s in the newspapers," she said
with an air of triumph.

Mr. Spence had, unluckily for the impression he was likely to create,
the courage of his convictions as I well knew, and as he began to reply
I felt less secure that he would not trench upon dangerous ground.

"There is a general tendency to ape foreign ideas, which is fast
destroying our originality as a nation," he continued.

"Foreign ideas are often the best," said my aunt.

"We are beginning to talk and dress, and dine and give in marriage, just
like all the rest of the world," he explained, without regarding her
comment.

Aunt Helen looked a little blank. Then with her most stately air she
said:--

"Surely you wouldn't have marriages performed before a Justice of the
Peace? It destroys all their sentiment. I know a great many persons who
wouldn't consider themselves married so. As to living differently, I
don't know what you mean. There are people here who advocate cremation,
co-operation, and that sort of thing, but one doesn't meet them in
society."

"I am no judge," said Mr. Spence coolly, "for I never go into society."

"Indeed!" Aunt Helen surveyed him through her eye-glass as if he were a
curious animal, and her haughtiness perceptibly increased. "Are
you--eh--in business in Boston?"

"No, madam. I am a Bohemian," replied Mr. Spence, in whose eye I
perceived a twinkle.

"A what? Ah, yes, of course. I understood you to say you were born in
this country. And the other gentleman--eh--is he a foreigner too?"

For an instant Mr. Spence looked bewildered; and as for me I was
inwardly convulsed, so much so that I betrayed my feelings in a smile at
the moment when Paul Barr was reciting a bloodcurdling piece of poetry
of his own composing,--an indiscretion which offended the artist-poet to
such an extent that in my efforts to mollify him I failed to catch Mr.
Spence's reply. He rose to take his leave at this point; but it chanced
that just then my father entered the room, and I was obliged to repeat
the introductions. While I was saying a few last words to Mr. Spence in
regard to the sort of instruction I was to receive from Mr. Fleisch,
Paul Barr conversed with my father, laying down the law in his most
superb fashion regarding the immense fortune in store for any one who
would start what he called a fig farm in this country. Although I had
never heard him broach a business matter before, he seemed entirely
familiar with his subject, and fairly b