comes in, and one of the grandmothers was an American, on thei

a characteristic of t

e a real English home. It was

s own trip of thirty years ago, until he wa

said the mother, comi

rged Phil, and she c

champagne the rare New England air, which makes one live an hour in a minute. It is not for history to say how much shortcake Phil ate. Jane wondered if he had had

l as soon as he heard you w

ith Phil was hardly effusive. But Peter was not given to effusion about anything except his own projects, and they were so interesting that he could never c

pay only one cent. Get it? Those that take only the cold don't have to pay for heating for the others. Everybody pays for what he gets--justice, equality, democracy, and the square deal for all. Those that don't bathe often can put in another two cents and get six quarts for soaping, without sponging on the fellows that bathe every day. Anybody that wants to remain dirty-individual rights respected. Took th

rnerstone of the club

e slots. I'll have to close the works. Hear you're going to Europe? Hear they've promoted you and brought you to the New York office?" he i

ttom by what do you think?-by cleaning out cattle ca

igh horse before he could earn a living,"

er and be friends. Perhaps you think that I sometimes think that you'll leave your fortune to me. I know that you will not. Of course, I should like it, but there's no reason why you should give it to me more than to any one else. All I ask is an invitation to the clubhouse when it's dedicated. Why, if I had gone to work for you I might have

ckle. Evidently Dr. Sanford had seen something in the garden that amus

"I tell you I'm not used to having an

just as bad to think it. If you say one hard you may no

ng you!" Peter blurted

he good young man and agree with everything yo

on talking if you want to, as it's time for me to go!" and h

chuckle such full vent that it broke in

s to liking to see a self-conscious, self-made millionaire a trifle miserable

funny," assented Mrs.

her. The detail of their talk Phil could hardly have recollected the next day, but every sent

housand times. Following generations of professors, doctors, and lawyers had come the man of action. Phili

ged," said

father. "The world has humanis

like our ancestor?" Mrs. Sanford always re

likeness of feature. What relation are tho

th," said Mrs. S

would make if they all stood