g before
the post-office, awaiting the distribution of the evening mails.
Occasionally there came into it a shrill electric street-car, the
motor singing like a cageful of grasshoppers, and possessing a great
gong that clanged forth both warnings and simple noise. At the little
theatre, which was a varnish and red plush miniature of one of the
famous New York theatres, a company of strollers was to play "East
Lynne." The young men of the town were mainly gathered at the corners,
in distinctive groups, which expressed various shades and lines of
chumship, and had little to do with any social gradations. There they
discussed everything with critical insight, passing the whole town in
review as it swarmed in the street. When the gongs of the electric
cars ceased for a moment to harry the ears, there could be heard the
sound of the feet of the leisurely crowd on the bluestone pavement,
and it was like the peaceful evening lashing at the shore of a lake.
At the foot of the hill, where two lines of maples sentinelled the
way, an electric lamp glowed high among the embowering branches, and
made most wonderful shadow-etchings on the road below it.

When Johnson appeared amid the throng a member of one of the profane
groups at a corner instantly telegraphed news of this extraordinary
arrival to his companions. They hailed him. "Hello, Henry! Going to
walk for a cake to-night?"

"Ain't he smooth?"

"Why, you've got that cake right in your pocket, Henry!"

"Throw out your chest a little more."

Henry was not ruffled in any way by these quiet admonitions and
compliments. In reply he laughed a supremely good-natured, chuckling
laugh, which nevertheless expressed an underground complacency of
superior metal.

Young Griscom, the lawyer, was just emerging from Reifsnyder's barber
shop, rubbing his chin contentedly. On the steps he dropped his hand
and looked with wide eyes into the crowd. Suddenly he bolted back into
the shop. "Wow!" he cried to the parliament; "you ought to see the
coon that's coming!"

Reifsnyder and his assistant instantly poised their razors high and
turned towards the window. Two belathered heads reared from the
chairs. The electric shine in the street caused an effect like water
to them who looked through the glass from the yellow glamour of
Reifsnyder's shop. In fact, the people without resembled the
inhabitants of a great aquarium that here had a square pane in it.
Presently into this frame swam the g