ldn't give two cents on the dollar
for such as don't."

Mrs. March smiled dyingly on John, and said she feared her son wouldn't
either. John looked distressed and then laughed; but the president
declared her the picture of robust health. This did not seem to please
her entirely, and so he added,

"You've got to be, to write good poetry. It must be lots of fun, Mrs.
March, to dash off a rhyme just to while away the time--ha, ha, ha! My
wife often writes poetry when she feels tired and lazy. I know that
whirling this way through this beautiful country is inspiring you right
now to write half a dozen poems. I'd like to see you on one of those
lovely hillsides in fine frenzy rolling"--He said he meant her eye.

The poetess blushed. A whimper of laughter came from somewhere, but one
man put his head quickly out of a window, and another stooped for
something very hard to pick up, while John explained that crowds and
dust were no inspiration to his mother, who was here to-day purely for
his sake. She sat in limp revery with that faint shade on her face which
her son believed meant patience. He and the president moved a reverent
step aside.

"I hear," said Gamble, in a business undertone, "that your school's a
success."

"Not financially," replied John, gazing into the forward coach.

"Mr. March, why don't you colonize your lands? You can do it, now the
railroad's here."

"I would, sir, if I had the capital."

"Form a company! They furnish the money, you furnish the land. How'd I
build this road? I hadn't either money or lands. Why, if your lands were
out West"----the speaker turned to an eavesdropper, saying sweetly,
"This conversation is private, sir," but with a look as if he would
swallow him without sauce or salt, John mused. "My mother has such a
dislike,"--he hesitated.

"I know," the president smiled, "the ladies are all that way. If a
thing's theirs it just makes 'em sick to see anybody else make anything
out of it. I speak from experience. They'll die poor, keeping property
enough idle to make a dozen men rich. What's a man to do? Now, you"--a
long pause, eye to eye--"your lands won't colonize themselves."

"Of course not," mused John.

The president showed two cigars. "Would you like to go to the
smoking-car?"

March glanced toward his mother. She was looking at her two kinsmen with
such sweet sprightliness that he had trouble to make her see his
uplifted cigar. She met his parting smile with a gleam