steps of the Lister porch. There, in mid-afternoon, Dr. Lister sat alone, the dinner guests having departed to join the general exodus on the five-

when a crust seemed to form over the grief which could still burn so fiercely. The house was ver

unctilious in the small relations of life as she was in its more important principles. Perhaps the v

d taught his boys and girls faithfully, but without much enthusiasm for their capabilities or possibilities. His mind was more intently occupied with the affairs of the great world which seemed to

ere was a man! "I am Mr. Utterly of 'Willard's Maga

been thinking of a few minutes' sleep before supper, but he gave it up wil

sir. I shall be glad to give

es in his hand. This Waltonv

find it rather dull,

r's canna beds-"makes one feel that after all some persons and some places do arrive at serenity. We never do in New York. We don't know what serenity is." Then Utterly descended from the pedestal upon which Dr. Liste

girls, especially to the playing of your own bo

said Dr

ack just about two thousand years. You ought to keep it forever as a spectacle. Pilgrimages ought to be made here, not by train, but on foot. Everything in

ed like the lilies, who quoted poetry at first acquaintance? Dr. Lister read poetry, but he did not quote it to men whom he did not know. He wished th

so like any other Commencement afternoo

with such an environment could have looked so k

r turned

t unders

, with such an environment as this in his youth, could have

e could not believe that he had heard aright.

possible that Dr. Lister d

fe's brother. He has bee

Utterly's eyes arraigned Dr. Liste

ve. He had been a strange youth who had brought sorrow, and sorrow only, to those who loved him, talented without question, but lacking in balance of mind.

twenty-five years or more ago. Ours to-day is vastly superior." Suddenly Utterly's words came in a flood. He grew ardent and excited. "We are beginning to learn from the French and Russians. We are learning the beauty of the lo

of his gaze, the complete stillness of all about them, suggested to Utterly a breathless mom

Every one who has read them considers them extraordinary. They exhibit not only marvelous imaginative power, but an extensive experience of life, the experience of a man who has s

ll-expressed sentiment of which he must

egan Dr.

lifted h

ho promised such extraordinary things and who then, as far as we know, ceased to write. I belong to that class of biographers who believe that all is sacred and valuable in the development of genius. The facts of a writer's life are of transcendent importance. The power of imagination fails after a certain poi

slowly. "He has been

e die

y home. His death seriously affected my wife, who is his sister, and who lost he

new or suspected

supposed to have talent of

Agnes Eve.' Surely Basil Everma

ever knew that he had

I see

will

t she might have mental reservations was new. He was certain that she would be shocked by this inquiry and he wished that there w

e she stood now, by the stairway with her hand on the newel post. But she came forward at o

rest, mother?" a

in her steady voice.

ho comes from a New York magazi

uestion, real or rhetorical, it was simply a

mother, to ask you about some lit

mbed. Dr. Lister was now certain that she had heard the stranger

any years ago some remarkable compositions which

hildish way. "He played some, too, on the piano.

k to this gentleman? Do you

e honeysuckle seemed to exhale a sickly odor, it was not the first time in her life that under like circumstances she had held her head bravely. She had heard every word the stranger had said. If she h

realistic phrase his admiration for the insight of the younger generation of writers. He said that modern literature was findin

n and the conductor and the person whom he called "mine host" a

the identical worn doorstep and the fly-blown bottles and the print over the bar which pictures exactly her own arrival. T

ring. The tavern was not a place for Mary Alcestis's brother to be connected with! But he looked at Mrs. Lister and sat still. Her face was a littl

d have despaired entirely. Will you"-Utterly, looking at Mrs. Lister decided that so Victorian a person could not po

ugh she were reciting a well-conned lesson

and I his only daughter. He had no other children. Basil was only twenty-five years old when he died. He died of di

said

a meaningless little

, Mrs. Lister!"

es

denly her eyes burned and her hands twitched. "What was he l

d she said steadily and clearly, "He was quite tall and slender.

tographs of h

ore distinctly those long hours when she had lain sleepless at his side suffering her abnormal and unwhol

ir of eyes I've seen recently." He frowned, but could not remember

had gra

have known that h

ht," concede

aduate of th

N

een at P?stum, and one does not get to P?stum without going through some other places. I think yo

never

er saw

N

e did not believe her. Again Dr. Lister's

dn't simply grow up and die, like a vegetable! We used to think the Bront?s had only lived and grown up and died, but we are learning differently. It was silly ever to have thought otherwise. Moreover, the reading public is determined to have the facts about those whom it admires. You cannot keep people from knowing," concluded Utterly in a harsh tone, some basic rudeness in his nature showing suddenly through the oute

u will wish t

swered Dr. List

that even this small amount of work gives ample proof. It is the most deplorable tragedy in the his

sted Dr. Lister. "Have you thought of looking there? If the style is so ind

ut now? Any calling of the attention of another magazine to Basil Everman would bring a represen

a moment too long and her composure was gone. What she said

ters? I know that you don't know anything about Shakespeare because there

ollars a word for any authentic information about Shakespeare, and a thousand for any about Homer. Homer and Shakesp

out of sight, Dr. List

dear! Wha

m a gray face. She looked

ave poor Basil in his grave! I will tell nothing