in　terms　so　quaint　and　courtly；　and　so　full　of　generous　appreciation　of　their　interest　in　Oliver；　that　Mr。　Slade；　equally　appreciative；　　had　worn　it　into　ribbons　in　showing　it　to　his　friends　as　a　model　of　style　and　chirography。
  Remembering　his　mother's　wishes；　and　in　appreciation　　of　his　employer's　courtesy；　he　had　kept　up　this　intimacy　with　the　Slade　family　until　an　unfortunate　catastrophe　had　occurred；　which　while　it　did　not　affect　　his　welcome　at　their　house；　ruined　his　pleasure　while　there。
  Mr。　Slade　had　invited　Oliver　to　dinner　one　rainy　night；　and；　being　too　poor　to　pay　for　a　cab；　Oliver；　in　attempting　to　cross　Broadway；　had　stepped　into　a　mud…puddle　a　foot　deep。　He　must　either　walk　back　and　change　his　shoes　and　be　late　for　dinneran　　unpardonable　offenceor　he　must　keep　on　and　run　his　chances　of　cleaning　them　in　the　dressing…room。　There　was　no　dressing…room　available；　as　it　turned　out；　and　the　fat　English　butler　had　to　bring　a　wet　cloth　out　into　the　hall　（oh！　how　he　wished　for　Malachi！）　and　get　down　on　his　stiff　knees　and　wipe　away　vigorously　　before　Oliver　could　present　himself　before　his　hostess；　the　dinner　in　the　meantime　getting　cold　and　the　guests　being　kept　waiting。　Oliver　could　never　look　at　those　shoes　after　that　without　shivering。
  This　incident　had　kept　him　at　home　for　a　time　and　had　made　him　chary　of　exposing　himself　to　similar　　mortifications。　His　stock　of　clothes　at　best　was　limitedespecially　his　shoesand　as　the　weather　continued　bad　and　the　streets　impassable；　he　preferred　waiting　for　clearer　skies　and　safer　walking。　So　he　spent　his　nights　in　his　room；　crooning　over　the　coke　fire　with　Fred；　or　all　alone　if　Fred　were　at　the　Academy；　　drawing　from　the　cast。
  On　these　nights　he　would　begin　to　long　for　Kennedy　　Square。　He　had　said　nothing　yet　about　returning；　　even　for　a　day's　visit。　He　knew　how　his　mother　felt　about　it；　and　he　knew　how　he　had　seen　her　struggle　to　keep　the　interest　paid　up　on　the　mortgage　and　to　meet　the　daily　necessities　of　the　house。　The　motor　was　still　incomplete；　she　wrote　him；　and　success　　was　as　far　off　as　ever。　The　mortgage　had　again　been　extended　and　the　note　renewedthis　time　for　a　longer　term；　owing　to　some　friend's　interest　in　the　matter　whose　name　she　could　not　learn。　She；　therefore；　　felt　no　uneasiness　on　that　score；　although　there　were　still　no　pennies　which　could　be　spared　for　Olivers　　travelling　expenses；　even　if　he　could　get　leave　of　absence　from　his　employers。
  At　these　times；　as　he　sat　alone　in　his　garret…room；　Malachi's　chuckle；　without　cause　or　reminder　would　suddenly　ring　in　his　ears；　or　some　low　strain　from　his　father's　violin　or　a　soft　note　from　Nathan's　flute　would　float　through　his　brain。　〃Dear　Uncle　Nat；〃　he　would　break　out；　speaking　aloud　and　springing　　from　his　chair〃I　wish　I　could　hear　you　tonight。〃
  His　only　relief　while　in　these　moods　was　to　again　seize　his　pen　and　pour　out　his　heart　to　his　mother　or　to　his　father；　or　to　Miss　Clendenning　or　old　Mr。　Crocker。　Occasionally　he　would　write　to　Suenot　oftenfor　that　volatile　young　lady　had　so　far　forgotten　　Oliver　as　to　leave　his　letters　unanswered　for　weeks　at　a　time。　She　was　singing　〃Dixie；〃　she　told　him　in　her　last　billet…doux；　now　a　month　old；　and　　wondering　whether　Oliver　was　getting　to　be　a　Yankee；　and　whether　he　would　be　coming　home　with　a　high　collar　and　his　hair　cut　short　and　parted　in　the　middle。
  His　father's　letters　in　return　did　not　lessen　his　gloom。　〃These　agitators　will　destroy　the　country；　my　son；　if　they　keep　on；〃　Richard　had　written　in　his　last　letter。　〃It　is　a　sin　against　civilization　to　hold　your　fellow…men　in　bondage；　and　that　is　why　years　ago　I　gave　Malachi　and　Hannah　and　the　others　their　freedom；　but　Virginia　has　unquestionably　the　right　to　govern　her　internal　affairs　without　consulting　Massachusetts；　and　that　is　what　many　of　these　Northern　　leaders　do　not　or　will　not　understand。　I　am　greatly　disturbed　over　the　situation；　and　I　sincerely　hope　your　own　career　will　not　be　affected　by　these　troubles。　As　to　my　own　affairs；　all　I　can　say　is　that　I　work　early　and　late；　and　am　out　of　debt。〃　Poor　fellow！　He　thought　he　was。
  Oliver　was　sitting　thus　one　night；　his　head　in　his　hands；　elbows　on　his　knees；　gazing　into　the　smouldering　　coals　of　his　grate；　his　favorite　attitude　when　his　mind　was　troubled；　when　Fred；　his　face　aglow；　his　big　blue　eyes　dancing；　threw　wide　the　door　and　bounded　in；　bringing　in　his　clothes　the　fresh；　cool　air　of　the　night。　He　had　been　at　work　in　the　School　of　the　Academy　of　Design；　and　had　a　drawing　in　chalk　under　his　arma　head　of　the　young　Augustus。
  〃What's　the　matter；　Ollie；　got　the　blues？〃
  〃No；　Freddie；　only　thinking。〃
  〃What's　her　name？　I'll　go　and　see　her　and　make　it　up。　Out　with　itdo　I　know　her？〃
  Oliver　smiled　faintly；　examined　the　drawing　for　a　moment；　and　handing　it　back　to　Fred；　said；　sadly；　〃It's　not　a　girl；　Freddie；　but　I　don't　seem　to　get　　anywhere。〃
  Fred　threw　the　drawing　on　the　bed　and　squeezed　himself　into　the　chair　beside　his　chum；　his　arm　around　his　neck。
  〃Where　do　you　want　to　get；　old　man？　What's　the　matterany　trouble　at　the　store？〃
  〃Nonone　that　I　know　of。　But　the　life　is　so　monotonous；　Fred。　You　do　what　you　love　to　do。　I　mark　boxes　all　day　till　lunch…time；　then　I　roll　them　out　on　the　sidewalk　and　make　out　dray　tickets　till　I　come　home。　I've　been　doing　that　all　winter；　I　expect　to　be　doing　it　for　years。　That　don't　get　me　anywhere；　does　it？　I　hate　the　life　more　and　more　every　day。〃
  （Was　our　hero's　old　love　of　change　again　asserting　　itself；　or　was　it　only　the　pinching　of　that　Chinese　shoe　which　his　mother　in　her　anxiety　had　slipped　on　his　unresisting　foot；　and　which　he　was　still　wearing　to　please　her？　Or　was　it　the　upper　pressure　of　some　inherent　talentsome　gift　of　his　ancestors　that　would　not　down　at　his　own　bidding　or　that　of　his　mother　or　anybody　else's？）
  〃Somebody's　got　to　do　it；　Ollie；　and　you　are　the　last　man　hired；〃　remarked　Fred；　quietly。　〃What　would　you　like　to　do？〃
  Oliver　shifted　himself　in　the　crowded　chair　until　he　could　look　into　his　room…mate's　eyes。
  〃Fred；　old　man；〃　he　answered；　his　voice　choking；　〃I　haven't　said　a　word　to　you　about　it　all　the　time　I've　been　here；　for　I　don't　like　to　talk　about　a　thing　that　hurts　me；　and　so　I've　kept　it　to　myself。　Now　I'll　tell　you　the　truth　just　as　it　is。　I　don't　want　Mr。　Slade's　work　nor　anybody　else's　work。　I　don't　like　business　and　never　will。　I　want　to　paint；　and　I'll　never　be　happy　until　I　do。　That's　it；　fair　and　square。〃
  〃Well；　quit　Slade；　then；　and　come　with　me。〃
  〃I　would　if　it　wasn't　for　mother。　I　promised　her　I　would　see　this　through；　and　I　will。〃　As　he　spoke　the　overdue　mortgage　and　his　mother's　efforts　to　keep　the　interest　paid　passed　in　review　before　him。
  Fred　caught　his　breath。　It　astonished　him；　independent　　young　Northerner　as　he　was；　to　hear　a　full…　grown　man　confess　that　his　mother's'　apron…strings　still　held　him　up；　but　he　made　no　comment。
  〃Why　not　try　both？〃　he　cried。　〃There's　a　place　in　the　school　alongside　of　mewe'll　work　together　nights。　It　won't　interfere　with　what　you　do　downtown。　　You'll　get　a　good　start；　and　when　you　have　a　day　off　in　the　summer　you　can　do　some　out…door　work。　Waller　has　told　me　a　dozen　times　that　you　draw　better　than　he　did　when　he　commenced。　Come　along　with　me。〃
  This　conversation；　with　the　other　incidents　of　the　day；　or　rather　that　part　of　it　which　had　reference　to　the　Academy；　was　duly　set　forth　in　his　next　letter　to　his　mothernot　as　an　argument　to　gain　her　consent　　to　his　studying　with　Fred；　for　he　knew　it　was　the　last　thing　she　would　agree　tobut　because　it　was　his　habit　to　tell　her　everything。　It　would　show　her；　too；　how　good　a　fellow　Fred　was　and　what　an　interest　he　took　in　his　welfare。　Her　answer；　three　days　later；　sent　him　bounding　upstairs　and　into　their　room　like　a　whirlwind。
  〃Read；　Fred；　read！〃　he　cried。　〃I　can　go。　Mother　says　she　thinks　it　would　be　the　best　thing　in　the　world　for　me。　Here；　clap　your　eyes　on　that〃　and　Oliver　held　the　letter　out　to　Fred；　his　finger　pointing　to　this　passage：　〃I　wish　you　would　join　Fred　at　the　Academy。　Now　that　you　have　a　regular　business　　that　occupies　your　mind；　and　are　earning　your　living；　I　have　no　objection　to　your　studying　drawing　or　learning　any　other　accomplishment。　You　work　hard　all　day；　and　this　will　rest　you。〃
  The　cramped　foot　was　beginning　to　spread！　The　Chinese　shoe　had　lost　its　top　button。
  CHAPTER　XII
  AROUND　THE　MILO
  Still　another　new　and　far　more　bewildering　world　was　opened　to　Oliver　the　night　that　he　entered　the　cast…room　of　the　School　of　the　National　Academy　of　Design　and　took　his　seat　among　the　students。
  The　title　of　the　institution；　high…sounding　as　it　was；　not　only　truthfully　expressed　the　objects　and　purposes　　of　its　founders；　but　was　wofully　exact　in　the　sense　of　its　being　national；　for　outside　the　bare　walls　of　these　rooms　there　was　hardly　a　student's　easel　to　be　found　the　country　over。
  And　such　forlorn；　desolate　rooms；　up　two　flights　of　dusty　stairs；　in　a　rickety；　dingy　loft　off　Broadway；　within　a　short　walk　of　Union　Squarean　auction…　room　on　the　ground　floor　and　a　bar…room　in　the　rear。　The　largest　of　these　rooms　was　used　for　the　annual　exhibition　of　the　Academicians　and　their　associates；　and　the　smaller　ones　were　given　over　to　the