s, the character of the surrounding
population, the growth of Chicago, the recent threat of a war with
Venezuela, the rise of a new leader in the Democratic party, a man whom
Jotham admired very much. As he was telling of the latter's exploits--it
appeared he had recently met him at Blackwood--Mrs. Blue appeared in the
front door.

"Jotham!" she called.

He rose. "My wife must want a bucket of water," he said, and strolled
away.

Eugene smiled. This was lovely. This was the way life should
be--compounded of health, strength, good nature, understanding,
simplicity. He wished he were a man like Jotham, as sound, as hearty, as
clean and strong. To think he had raised eight children. No wonder
Angela was lovely. They all were, no doubt.

While he was rocking, Marietta came back smiling, her blond hair blowing
about her face. Like her father she had blue eyes, like him a sanguine
temperament, warm and ruddy. Eugene felt drawn to her. She reminded him
a little of Ruby--a little of Margaret. She was bursting with young
health.

"You're stronger than Angela," he said, looking at her.

"Oh, yes, I can always outrun Angel-face," she exclaimed. "We fight
sometimes but I can get things away from her. She has to give in.
Sometimes I feel older--I always take the lead."

Eugene rejoiced in the sobriquet of Angel-face. It suited Angela, he
thought. She looked like pictures of Angels in the old prints and in the
stained glass windows he had seen. He wondered in a vague way, however,
whether Marietta did not have the sweeter temperament--were not really
more lovable and cosy. But he put the thought forcefully out of his
mind. He felt he must be loyal to Angela here.

While they were talking the youngest boy, David, came up and sat down on
the grass. He was short and stocky for his years--sixteen--with an
intelligent face and an inquiring eye. Eugene noted stability and quiet
force in his character at once. He began to see that these children had
inherited character as well as strength from their parents. This was a
home in which successful children were being reared. Benjamin came up
after awhile, a tall, overgrown, puritanical youth, with western
modifications and then Samuel, the oldest of the living boys and the
most impressive. He was big and serene like his father, of brown
complexion and hickory strength. Eugene learned in the conversation that
he was a railroad man in St. Paul--home for a brief vacation, after
three ye