The Tupelo journal., 1909-06-25
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democracy; had planted herself firmly
on the basic doctrine that the virtues
cultivated by slavery far outnumber
its ~inseparable vices; and that most
| people, If not all, need a master; had
been picturesquely and inaccurately
eloquent on the subject of dynamite
| (which she pronounced the logical
| fourth dimension of liberty, fraternity
and equality; had put the yellow rich
where they belonged; and the red
| anarchists mainly under the sod; and
she had abolished the Fourth of July
to the last sputter of fre-cracker;
thence by easy transitions she had
extolled American art (Which Ameri-
can patrons were too ignorant to ap
preciate), deplored American music
C'The trouble isn't that it is canned
says she, but that it was spoiled be
fore they canned it!") and was now
driving a chariot Of fire through
| American literature; as for the acad
| emics, they never said what they
| thought, but only what they thought
they ought to think; and they always
mistook anemia for refinement, as an
other school mistook yelling and per
| spring for vigor.
Just as Winter modestly entered
the arena, no less a parsonage than
| Henry James was under the wheels
Janet Smith had modestly confessed
to believing him a consummate artist;
and Millicent in an orotund voice de
clared that he went deep, deep down
into the mysteries of life.
81 don't deny it; he ought to gel
down Deep" returned Aunt Rebecca
in her %gentlest, softest utterance;
he's always boring"
Mrs. Melville's suppressed agitation
made her stays creak.
DO you really think that James is
not a great artist?" she breathed.
Il think he is not worth while" Il
Wow" cried Tracy. "Oh, l say
Aunt Rebecca; you cannot NEAR
-" this was Mrs. Melville, choking
with horror.
His STYLE" repeated the unmoveG
| iconoclast, 'his style has the remains
of great beauty; all his separate
| phrases, If you wish, are gems; an6
he is a literary lapidary; but his sen
| fences are so subtle, SO complex, sc
intricately compounded, and SO dis
cursive that l get a pain in the bach
of my neck before / find out what he
may mean; and them don't agree
with him. Now is is worth while tC
| put in so much hard reading only te
be irritated"
II beg pardon" Winter in~terposed
with masculine pusillanimity evadine
| takes sides in the question at issue
81 thought we were going to have
some music; why don't you boys give
us some college songs? Here is a
mandolin"
Aunt Rebecca's still luminous eyes
went from the speaker to Janet Smith
in the corner. She said something
about hearing the music better from
the other side of the balcony. Now
Gas Mrs. Millicent very truly ex
| plained) there was not a ha'penny'
worth's difference in favor of n side
over the other; but she followed In
the wake of her imperious aunt.
The colonel drew nearer to Janet
Smith; in order to sink his voice be
low disturbing the music-loyers he
found it necessary to sit on a pile OF
cushions at her feet.
did you know Mercer will be back
tonight" he began, a long way from
his ultimate object. He noticed that
leaning back in the shadow her ready
smile had dropped from her face
which looked tired. Il want to tell
you a little story about Mercer" he
continued; may 1? 1t won't take
long,"
He was aware, and it gave him a
twinge of pain to see it, that she sat
up a little straighter, like one on
guard; and oh, how tired her face was
and how sweet! He told her of all his
suspicious of her brother-in-law; OF
the blood-stains and the changing OF
clothes; she did not interrupt him by
a question, hardly by a motion, until
he told of the conversation with
Keatcham and the note signed THE