onounced
"a brilliant affair." This last stroke had put her at the head of her
little world. But now that Hilbrough was vice-president of the Bank of
Manhadoes, the new business relations brought her invitations from
beyond the little planetary system that revolved around the Reverend Dr.
North. It became a question of making her way in the general society of
Brooklyn, which had long drawn its members from the genteel quarters of
the Heights, the Hill, and the remoter South Brooklyn, and, in later
days, also from Prospect Park Slope. But at the houses of the officers
of the bank she had caught somewhat bewildering vistas of those involved
and undefined circles of people that make up in one way and another
metropolitan society on the New York side of East River. Three years
before Hilbrough entered the bank his family had removed into a new
house in South Oxford street, and lately they had contemplated building
a finer dwelling on the Slope. But Mrs. Hilbrough in a moment of
inspiration decided to omit Brooklyn and to persuade her husband to
remove to New York. There would be many advantages in this course. In
New York her smaller social campaigns were unknown, and by removal she
would be able to readjust with less difficulty her relations with old
friends in Dr. North's congregation. When one goes up one must always
leave somebody behind; but crossing the river would give her a clean
slate, and make it easy to be rid of old scores when she pleased. So it
came about that on the first of May following Hilbrough's accession to
the bank the family in a carriage, and all their belongings on trucks,
were trundled over Fulton Ferry to begin life anew, with painted walls,
more expensive carpets, and twice as many servants. A carriage with a
coachman in livery took the place of the top-buggy in which, by twos,
and sometimes by threes, the Hilbroughs had been wont to enjoy Prospect
Park. The Hilbrough children did not relish this part of the change. The
boys could not see the fun of sitting with folded hands on a carriage
seat while they rumbled slowly through Fifth Avenue and Central Park,
even when the Riverside Park was thrown in. An augmentation of family
dignity was small compensation for the loss of the long drive between
the quadruple lines of maples that shade the Ocean Parkway in full view
of the fast trotting horses which made a whirling maze as they flew past
them in either direction.

"There was some fun in a long Sat