as the original, may be omitted here. They set
forth that in the vault of the world's night a new star had appeared
which men had not yet named, nor would be likely to name until the power
of human speech should be considerably increased, and the verses dwelt
upon the theme, turning it and revolving it in several ways, finally
declaring that the far-darting sun must look out for his interests unless
he meant to be outshone by the new star. Translated into English there
was nothing very remarkable about the performance though the original
Greek ode was undoubtedly very good of its kind. But Mrs. Goddard was
determined to be pleased.

"I think it is charming," she said, when John had reached the end and
paused for her criticism.

"The Greek is very much better," said John doubtfully. "I cannot write
English verses--they seem to me so much harder."

"I daresay," said Mrs. Goddard. "But did you really write that
when--" she stopped not knowing exactly how to express herself. But
John had his answer ready.

"Oh, I wrote ever so many," he said, "and I have got them all at
Cambridge. But that is the only one I quite remember. I wrote them just
after the day when I waked up Muggins--the only time I had seen you till
now. I think I could--"

"How funny it seems," said Mrs. Goddard, "without knowing a person, to
write verses to them! How did you manage to do it?"

"I was going to say that I think--I am quite sure--I could write much
better things to you now."

"Oh, that is impossible--quite absurd, Mr. Short," said Mrs. Goddard,
laughing more gaily than usual.

"Why?" asked John, somewhat emboldened by his success. "I do not see why,
if one has an ideal, you know, one should not understand it much better
when one comes near to it."

"Yes--but--how can I possibly be your ideal?" She felt herself so much
older than John that she thought it was out of the question to be
annoyed; so she treated him in a matter of fact way, and was really
amused at his talk.

"I don't see why not," answered John stoutly. "You might be any man's
ideal."

"Oh, really--" ejaculated Mrs. Goddard, somewhat startled at the force of
the sweeping compliment. To be told point-blank, even by an enthusiastic
youth of one and twenty, that one is the ideal woman, must be either very
pleasant or very startling.

"Excuse me," she said quickly, before he could answer her, "you know of
course I am very ignorant--yes I am--but will you please tell me wh