in the line of
circumstances that I should remain for tea; and after tea Phyllis
played and sang for me in the little parlor, for Phyllis was a
musician of no small merit. When in reply to my inquiry she sang
a simple Scotch ballad her mother had sung so touchingly many
years before, a great lump rose in my throat, and I sat far over
in the shadow that she and Mary might not see how blurred were my
eyes, and how unmanageable my emotion. At what age does it come
to a man and a philosopher that he is no longer ashamed of
honest, sympathetic tears?

I shall never know whether it was the journey in the train,
the air and cooking of Meadowvale, or the visits to the
burying-ground, that upset me, but for the first time in a dozen
years I found myself dissatisfied with my home. I remarked to
Malachy that the roses seemed to be in a most discouraging
condition, and that the garden in general was altogether
disappointing. I noticed that my dogs barked a great deal, that
the neighbors had become most tiresome, and that Bunsey was an
unmitigated nuisance. Even the cuisine, which had been my pride
and boast, grew at times unbearable, and I had not been home a
fortnight before I astonished Prudence by positively assuring her
that the dinner she had set before me was not worth any sane
man's serious attention. Whereupon that excellent woman announced
with superb pride that she "guessed it was about time for that
Rogers woman to give another card-party."

"Prudence," I said severely, for I encourage no flippancy on the
part of domestics, "that remark, while probably hasty and
ill-considered, borders on impertinence. I shall overlook it this
time on account of your faithful services in the past. But don't
let it happen again. In any event," I amended considerately,
"don't let it drop in my presence."

Thinking it over I came to the conclusion that Prudence was right
in the general effect of the suggestion. What I needed was a
change of scene. Long abstention from travel and variety of
incident had made me restless and discontented. I had not been in
Europe for two years. Undoubtedly I was pining for a lazy tour of
the Continent. The thought decided me. I should book my passage
on the steamer that sailed the Saturday of the following week.

Strangely enough, at this interesting moment, I received a letter
from the chairman of the committee on public improvements in the
village of Meadowvale, announcing that it had been resolved t