a mortal antipathy-第45章

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gilt　gingerbread。　　But　what　faces　these　young　folks　make　up　at　my

good　advice！　　They　get　tipsy　on　their　rhymes。　　Nothing　intoxicates

one　like　hisor　herown　verses；　and　they　hold　on　to　their　metre…

ballad…mongering　as　the　fellows　that　inhale　nitrous　oxide　hold　on　to

the　gas…bag。〃



We　laughed　over　this　essay　of　the　old　Professor；　though　it　hit　us

pretty　hard。　　The　best　part　of　the　joke　is　that　the　old　man　himself

published　a　thin　volume　of　poems　when　he　was　young；　which　there　is

good　reason　to　think　he　is　not　very　proud　of；　as　they　say　he　buys　up

all　the　copies　he　can　find　in　the　shops。　　No　matter　what　they　say；　I

can't　help　agreeing　with　him　about　this　great　flood　of　〃poetry；〃　as

it　calls　itself；　and　looking　at　the　rhyming　mania　much　as　he　does。



How　I　do　love　real　poetry！　　That　is　the　reason　hate　rhymes　which　have

not　a　particle　of　it　in　them。　　The　foolish　scribblers　that　deal　in

them　are　like　bad　workmen　in　a　carpenter's　shop。　　They　not　only　turn

out　bad　jobs　of　work；　but　they　spoil　the　tools　for　better　workmen。

There　is　hardly　a　pair　of　rhymes　in　the　English　language　that　is　not

so　dulled　and　hacked　and　gapped　by　these　'prentice　hands　that　a

master　of　the　craft　hates　to　touch　them；　and　yet　he　cannot　very　well

do　without　them。　　I　have　not　been　besieged　as　the　old　Professor　has

been　with　such　multitudes　of　would…be…poetical　aspirants　that　he

could　not　even　read　their　manuscripts；　but　I　have　had　a　good　many

letters　containing　verses；　and　I　have　warned　the　writers　of　the

delusion　under　which　they　were　laboring。



You　may　like　to　know　that　I　have　just　been　translating　some　extracts

from　the　Greek　Anthology。　　I　send　you　a　few　specimens　of　my　work；

with　a　Dedication　to　the　Shade　of　Sappho。　　I　hope　you　will　find

something　of　the　Greek　rhythm　in　my　versions；　and　that　I　have　caught

a　spark　of　inspiration　from　the　impassioned　Lesbian。　　I　have　found

great　delight　in　this　work；　at　any　rate；　and　am　never　so　happy　as

when　I　read　from　my　manuscript　or　repeat　from　memory　the　lines　into

which　I　have　transferred　the　thought　of　the　men　and　women　of　two

thousand　years　ago；　or　given　rhythmical　expression　to　my　own

rapturous　feelings　with　regard　to　them。　　I　must　read　you　my

Dedication　to　the　Shade　of　Sappho。　　I　cannot　help　thinking　that　you

will　like　it　better　than　either　of　my　last　two；　The　Song　of　the

Roses；　or　The　Wail　of　the　Weeds。



How　I　do　miss　you；　dearest！　　I　want　you：　I　want　you　to　listen　to　what

I　have　written；　I　want　you　to　hear　all　about　my　plans　for　the　future；

I　want　to　look　at　you；　and　think　how　grand　it　must　be　to　feel　one's

self　to　be　such　a　noble　and　beautiful…creature；　I　want　to　wander　in

the　woods　with　you；　to　float　on　the　lake；　to　share　your　life　and　talk

over　every　day's　doings　with　you。　　Alas！　　I　feel　that　we　have　parted

as　two　friends　part　at　a　port　of　embarkation：　they　embrace；　they　kiss

each　other's　cheeks；　they　cover　their　faces　and　weep；　they　try　to

speak　good…by　to　each　other；　they　watch　from　the　pier　and　from　the

deck；　the　two　forms　grow　less　and　less；　fainter　and　fainter　in　the

distance；　two　white　handkerchiefs　flutter　once　and　again；　and　yet

once　more；　and　the　last　visible　link　of　the　chain　which　binds　them

has　parted。　　Dear；　dear；　dearest　Euthymia；　my　eyes　are　running　over

with　tears　when　I　think　that　we　may　never；　never　meet　again。



Don't　you　want　some　more　items　of　village　news？　　We　are　threatened

with　an　influx　of　stylish　people：　〃Buttons〃　to　answer　the　door…bell；

in　place　of　the　chamber…maid；　〃butler；〃　in　place　of　the　〃hired　man；〃

footman　in　top…boots　and　breeches；　cockade　on　hat；　arms　folded　a　la

Napoleon；　tandems；　〃drags；〃　dogcarts；　and　go…carts　of　all　sorts。　　It

is　rather　amusing　to　look　at　their　ambitious　displays；　but　it　takes

away　the　good　old　country　flavor　of　the　place。



I　don't　believe　you　mean　to　try　to　astonish　us　when　you　come　back　to

spend　your　summers　here。　　I　suppose　you　must　have　a　large　house；　and

I　am　sure　you　will　have　a　beautiful　one。　　I　suppose　you　will　have

some　fine　horses；　and　who　would　n't　be　glad　to？　　But　I　do　not　believe

you　will　try　to　make　your　old　Arrowhead　Village　friends　stare　their

eyes　out　of　their　heads　with　a　display　meant　to　outshine　everybody

else　that　comes　here。　　You　can　have　a　yacht　on　the　lake；　if　you　like；

but　I　hope　you　will　pull　a　pair　of　oars　in　our　old　boat　once　in　a

while；　with　me　to　steer　you。　　I　know　you　will　be　just　the　same　dear…

Euthymia　you　always　were　and　always　must　be。　　How　happy　you　must　make

such　a　man　as　Maurice　Kirkwood！　　And　how　happy　you　ought　to　be　with

him！a　man　who　knows　what　is　in　books；　and　who　has　seen　for　himself；

what　is　in　men。　　If　he　has　not　seen　so　much　of　women；　where　could　he

study　all　that　is　best　in　womanhood　as　he　can　in　his　own　wife？　　Only

one　thing　that　dear　Euthymia　lacks。　　She　is　not　quite　pronounced

enough　in　her　views　as　to　the　rights　and　the　wrongs　of　the　sex。　　When

I　visit　you；　as　you　say　I　shall；　I　mean　to　indoctrinate　Maurice　with

sound　views　on　that　subject。　　I　have　written　an　essay　for　the

Society；　which　I　hope　will　go　a　good　way　towards　answering　all　the

objections　to　female　suffrage。　　I　mean　to　read　it　to　your　husband；　if

you　will　let　me；　as　I　know　you　will；　and　perhaps　you　would　like　to

hear　it；only　you　know　my　thoughts　on　the　subject　pretty　well

already。



With　all　sorts　of　kind　messages　to　your　dear　husband；　and　love　to

your　precious　self；

I　am　ever　your



LURIDA。









DR。　BUTTS　TO　MRS。　EUTHYMIA　KIRKWOOD。



MY　DEAR　EUTHYMIA；My　pen　refuses　to　call　you　by　any　other　name。

Sweet…souled　you　are；　and　your　Latinized　Greek　name　isthe　one　which

truly　designates　you。　　I　cannot　tell　you　how　we　have　followed　you；

with　what　interest　and　delight　through　your　travels；　as　you　have　told

their　story　in　your　letters　to　your　mother。　　She　has　let　us　have　the

privilege　of　reading　them；　and　we　have　been　with　you　in　steamer；

yacht；　felucca；　gondola；　Nile…boat；　in　all　sorts　of　places；　from

crowded　capitals　to　〃deserts　where　no　men　abide；〃everywhere　keeping

company　with　you　in　your　natural　and　pleasant　descriptions　of　your

experiences。　　And　now　that　you　have　returned　to　your　home　in　the

great　city　I　must　write　you　a　few　lines　of　welcome；　if　nothing　more。



You　will　find　Arrowhead　Village　a　good　deal　changed　since　you　left

it。　　We　are　discovered　by　some　of　those　over…rich　people　who　make　the

little　place　upon　which　they　swarm　a　kind　of　rural　city。　　When　this

happens　the　consequences　are　striking；some　of　them　desirable　and

some　far　otherwise。　　The　effect　of　well…built；　well…furnished；　well…

kept　houses　and　of　handsome　grounds　always　maintained　in　good　order

about　them　shows　itself　in　a　large　circuit　around　the　fashionable

centre。　　Houses　get　on　a　new　coat　of　paint；　fences　are　kept　in　better

order；　little　plots　of　flowers　show　themselves　where　only　ragged

weeds　had　rioted；　the　inhabitants　present　themselves　in　more　comely

attire　and　drive　in　handsomer　vehicles　with　more　carefully　groomed

horses。　　On　the　other　hand；　there　is　a　natural　jealousy　on　the　part

of　the　natives　of　the　region　suddenly　become　fashionable。　　They　have

seen　the　land　they　sold　at　farm　prices　by　the　acre　coming　to　be

valued　by　the　foot；　like　the　corner　lots　in　a　city。　　Their　simple　and

humble　modes　of　life　look　almost　poverty…stricken　in　the　glare　of

wealth　and　luxury　which　so　outshines　their　plain　way　of　living。　　It

is　true　that　many　of　them　have　found　them　selves　richer　than　in

former　days；　when　the　neighborhood　lived　on　its　own　resources。　　They

know　how　to　avail　themselves　of　their　altered　position；　and　soon

learn　to　charge　city　prices　for　country　products；　but　nothing　can

make　people　feel　rich　who　see　themselves　surrounded　by　men　whose

yearly　income　is　many　times　their　own　whole　capital。　　I　think　it

would　be　better　if　our　rich　men　scattered　themselves　more　than　they

do；buying　large　country　estates；　building　houses　and　stables　which

will　make　it　easy　to　entertain　their　friends；　and　depending　for

society　on　chosen　guests　rather　than　on　the　mob　of　millionaires　who

come　together　for　social　rivalry。　　But　I　do　not　fret　myself　about　it。

Society　will　stratify　itself　according　to　the　laws　of　social

gravitation。　　It　will　take　a　generation　or　two　more；　perhaps；　to

arrange　the　strata　by　precipitation　and　settlement；　but　we　can　always

depend　on　one　principle　to　govern　the　arrangement　of　the　layers。

People　interested　in　the　same　things　will　naturally　come　together。

The　youthful　heirs　of　fortunes　who　keep　splendid　yachts　have　little

to　talk　about　with　the　oarsman　who　pulls　about　on　the　lake　or　the

river。　　What　does　young　Dives；　who　drives　his　four…in…hand　and　keeps

a　stable　full　of　horses；　care　about　Lazarus；　who　feels　rich　in　the

possession　of　a　horse…railroad　ticket？　　You　know　how　we　live　at　our

house；　plainly；　but　with　a　certain　degree　of　cultivated　propriety。

We　make　no　pretensions　to　what　is　called　〃style。〃　　We　are　still　in

that　social　stratum　where　the　article　called　〃a　napkin…ring〃　is

recognized　as　admissible　at　the　dinner…table。　　That　fact　sufficiently

defines　our　modest　pretensions。　　The　napkin…ring　is　the　boundary　mark

between　certain　classes。　　But　one　evening　Mrs。　Butts　and　I　went　out

to　a　party　given　by　the　lady　of　a　worthy　family；　where　the　napkin

itself　was　a　newly　introduced　luxury。　　The　conversation　of　the

hostess　and　her　guests　turned　upon　details　of　the　kitchen　and　the

laundry；　upon　the　best　mode　of　raising　bread；　whether　with　〃emptins〃

（emptyings；　yeast）　or　baking　powder；　about　〃bluing〃　and　starching　and

crimping；　and　similar　matters。　　Poor　Mrs。　Butts！　　She　knew　nothing

more　about　such　things　than　her　hostess　did　about　Shakespeare　and　the

musical　glasses。　　What　was　the　use　of　trying　to　enforce　social

intercourse　under　such　conditions？　　Incompatibility　of　temper　has

been　considered　ground　for　a　divorce；　incompatibility　of　interests　is

a　sufficient　warrant　for　social　separation。　　The　multimillionaires

have　so　much　that　is　common　among　themselves；　and　so　little　that　they

share　with　us　of　moderate　means；　that　they　will　naturally　form　a

specialized　class；　and　in　virtue　of　their　palaces；　their　picture…

galleries；　their　equipages；　their　yachts；　their　large　hospitality；

constitute　a　kind　of　exclusive　aristocracy。　　Religion；　which　ought　to

be　the　great　leveller；　cannot　reduce　these　elements　to　the　same

grade。　　You　may　read　in　the　parable；　〃Friend；　how　camest　thou　in

hither　not　having　a　wedding　garment？〃　　The　modern　version　would　be；

〃How　came　you　at　Mrs。　Billion's　ball　not　having　a　dress　on　your　back

which　came　from　Paris？〃



The　little　church　has　got　a　new　stained　window；　a　saint　who　reminds

me　of　Hamlet's　uncle；a　thing　〃of　shreds　and　patches；〃　but　rather

pretty　to　look　at；　with　an　inscription　under　it　which　is　supposed　to

be　the　name　of　the　person　in　whose　honor　the　window　was　placed　in　the

church。　　Smith　was　a　worthy　man　and　a　faithful　churchwarden；　and　I

hope　poste