he fact that the big hotel and boarding houses were reasonably far
away. Mrs. Gobbins, who bossed the farm and its lord and master, was
exceedingly particular as to the occupants of her spare rooms, requiring
on their parts qualifications, which appeared to range between the
Christian virtues and appetites that would not crave too strongly for
city fleshpots.

I was agreeably disappointed by the place. The lake was within a short
walk; centenarian elms grew at the sides of the wide main street of the
village close at hand; the hills were clad in tender greens, only
streaked here and there by the trunks of blight-killed chestnuts. On the
road a pair of bluebirds had flitted in front of our chariot, like two
racing sapphires, and swallows perched on the telephone wires,
twittering. Holstein cows in a pasture envisaged us with a melancholy
air, deeming us harbingers of the summering crowd that would compel them
to work overtime to supply the dairies. But for the snarling of a couple
of dogs having a misunderstanding, far away, the atmosphere was one of
peace. Also, we passed a small forge where the blacksmith paused in the
shoeing of a sleepy and spavined steed, the better to gaze at us. He
nodded to our driver and resumed his occupation, unhurried.

"This, Frances, holds some advantage over Washington Square as a place
wherein to enjoy ease with dignity," I commented. "View the pretty house
at the turning of the road. One side is nearly smothered in climbing
vines and the picket fence has the silvery look of ancient split
chestnut. The cherry trees, I should judge, are ready to awaken the
ambitions of youthful climbers. I hope your domicile will prove half as
pretty."

She assented, smilingly, and assured Baby Paul, sleeping in her arms,
that he would be very happy and comfy and grow fat. At this moment our
Jehu stopped before the very house I had pointed out and turned the
horse's head into a grassy driveway. Then he drove on by the side of the
house and swept, at a mile and a half an hour, in front of the back
door. A large and beaming mongrel rose on the small porch, wagging a
remnant of tail. Chickens had been fleeing before us, suspecting the
purity of our intentions in regard to broilers, and three fat ducks
waddled off, greatly disturbed. An ancient turkey-cock uplifted his fan
and gobbled a protest, but Mrs. Gobbins appeared, smiling and clad in
highly respectable black, relieved by a little white at her neck.