town；　and　goes　circling　around　with　the　other　twigs　and　dry　leaves；
  moral　flotsam　and　jetsam；　thrown　aside　by　the　great　rush　of　the
  outside　world。
  For　the　parents　the　life　is　not　too　sad。　　They　have　had　their　day；
  and　are；　perhaps；　a　little　glad　in　their　hearts　of　a　quiet　old　age；
  away　from　the　heat　and　sweat　of　the　battle；　but　for　the　younger
  generation　it　is　annihilation。　　Each　year　their　circle　grows
  smaller。　　Death　takes　away　one　member　after　another　of　the　family；
  until　one　is　left　alone　in　a　foreign　land　with　no　ties　around　her；
  or　with　her　far…away　〃home；〃　the　latter　more　a　name　now　than　a
  reality。
  A　year　or　two　ago　I　was　taking　luncheon　with　our　consul　at　his
  primitive　villa；　an　hour's　ride　from　the　city　of　Tangier；　a　ride
  made　on　donkey…back；　as　no　roads　exist　in　that　sunny　land。　　After
  our　coffee　and　cigars；　he　took　me　a　half…hour's　walk　into　the
  wilderness　around　him　to　call　on　his　nearest　neighbors；　whose　mode
  of　existence　seemed　a　source　of　anxiety　to　him。　　I　found　myself　in
  the　presence　of　two　American　ladies；　the　younger　being　certainly
  not　less　than　seventy…five。　　To　my　astonishment　I　found　they　had
  been　living　there　some　thirty　years；　since　the　death　of　their
  parents；　in　an　isolation　and　remoteness　impossible　to　describe；　in
  an　Arab　house；　with　native　servants；　〃the　world　forgetting；　by　the
  world　forgot。〃　　Yet　these　ladies　had　names　well　known　in　New　York
  fifty　years　ago。
  The　glimpse　I　had　of　their　existence　made　me　thoughtful　as　I　rode
  home　in　the　twilight；　across　a　suburb　none　too　safe　for　strangers。
  What　had　the　future　in　store　for　those　two？　　Or；　worse　still；　for
  the　survivor　of　those　two？　　In　contrast；　I　saw　a　certain　humble
  〃home〃　far　away　in　America；　where　two　old　ladies　were　ending　their
  lives　surrounded　by　loving　friends　and　relations；　honored　and
  cherished　and　guarded　tenderly　from　the　rude　world。
  In　big　cities　like　Paris　and　Rome　there　is　another　class　of　the
  expatriated；　the　wealthy　who　have　left　their　homes　in　a　moment　of
  pique　after　the　failure　of　some　social　or　political　ambition；　and
  who　find　in　these　centres　the　recognition　refused　them　at　home　and
  for　which　their　souls　thirsted。
  It　is　not　to　these　I　refer；　although　it　is　curious　to　see　a　group
  of　people　living　for　years　in　a　country　of　which　they；　half　the
  time；　do　not　speak　the　language　（beyond　the　necessities　of　house…
  keeping　and　shopping）；　knowing　but　few　of　its　inhabitants；　and
  seeing　none　of　the　society　of　the　place；　their　acquaintance　rarely
  going　beyond　that　equivocal；　hybrid　class　that　surrounds　rich
  〃strangers〃　and　hangs　on　to　the　outer　edge　of　the　GRAND　MONDE。　　One
  feels　for　this　latter　class　merely　contempt；　but　one's　pity　is
  reserved　for　the　former。　　What　object　lessons　some　lives　on　the
  Continent　would　be　to　impatient　souls　at　home；　who　feel
  discontented　with　their　surroundings；　and　anxious　to　break　away　and
  wander　abroad！　　Let　them　think　twice　before　they　cut　the　thousand
  ties　it　has　taken　a　lifetime　to　form。　　Better　monotony　at　your　own
  fireside；　my　friends；　where　at　the　worst；　you　are　known　and　have
  your　place；　no　matter　how　small；　than　an　old　age　among　strangers。
  CHAPTER　12　…　〃Seven　Ages〃　of　Furniture
  THE　progress　through　life　of　active…minded　Americans　is　apt　to　be　a
  series　of　transformations。　　At　each　succeeding　phase　of　mental
  development；　an　old　skin　drops　from　their　growing　intelligence；　and
  they　assimilate　the　ideas　and　tastes　of　their　new　condition；　with　a
  facility　and　completeness　unknown　to　other　nations。
  One　series　of　metamorphoses　particularly　amusing　to　watch　is；　that
  of　an　observant；　receptive　daughter　of　Uncle　Sam　who；　aided　and
  followed　（at　a　distance）　by　an　adoring　husband；　gradually　develops
  her　excellent　brain；　and　rises　through　fathoms　of　self…culture　and
  purblind　experiment；　to　the　surface　of　dilettantism　and
  connoisseurship。　　One　can　generally　detect　the　exact　stage　of
  evolution　such　a　lady　has　reached　by　the　bent　of　her　conversation；
  the　books　she　is　reading；　and；　last　but　not　least；　by　her　material
  surroundings；　no　outward　and　visible　signs　reflecting　inward　and
  spiritual　grace　so　clearly　as　the　objects　people　collect　around
  them　for　the　adornment　of　their　rooms；　or　the　way　in　which　those
  rooms　are　decorated。
  A　few　years　ago；　when　a　young　man　and　his　bride　set　up　housekeeping
  on　their　own　account；　the　〃old　people〃　of　both　families　seized　the
  opportunity　to　unload　on　the　beginners　（under　the　pretence　of
  helping　them　along）　a　quantity　of　furniture　and　belongings　that　had
  （as　the　shopkeepers　say）　〃ceased　to　please〃　their　original　owners。
  The　narrow　quarters　of　the　tyros　are　encumbered　by　ungainly　sofas
  and　arm…chairs；　most　probably　of　carved　rosewood。　　ETAGERES　OF　the
  same　lugubrious　material　grace　the　corners　of　their　tiny　drawing…
  room；　the　bits　of　mirror　inserted　between　the　shelves　distorting
  the　image　of　the　owners　into　headless　or　limbless　phantoms。　　Half
  of　their　little　dining…room　is　filled　with　a　black…walnut
  sideboard；　ingeniously　contrived　to　take　up　as　much　space　as
  possible　and　hold　nothing；　its　graceless　top　adorned　with　a　stag's
  head　carved　in　wood　and　imitation　antlers。
  The　novices　in　their　innocence　live　contented　amid　their　hideous
  surroundings　for　a　year　or　two；　when　the　wife　enters　her　second
  epoch；　which；　for　want　of　a　better　word；　we　will　call　the　Japanese
  period。　　The　grim　furniture　gradually　disappears　under　a　layer　of
  silk　and　gauze　draperies；　the　bare　walls　blossom　with　paper
  umbrellas；　fans　are　nailed　in　groups　promiscuously；　wherever　an
  empty　space　offends　her　eye。　　Bows　of　ribbon　are　attached　to　every
  possible　protuberance　of　the　furniture。　　Even　the　table　service　is
  not　spared。　　I　remember　dining　at　a　house　in　this　stage　of　its
  artistic　development；　where　the　marrow　bones　that　formed　one　course
  of　the　dinner　appeared　each　with　a　coquettish　little　bow…knot　of
  pink　ribbon　around　its　neck。
  Once　launched　on　this　sea　of　adornment；　the　housewife　soon　loses
  her　bearings　and　decorates　indiscriminately。　　Her　old　evening
  dresses　serve　to　drape　the　mantelpieces；　and　she　passes　every　spare
  hour　embroidering；　braiding；　or　fringing　some　material　to　adorn　her
  rooms。　　At　Christmas　her　friends　contribute　specimens　of　their
  handiwork　to　the　collection。
  The　view　of　other　houses　and　other　decorations　before　long
  introduces　the　worm　of　discontent　into　the　blossom　of　our　friend's
  contentment。　　The　fruit　of　her　labors　becomes　tasteless　on　her
  lips。　　As　the　finances　of　the　family　are　satisfactory；　the　re…
  arrangement　of　the　parlor　floor　is　（at　her　suggestion）　confided　to
  a　firm　of　upholsterers；　who　make　a　clean　sweep　of　the　rosewood　and
  the　bow…knots；　and　retire；　after　some　months　of　labor；　leaving　the
  delighted　wife　in　possession　of　a　suite　of　rooms　glittering　with
  every　monstrosity　that　an　imaginative　tradesman；　spurred　on　by
  unlimited　credit；　could　devise。
  The　wood　work　of　the　doors　and　mantels　is　an　intricate　puzzle　of
  inlaid　woods；　the　ceilings　are　panelled　and　painted　in　complicated
  designs。　　The　〃parlor〃　is　provided　with　a　complete　set　of　neat；
  old…gold　satin　furniture；　puffed　at　its　angles　with　peacock…colored
  plush。
  The　monumental　folding　doors　between　the　long；　narrow　rooms　are
  draped　with　the　same　chaste　combination　of　stuffs。
  The　dining…room　blazes　with　a　gold　and　purple　wall　paper；　set　off
  by　ebonized　wood　work　and　furniture。　　The　conscientious　contractor
  has　neglected　no　corner。　　Every　square　inch　of　the　ceilings；　walls；
  and　floors　has　been　carved；　embossed；　stencilled；　or　gilded　into　a
  bewildering　monotony。
  The　husband；　whose　affairs　are　rapidly　increasing　on　his　hands；　has
  no　time　to　attend　to　such　insignificant　details　as　house
  decoration；　the　wife　has　perfect　confidence　in　the　taste　of　the
  firm　employed。　　So　at　the　suggestion　of　the　latter；　and　in　order　to
  complete　the　beauty　of　the　rooms；　a　Bouguereau；　a　Toulmouche　and　a
  couple　of　Schreyers　are　bought；　and　a　number　of　modern　French
  bronzes　scattered　about　on　the　multicolored　cabinets。　　Then；　at
  last；　the　happy　owners　of　all　this　splendor　open　their　doors　to　the
  admiration　of　their　friends。
  About　the　time　the　peacock　plush　and　the　gilding　begin　to　show
  signs　of　wear　and　tear；　rumors　of　a　fresh　fashion　in　decoration
  float　across　from　England；　and　the　new　gospel　of　the　beautiful
  according　to　Clarence　Cook　is　first　preached　to　an　astonished
  nation。
  The　fortune　of　our　couple　continuing　to　develop　with　pleasing
  rapidity；　the　building　of　a　country　house　is　next　decided　upon。　　A
  friend　of　the　husband；　who　has　recently　started　out　as　an
  architect；　designs　them　a　picturesque　residence　without　a　straight
  line　on　its　exterior　or　a　square　room　inside。　　This　house　is　done
  up　in　strict　obedience　to　the　teachings　of　the　new　sect。