ible.
He did not see how he could do it here. He had gone into the groove, and
it was hard getting out. But if some one came along, and offered them a
fortune!

The chance drew near. A new street was prospected through Miss Barry's
grounds, through the Lanier place farther back, and the southern end
would touch the Darcy place, giving it some new fronts and available
lots, and placing the house on the corner. There would be sufficient
ground for the width of the street. A petition was forthwith circulated.

Alas that there could be people so blind to their own interests and the
general welfare of the community! Miss Barry stoutly resisted. She even
inspired some of her neighbors to that extent of opposition that they
would not sell at any price. Destroy the beauty of Larch Avenue, that
had been "Lovers' Walk" in the old days, and held so many tender
reminiscences!

"When I am gone I don't care what is done with the place," said Miss
Barry. "It will have but little sentiment for the next generation. A
change to me now would be like tearing up an old tree by the roots. I
could not endure it. They may have their elegant new houses; but give me
my large airy rooms and my old-time flowers, my nectarines and apricots.
Let me live my few years in peace and quiet."

"There is certainly enough to improve," returned Grandmother Darcy.
"There are miles and miles that people are glad to sell. Let them take
that. Let them build up the vacant lots. And where are all the people
coming from to fill them?"

"The factories and mills will bring in the people," said Jack sturdily.

"There is plenty of room elsewhere," returned Miss Barry with some
asperity. "There certainly is no need of turning people out of homes
they like, and have made comfortable."

"I suppose you cannot look at it in a business light," said Jack. "Women
rarely do"--

"There have been just such whirlwinds before, Mr. Darcy," said the
shrewd little old lady. "I have lived through two of them myself. And it
seems to me it is an epidemic of running in debt, rather than
prosperity. If everything were paid for; but you see here are
improvement-bonds, and our town runs in debt: here is everybody raising
money on mortgages. How is it to be paid? Do wages and salaries double?
History proves that it is a bad thing for a state when its rich men grow
richer, and its poor poorer."

"I am sure they need not," said Jack valiantly. "There is a higher scale
of wages paid