carpenter Phips, springing from the lowest of the people, and
attaining to the loftiest station in the land. But, he smiled to perceive
that this governor's example would awaken no turbulent ambition in the
lower orders, for it was a king's gracious boon alone that made the
ship-carpenter a ruler. Hutchinson rejoiced to mark the gradual growth of
an aristocratic class, to whom the common people, as in duty bound, were
learning humbly to resign the honors, emoluments, and authority of state.
He saw,--or else deceived himself--that, throughout this epoch, the people's
disposition to self-government had been growing weaker, through long
disuse, and now existed only as a faint traditionary feeling.

The Lieutenant-Governor's reverie had now come down to the period at which
he himself was sitting in the historic chair. He endeavored to throw his
glance forward, over the coming years. There, probably, he saw visions of
hereditary rank, for himself and other aristocratic colonists. He saw the
fertile fields of New England, portioned out among a few great
landholders, and descending by entail from generation to generation. He
saw the people a race of tenantry, dependent on their lords. He saw stars,
garters, coronets, and castles.

"But," added Grandfather, turning to Laurence, "the Lieutenant-Governor's
castles were built nowhere but among the red embers of the fire, before
which he was sitting. And, just as he had constructed a baronial residence
for himself and his posterity, the fire rolled down upon the hearth, and
crumbled it to ashes!"

Grandfather now looked at his watch, which hung within a beautiful little
ebony Temple, supported by four Ionic columns. He then laid his hand on
the golden locks of little Alice, whose head had sunk down upon the arm of
our illustrious chair.

"To bed, to bed, dear child!" said he. "Grandfather has put you to sleep,
already, by his stories about these FAMOUS OLD PEOPLE!"

PART III

Chapter I

On the evening of New Year's day, Grandfather was walking to and fro,
across the carpet, listening to the rain which beat hard against the
curtained windows. The riotous blast shook the casement, as if a strong
man were striving to force his entrance into the comfortable room. With
every puff of the wind, the fire leaped upward from the hearth, laughing
and rejoicing at the shrieks of the wintry storm.

Meanwhile, Grandfather's chair stood in its customary place by the
fires