was my capacity for joy that my appetite would depart completely when I
heard my mother say； questioningly and with proper wifely respect
〃If you're really going off on a business trip for a day or two； Mr。
Paret〃 （she generally addressed my father thus formally）； 〃I think I'll
go to Robert's and take Hugh。〃
〃Shall I tell Norah to pack； mother；〃 I would exclaim； starting up。
〃We'll see what your father thinks； my dear。〃
〃Remain at the table until you are excused； Hugh；〃 he would say。
Released at length； I would rush to Norah； who always rejoiced with me；
and then to the wire fence which marked the boundary of the Peters domain
next door； eager； with the refreshing lack of consideration
characteristic of youth； to announce to the Peterseswho were to remain
at home the news of my good fortune。 There would be Tom and Alfred and
Russell and Julia and little Myra with her grass…stained knees； faring
forth to seek the adventures of a new day in the shady western yard。
Myra was too young not to look wistful at my news； but the others
pretended indifference； seeking to lessen my triumph。 And it was Julia
who invariably retorted 〃We can go out to Uncle Jake's farm whenever we
want to。 Can't we； Tom？〃。。。
No journey ever taken since has equalled in ecstasy that leisurely trip
of thirteen miles in the narrow…gauge railroad that wound through hot
fields of nodding corn tassels and between delicious； acrid…smelling
woods to Claremore。 No silent palace 〃sleeping in the sun；〃 no edifice
decreed by Kubla Khan could have worn more glamour than the house of
Cousin Robert Breck。
It stood half a mile from the drowsy village； deep in its own grounds
amidst lawns splashed with shadows； with gravel paths edgedin barbarous
fashion； if you please with shells。 There were flower beds of equally
barbarous design； and two iron deer； which； like the figures on Keats's
Grecian urn； were ever ready poised to flee；and yet never fled。 For
Cousin Robert was rich； as riches went in those days： not only rich； but
comfortable。 Stretching behind the house were sweet meadows of hay and
red clover basking in the heat； orchards where the cows cropped beneath
the trees； arbours where purple clusters of Concords hung beneath warm
leaves： there were woods beyond； into which； under the guidance of Willie
Breck； I made adventurous excursions； and in the autumn gathered
hickories and walnuts。 The house was a rambling； wooden mansion painted
grey； with red scroll…work on its porches and horsehair furniture inside。
Oh； the smell of its darkened interior on a midsummer day！ Like the
flavour of that choicest of tropical fruits； the mangosteen； it baffles
analysis； and the nearest I can come to it is a mixture of matting and
corn…bread； with another element too subtle to define。
The hospitality of that house！ One would have thought we had arrived； my
mother and I； from the ends of the earth； such was the welcome we got
from Cousin Jenny； Cousin Robert's wife； from Mary and Helen with the
flaxen pig…tails； from Willie； whom I recall as permanently without shoes
or stockings。 Met and embraced by Cousin Jenny at the station and driven
to the house in the squeaky surrey； the moment we arrived she and my
mother would put on the dressing…sacks I associated with hot weather； and
sit sewing all day long in rocking…chairs at the coolest end of the
piazza。 The women of that day scorned lying down； except at night； and
as evening came on they donned starched dresses； I recall in particular
one my mother wore； with little vertical stripes of black and white； and
a full skirt。 And how they talked； from the beginning of the visit until
the end！ I have often since wondered where the topics came from。
It was not until nearly seven o'clock that the train arrived which
brought home my Cousin Robert。 He was a big man； his features and even
his ample moustache gave a disconcerting impression of rugged integrity；
and I remember him chiefly in an alpaca or seersucker coat。 Though much
less formal； more democraticin a wordthan my father； I stood in awe
of him for a different reason； and this I know now was because he
possessed the penetration to discern the flaws in my youthful character；
flaws that persisted in manhood。 None so quick as Cousin Robert to
detect deceptions which were hidden from my mother。
His hobby was carpentering； and he had a little shop beside the stable
filled with shining tools which Willie and I； in spite of their
attractions； were forbidden to touch。 Willie； by dire experience； had
learned to keep the law； but on one occasion I stole in alone； and
promptly cut my finger with a chisel。 My mother and Cousin Jenny
accepted the fiction that the injury had been done with a flint arrowhead
that Willie had given me； but when Cousin Robert came home and saw my
bound hand and heard the story； he gave me a certain look which sticks in
my mind。
〃Wonderful people； those Indians were！〃 he observed。 〃They could make
arrowheads as sharp as chisels。〃
I was most uncomfortable。。。。
He had a strong voice； and spoke with a rising inflection and a marked
accent that still remains peculiar to our locality； although it was much
modified in my mother and not at all noticeable in my father； with an odd
nasal alteration of the burr our Scotch…Irish ancestors had brought with
them across the seas。 For instance； he always called my father Mr。 Par…
r…ret。 He had an admiration and respect for him that seemed to forbid
the informality of 〃Matthew。〃 It was shared by others of my father's
friends and relations。
〃Sarah；〃 Cousin Robert would say to my mother； 〃you're coddling that boy；
you ought to lam him oftener。 Hand him over to me for a couple of
monthsI'll put him through his paces。。。。 So you're going to send him
to college； are you？ He's too good for old Benjamin's grocery business。〃
He was very fond of my mother； though he lectured her soundly for her
weakness in indulging me。 I can see him as he sat at the head of the
supper table； carving liberal helpings which Mary and Helen and Willie
devoured with country appetites； watching our plates。
〃What's the matter； Hugh？ You haven't eaten all your lamb。〃
〃He doesn't like fat； Robert；〃 my mother explained。
〃I'd teach him to like it if he were my boy。〃
〃Well； Robert； he isn't your boy；〃 Cousin Jenny would remind him。。。。
His bark was worse than his bite。 Like many kind people he made use of
brusqueness to hide an inner tenderness； and on the train he was hail
fellow well met with every Tom； Dick and Harry that commuted；although
the word was not invented in those days；and the conductor and brakeman
too。 But he had his standards； and held to them。。。。
Mine was not a questioning childhood； and I was willing to accept the
scheme of things as presented to me entire。 In my tenderer years； when I
had broken one of the commandments on my father's tablet （there were more
than ten）； and had； on his home…coming； been sent to bed； my mother would
come softly upstairs after supper with a book in her hand； a book of
selected Bible stories on which Dr。 Pound had set the seal of his
approval； with a glazed picture cover； representing Daniel in the lions'
den and an angel standing beside him。 On the somewhat specious plea that
Holy Writ might have a chastening effect； she was permitted to minister
to me in my shame。 The amazing adventure of Shadrach； Meshach and
Abednego particularly appealed to an imagination needing little
stimulation。 It never occurred to me to doubt that these gentlemen had
triumphed over caloric laws。 But out of my window； at the back of the
second storey； I often saw a sudden； crimson glow in the sky to the
southward； as though that part of the city had caught fire。 There were
the big steel…works； my mother told me； belonging to Mr。 Durrett and Mr。
Hambleton； the father of Ralph Hambleton and the grandfather of Hambleton
Durrett； my schoolmates at Miss Caroline's。 I invariably connected the
glow； not with Hambleton and Ralph； but with Shadrach； Meshach and
Abednego！ Later on； when my father took me to the steel…works； and I
beheld with awe a huge pot filled with molten metal that ran out of it
like water； I asked himif I leaped into that stream； could God save me？
He was shocked。 Miracles； he told me； didn't happen any more。
〃When did they stop？〃 I demanded。
〃About two thousand years ago； my son；〃 he replied gravely。
〃Then；〃 said I； 〃no matter how much I believed in God； he wouldn't save
me if I jumped into the big kettle for his sake？〃
For this I was properly rebuked and silenced。
My boyhood was filled with obsessing desires。 If God； for example； had
cast down； out of his abundant store； manna and quail in the desert； why
couldn't he fling me a little pocket money？ A paltry quarter of a
dollar； let us say； which to me represented wealth。 To avoid the
reproach of the Pharisees； I went into the closet of my bed…chamber to
pray； requesting that the quarter should be dropped on the north side of
Lyme Street； between Stamford and Tryon； in short； as conveniently near
home as possible。 Then I issued forth； not feeling overconfident； but
hoping。 Tom Peters； leaning over the ornamental cast…iron fence which
separated his front yard from the street； presently spied me scanning the
sidewalk。
〃What are you looking for； Hugh？〃 he demanded with interest。
〃Oh； something I dropped；〃 I answered uneasily。
〃What？〃
Naturally； I refused to tell。 It was a broiling； midsummer day； Julia
and Russell； who had been warned to stay in the shade； but who were
engaged in the experiment of throwing the yellow cat from the top of the
lattice fence to see if she would alight on her feet； were presently
attracted； and joined in the search。 The mystery which I threw around it
added to its interest； and I was not inconsiderably annoyed。 Suppose one
of them were to find the quarter which God had intended for me？ Would
that be justice？
〃It's nothing；〃 I said； and pretended to abandon the questto be renewed
later。 But this ruse failed； they continued obstinately to search； and
after a few minutes Tom； with a shout； picked out of a hot crevice
between t