grave of her heart. Let this wide sea of green mirror that which
should one day lie above her bosom in this land of finished things.
Let the great lion gates guard off all intrusion, all curiosity, even
all well-intended courtesy. For her no cavalier should ever come
riding up the gravelled way, nor should lights ever set dancing again
the shadows in the great dining hall over the heads of guests assembled
in her honour. It was done--finished. And Mary Ellen was not yet
twenty-eight.

One morning the little street car stood, as was its wont, at the
terminus of the track, near the front of the wide grounds of the old
mansion house. This was far out upon the edge of the little city, and
few were the patrons that might be expected; but it was held but mere
courtesy to offer the services of the street-car line to this family,
so long recognised as one of the unimpeachably best of this Southern
city. This modern innovation of the street car was not readily taken
up by the conservative community, and though it had been established
for some years, it might be questioned whether its shares had ever paid
much interest upon their face value. Now and then a negress with a
laundry bundle, a schoolgirl with her books, a clerk hurrying to his
counter, might stop the lazy mules and confer the benefit of an
infrequent coin.

At this terminus of the line at the outskirts of the town there was
each morning enacted the same little scene. The driver slowly
unhitched his mules and turned them about to the other end of the car,
in readiness for the return journey. Matters having progressed this
far, the mules fell at once into a deep state of dejection and
somnolence, their ears lopping down, their bodies drooping and
motionless, save as now and then a faint swish of tail or wag of a
weary ear bespoke the knowledge of some bold, marauding fly. The
driver, perched upon his seat, his feet upon the rail, his knees pushed
toward his chin, sat with his broad hat drawn down upon his forehead,
his hands clasped between his legs, and all his attitude indicative of
rest. Slow clouds of dust passed along the road near by, and the glare
of the sun grew warm; but no motion came to either team or driver,
undisturbed by any care and bound by no inconvenient schedule. From
the big oaks came now and then the jangle of a jay, or there might be
seen flitting the scarlet flame of the cardinal. These things were
unnoted, and the hour droned on.