espise good blood and good breeding and good manners。 That's all fol…de…rolthey love it。 They are eternally talking of equalityequality； one man as GOOD as another。 When they say that one man is as GOOD as another； Richard； they mean that THEY are as good； never the other poor fellow。〃
〃Now； my dear Lavinia； stop a moment；〃 laughed the inventor in protest。 〃You do not mean to say there are really no gentlemen north of us？〃
〃Plenty of gentlemen； Richard； but few thoroughbreds。 There is a distinction； you know。〃
〃Which do you value most？〃
〃Oh； the thoroughbred。 A gentleman might some time offend you by telling you the truth about yourself or your friends。 The thoroughbred； never；〃 and she lifted her hands in mock horror。
〃And he could be a rogue and yet his manners would save him？〃
〃Quite true； dear Richard； quite true。 The most charming man I ever met except your dear self〃 and she smiled graciously and lowered her voice as if what she was about to tell was in the strictest confidence〃was a shrivelled…up old prince who once called on my father and myself in Vienna。 He was as ugly as a crab； and walked with a limp。 There had been some words over a card…table； he told me； and the other man fired first。 I was a young girl then； but I have never forgotten him to this day。 Indeed； my dear Nathan；〃 and she turned to the old musician and laid her wee hand confidingly on his knee； 〃but for the fact that the princess was a most estimable woman and still alive； I might have been well； I really forget what I might have been； for I do not remember his name； but it was something most fascinating in five or six syllables。 Now all that man ever did to make that unaccountable impression upon me was just to pick up my handkerchief。 Oh； Nathan； it really gives me a little quiver to this day！ I never watch Oliver bow but I think of my prince。 Now I have never found that kind of quality； grace； bearing； presencewhatever you may choose to call itin the Puritan。 He has not time to learn it。 He despises such subtle courtesies。 They smack of the cavalier and the court to him。 He is content with a nod of the head and a hurried handshake。 So are his neighbors。 They would grow suspicious of each other's honesty if they did more。 Tut； tut； my dear Richard！ My prince's grooms greeted each other in that way。〃
Richard and Nathan laughed heartily。 〃And you only find the manners of the ante…chamber and the throne…room South？〃 asked the inventor。
〃Umnot always。 It used to be so in my day and yours； but we are retrograding。 It is unpardonable in our case because we have known better。 But up there〃 （and she pointed in the direction of the North Star） 〃they never did know better； that's some excuse for them。〃
〃Ah； you incorrigible woman； you must not talk so。 You have not seen them all。 Many of the men who do me the honor to come to my workroom are most delightful persons。 Only last week there came one of the most interesting scientists that I have met for〃
〃Of course； of course； I have not a doubt of it； my dear Richard； but I am talking of men； my friend； not dried mummies。〃
Again Richard laughed。 One of his greatest pleasures was to draw Miss Clendenning out on topics of this class。 He knew she did not believe one… half that she said。 It was the way she parried his thrusts that delighted him。
〃Well； then； take Mr。 Winthrop Pierce Lawrence。 No more charming gentleman ever entered my house。 You were in London at the time or you would certainly have dined with him here。 Mr。 Lawrence is not only distinguished as a statesman and a brilliant scholar； but his manners are perfect。〃
Miss Clendenning turned her head and looked at Richard under her eyelashes。 〃Where did you say he was from？〃
〃Boston。〃
〃Boston？〃 A rippling； gurgling laugh floated through the room。
〃Yes； Boston。 Why do you laugh？〃
〃Bostonians； my dear Richard； have habits and customs； never manners。 It is impossible that they should。 They are seldom underbred； mind you； they are always overbred； and； strange to say； without the slightest sense of humor； for they are all brought up on serious isms and solemn fads。 The excitement we have gone through over this outrageous book of this Mrs。 Stowe's and all this woman movement is but a part of their training。 How is it possible for people who believe in such dreadful persons as this Miss Susan Anthony and that Miss something…or…otherI forget her nameto know what the word 'home' really means and what graces should adorn it？ They could never understand my ugly prince； and he？well； he would be too polite to tell them what he thought of them。 No； my dear Richard； they don't know； they never will know； and they never will be any better。〃
Oliver had crossed the room and had reached her chair。
〃Who will never be any better； you dear Midget？〃 he cried。
〃You； you dear boy； because you could not。 Come and sit by me where I can get my hand on you。 If I had my way you would never be out of reach of my five fingers。〃
Oliver brought up a stool and sat at her feet。
〃Your Aunt Lavinia； Ollie；〃 said Richard； rising to his feet （this relationship was of the same character as that of Uncle Nathan Gill）； 〃seems to think our manners are retrograding。〃
〃Not yours？〃 protested Oliver； with a laugh； as he turned quickly toward Miss Clendenning。
〃No； you sweetheart； nor yours；〃 answered Miss Clendenning； with a sudden burst of affection。 〃Come； now； you have lived nearly two years among these dreadful Yankeeswhat do you think of them？〃
〃What could I think of people who have been so kind to me？ Fred Stone has been like a brother； and so has everybody else。〃
Mrs。 Horn had joined the group and sat listening。
〃But their manners； my son；〃 she asked。 〃Do you see no difference between them andandand your father's； for instance？〃 and she motioned toward Richard who was now moving across the room to speak to other guests。
〃Dad is himself and you are yourself and I am myself；〃 replied Oliver with some positiveness。 〃When people are kind I never stop to think how they do it。〃
〃Lovely；〃 Miss Clendenning whispered to Nathan。 〃Spoken like a thoroughbred。 Yes； he is BETTER than my ugly prince。 He would always have remembered how they did it。〃
〃And you see no difference either in the ladies？〃 continued Mrs。 Horn； with increasing interest in her tones。 〃Are the young girls as sweet and engaging？〃 She had seen Margaret's name rather often in his letters and wondered what impression she had made upon him。 Oliver's eyes flashed and the color mounted to his cheeks。 Miss Clendenning saw it and bent forward a little closer to get his answer。
〃Well； you see； mother； I do not know a great many； I am so shut up。 Miss Grant； whom I wrote you about； iswell； you must see her。 She is not the kind of girl that you can describe very well she really is not the kind of girl that you can describe at all。 We have been together all summer； and I stopped at her father's house for a few days when I came down from the mountains。 They live in the most beautiful valley you ever saw。〃
Miss Clendenning was watching him closely。 She caught a look that his mother had missed。
〃Is she pretty； Ollie？〃 asked Miss Lavinia。
〃She is better than pretty。 You would not say the Milo was pretty； would you？ There is too much in her for prettiness。〃
〃And are the others like her？〃 The little lady was only feeling about； trying to put her finger on the pulse of his heart。
〃No； there is nobody like her。 Nobody I have ever met。〃
Miss Clendenning was sure now。
Malachi's second entrancethis time with the great china bowl held above his headagain interrupted the general talk。
Since the memory of man no such apple…toddy had ever been brewed！
Even Colonel Clayton； when he tasted it； looked over his glass and nodded approvingly at its creator a recognition of genius which that happy darky acknowledged by a slight bend of his back； anything else being out of the question by reason of the size of the bowl he was carrying and the presence of his master and of his master's guests。
This deposited on a side table； another bowl filled with Olioa most surprising and never…to…be…forgotten salad of chicken and celery and any number of other toothsome thingswas placed beside it； together with a plate of moonshines and one of Maryland biscuits。
Then came some music； in which Oliver sang and Miss Clendenning played his accompanimentsthe old plantation melodies； not the new songsand next the 〃wrappings up〃 in the hall； the host and hostess and the whole party moving out of the drawing… room in a body。 Here Nathan； with great gallantry； insisted on getting down on his stiff marrow…bones to put on Miss Clendenning's boots； while the young men and Oliver tied on the girls' hoods； amid 〃good… byes〃 and 〃so glads〃 that he could come home if only for a day； and that he had not forgotten them； Oliver's last words being whispered in Miss Clendenning's ear informing her that he would come over in the morning and see her about a matter of the greatest importance。 And so the door was shut on the last guest。
When the hall was empty Oliver kissed his father good…night； and； slipping his arm around his mother's waist； as he had always done when a boy； the two went slowly upstairs to his little room。 He could not wait a minute longer。 He must unburden his heart about Margaret。 This was what he had come for。 If his mother had only seen her it would be so much easier； be said to himself as he pushed open his bedroom door。
〃You are greatly improved； my son；〃 she said； with a tone of pride in her voice。 〃I see the change already。〃 She had lighted the candle and the two were seated on the bed； his arm still around her。
〃How； mother？〃
〃Oh； in everything。 The boy is gone out of you。 You are more reposeful； more self…reliant。 I like your modesty too。〃 She could tell him of his faults； she could also tell him of his virtues。
〃And the summer has done you good；〃 she continued。 〃I felt sure it would。 Mr。 Slade has been a steadfast friend of yours from the beginning。 Tell me now about your new friends。 This Miss Grant is she not the same girl you wrote me about； some mouths agothe one who drew with you at the art school？ Do you like her people？〃 This th